Jump to content

No Reception


djBarren
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

I can only get limited reception on my Seat Arosa. Ive heard thers a problem with the small circuit board in the antenna. Has anyone had any problems like this? If so did you buy original parts or is there a cheaper option, without having to run a new aerial cable?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hi all,

I can only get limited reception on my Seat Arosa. Ive heard thers a problem with the small circuit board in the antenna. Has anyone had any problems like this? If so did you buy original parts or is there a cheaper option, without having to run a new aerial cable?

I had a problem like this for a long time, but eventually solved it. When originally sold, my Arosa S Tdi had a basic Grundig radio in it. The one previous owner of my car had that original Grundig radio replaced with a SEAT-supplied and fitted Grundig Radio/CD unit. For several years, the FM reception was never quite as good as I thought it should be, and I couldn't get anything on Medium Wave or Long Wave at all - just buzzing and noise.

Eventually, I decided to look and see what the problem was.

Basically, it was this: The original radio supplied power to the aerial amplifier in the base of the aerial by sending power up the same wire as the radio signal was coming down.

The after-fit Radio/CD supplied and fitted by SEAT did NOT have this facility to line-power the aerial amplifier (SEAT should have realised this) and so for all of that time the radio had just been working with what it could pull through the unpowered amplifier. FM only needs a relatively short aerial so I was still able to get some FM reception, but MW and LW need either a long aerial or a strongly amplified short aerial, and that's why MW and LW weren't working.

Halfords (and presumably others) sell a little adaptor which looks like a short metal tube which goes inline with the aerial, inserted between the plug on the end of the aerial cable and the aerial socket on the radio. A flying power lead on the adaptor obtains power for the aerial amplifier from the 'Automatic Antenna' output terminal on the radio. There's a little bit of circuitry in the tube which ensures that the aerial amplifier power only goes up the aerial wire to the amplifier, not into the radio.

Since fitting this the radio has been working brilliantly the way you'd expect from something made by Grundig, who have a long tradition of making very good radio receivers.

If you're having a similar problem it may be that your particular radio does actually have the ability to line-power the aerial amplifier, but it may just be turned off in the radio's configuration menus. (On a new radio, it is normally 'off' by default). If so, you don't need an adaptor - just turn the aerial/antenna supply feature 'on' in the radio's menu.

If your radio (like my Grundig) really doesn't have the ability to line-power the amplifier in the aerial base, then the adaptor is your answer.

Edited by SilverBullet
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hi,

Just to let you know that I have also been to Halfords who sold me that adaptor (they call it a 'signal filter'), and since it's been fitted (and although it is a Sony and not a Grundig ;)) the radio works perfectly. The filter costs £14.99 and it's well worth it!

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Hi,

Just to let you know that I have also been to Halfords who sold me that adaptor (they call it a 'signal filter'), and since it's been fitted (and although it is a Sony and not a Grundig ;)) the radio works perfectly. The filter costs £14.99 and it's well worth it!

:)

OK Petronille, I'm glad the signal filter sorted it out for you. (There's nothing wrong with Sony gear either).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this is interesting as i've had the same issue, sony headunit with poor reception, i had a look at the leads and it seems there already is an antenna adaptor in place but it looks original as the power wire runs into the loom plug from the car and and not from the iso lead its, also a white wire not blue.

I'm thinking that if i replace it, it'll fix the problem? i'm guessing that the original antenna adaptor doesnt work with the after market headunit?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this is interesting as i've had the same issue, sony headunit with poor reception, i had a look at the leads and it seems there already is an antenna adaptor in place but it looks original as the power wire runs into the loom plug from the car and and not from the iso lead its, also a white wire not blue.

I'm thinking that if i replace it, it'll fix the problem? i'm guessing that the original antenna adaptor doesnt work with the after market headunit?

I can't comment specifically on Sony units but I'm 90 percent certain that the antenna adaptor units always work the same way - a filter circuit in the adaptor blocks DC power from reaching the radio's antenna input but allows the radio signal to pass from the antenna amplifier to the antenna input. It also picks up DC power from anywhere handy nearby - usually the 'Automatic Antenna Supply Output' terminal on the radio, because that terminal only outputs voltage when the radio is on - and sends it up the antenna wire to the amplifier.

So no, I don't think your current adaptor is 'wrong', although of course it could be faulty.

Couple of things to try before you spend money:

Step 1: Check the radio is operating normally:-

Pull the radio out of the dashboard but leave all power and speaker wires connected. Disconnect the adaptor from the radio and from the aerial and swing it safely out of the way for now. You can leave the adaptor's power wire connected to wherever it goes. Turn the radio on, and select a station you don't normally receive very well (a Medium Wave station, probably).

Get a 4 foot long piece of insulated wire, bare 3mm from the end, trail the wire out in a straight line - dangle the end out of the window - and push the bared end into the inner/centre terminal on the radio's input socket. All we're doing here is connecting an old fashioned unamplified long wire / rod aerial directly to the radio's aerial input. If the radio is working normally you should get decent reception on all bands. If you don't, it's possible that there may actually be a fault on the radio.

Step 2: Check the adaptor:

Assuming step 1 worked, now remove the wire aerial you used for the last test and reconnect the adaptor to the radio's aerial input socket. Don't plug the original aerial back into the adaptor yet. Instead, push the bared end of your long aerial wire into the inner / centre terminal of the adaptor's aerial input socket - (be very careful not to bridge the socket inner to the socket outer with any stray wire ends). You should find that the radio receives well again, as before. This proves that the radio signal path through the adaptor is OK. Remove the long wire aerial again.

If you have access to a voltmeter or multimeter connect the black lead on the meter to the adaptor's aerial input socket OUTER ring and touch the red lead on the meter to the adaptor's input socket INNER/CENTRE terminal. (The radio will burst into life again, as the red lead will act as another wire aerial). There should be a voltage present (nominally 12V, I think). This is the voltage which the adaptor sends up the aerial cable to power the amplifier in the base of the aerial. If it's not there, then either the adaptor is faulty or it is taking its power from the wrong place.

If your radio works with a wire aerial directly connected to it, then works with a wire aerial connected to the socket on the adaptor, AND the adaptor is outputting voltage to the aerial, then you are looking at a faulty preamplifier in the base of the aerial, a faulty aerial cable or even just a faulty aerial.

Edited by SilverBullet
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks silverbullet for the info, i've already ordered both replacement parts (came to under £20 so not to bad) i'll keep your advice on hand so i can go through and test all the parts because knowng me even after i've replaced everything it'll still be no better! lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

figured i'd post my findings, after many hours of fiddling about, i discovered the arosa doesn't have the same antenna as the lupo, it has its own wire to power it, it turned out with mine that the person who had fitted my headunit had used the lupo adaptor which meant disconnecting the power feed to the aerial.

after reconnecting it all is well and i now have 100% reception. so my advice to anyone having trouble with their arosa is to check behind the dash in the radio loom for a loose black wire, this is the power feed to the aeriel which should be connected.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

figured i'd post my findings, after many hours of fiddling about, i discovered the arosa doesn't have the same antenna as the lupo, it has its own wire to power it, it turned out with mine that the person who had fitted my headunit had used the lupo adaptor which meant disconnecting the power feed to the aerial.

after reconnecting it all is well and i now have 100% reception. so my advice to anyone having trouble with their arosa is to check behind the dash in the radio loom for a loose black wire, this is the power feed to the aeriel which should be connected.

Thanks for the follow up!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.