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martin_livingstone
09-09-2012, 08:49 AM
Chaps

Just wanted to give something back to the forum so here goes...

My radio frquently died after a few seconds of use (the CD player went ages ago), but rception was always poor anyway aprt from The Rock and so I got another one from Repco.

I installed it following all the instructions I gleaned from the VR4 Forums, including how to remove the centre console (dead easy) and the radio wiring loom colurs (v. useful)

I installed my new Sony Radio and the reception was ok, better than the old one, but not as good as the wifes Vauxhall

I kept reading about the activer antennae in the radio fuitting instructions, managed to find a post on here about the two aerial wires and the 3rd cable for the power.

Lo and behold connecting the blue wire form the radio loom to the 3rd cable to power the 12v for the active aerial - bingo!

Didn't know there were that many radio stations in Auckland!

So thaks to the forum for helping me get fantastic radio reception - feel a twit for putting up with it rubbish radio for 5 years now.

Even took the opportunity to fix the clock by touching the soldering iron to the 4 pins on the clock and now that keeps perfect time too

Cheers
Martin

elnevio
09-09-2012, 08:55 AM
Nice one! :thumbsup:

Third cable? I'm aware of the two aerial cables for the separate aerials, but not of the third cable for power?

Racing.Sandals
09-09-2012, 05:31 PM
Nice one! :thumbsup:

Third cable? I'm aware of the two aerial cables for the separate aerials, but not of the third cable for power?

Indeed, some extra details would be good. My reception also sucks!

martin_livingstone
10-09-2012, 10:03 AM
Hi

I should have taken a photo - sorry/dunce


If you look at the cable that has the standard aerial socket (the one that plugs into the back of your radio) there are two other cables attached to this cable. One cable contains a smaller aerial plug and the third one has a spade connector on it (it may have a round plastic plug around it). It is this spade connector that you need to connect the blue wire from your radio to. On my Sony it was marked as active aerial +12v 0.4 Amp and the Sony instructions say if you have a glass mounted aerial in the rear windows then connect the blue wire.



I removed the plastic cover and soldered the blue wire to it - now I have fantastic reception

Still listen to The Rock and National (our Radio4) but hey ho - can even get Indian stations now :lipsrseal

I'll get me coat :coat


Cheers and sorry for all the rubbish typos in the first email
Martin
Clock still says the right time too

elnevio
10-09-2012, 10:40 AM
I shall have to have a closer look! :)

Wodjno
10-09-2012, 01:36 PM
OOOh.. This is ggod info.. Is this wire the one i always thought was for a Power Operated Aeriel? Like in the Saloons?

orionn2o
10-09-2012, 03:44 PM
Interesting if anyone has pics?

John TheAntique
10-09-2012, 05:58 PM
Somewhere on here I read there was a sort of powered aerial amplifier connected to this IIRC hidden in the roof lining.

Colin Wiltshire
10-09-2012, 06:01 PM
Wouldn't you use this wire as an amp remote lead?

jjayokocha
07-10-2012, 02:41 PM
Since fitting my new headunit im having trouble with the receiption, i have the 2 aerial leads alright but the 3rd cable seems to be connect to another wire that runs over towards my steering wheel, do i need to disconnect this and then connect to the powered antenna wire on the new unit?

crazydriver81
07-10-2012, 07:36 PM
to fuel this discussion a bit more, I've had a quick look into ASA and found, that the antenna is indeed an amplified one...

58013

There are two round antenna connectors plus a small one with a rectangular plastic housing. It's running together with the antenna cables so this might indeed be the 12V feed for the antenna amplifiers. Have do have a closer look next weekend.

exevoowner
14-10-2012, 10:01 AM
I do remember looking at said wire when installing my screen and thinking whats that for, i put it down as a power ant lead for saloon models lol, it looks likle its taped to ths ariel lead down a little from the plug

ralliartvr47
05-01-2016, 12:18 PM
IT WORKS!!! /megawoot
I did it yesterday on my Galant. Going to do it on my Legnum this weekend. It's really simple.

Davezj
05-01-2016, 02:35 PM
Hummm maybe i should try this as the aftermarket antenna on the roof of my car is rubbish.

did you just use the larger antenna plug or did you do something like connecting the inner core from both antenna, small and larger together and the screen together then connecting to the radio.
and powering up the 3rd cable as well.

by the way where is the active powered part of the antenna located, i ask because i might have removed it at some point to make room for other stuff.

ralliartvr47
05-01-2016, 05:02 PM
Okay,
In the dash there is the large antenna plug, a smaller antenna plug and then there is a single wire with a white jack. All are wrapped together with a sponge and there is a piece of sponge around the white jack.

The large antenna plug goes into the back of the deck.
The smaller antenna plug remains unused.
The single wire with the white jack connects to the remote wire that comes out of the back of the deck.

That's It. Works like a boss!

Davezj
05-01-2016, 06:07 PM
just checking,
thanks foe follow up, i will try it at some point.

do you any idea what the smaller antenna is for?
maybe an external AM antenna, or a jap TV antenna, or GPS antenna, for those with the MMCS infotainment unit.

swinks
07-01-2016, 09:57 AM
Dave, in fact it is the same aerial. Plugs in 2 standards EU and JDM for user convenience. IIRC, some headunits have ISO plug, other bigger DIN one.

elnevio
07-01-2016, 10:30 AM
AFAIK, the large (normal size) antenna plug goes to one of the two window aerials, and the smaller antenna plug goes to the other. It's to do with the twin-tuner setup favoured in Japan. My JDM Alpine stereo was a twin-tuner model, and the importer fitted the band expander to just the one aerial, so I was getting mixed up stations on my drive home.

I know the Galoon has the aerial in the rear windscreen (as opposed to the Leggie having an aerial in each rear quarter window), but I don't know if it is a single, or split into two.

Either way, I still need to try this fix and get mine powered!!

swinks
07-01-2016, 11:53 AM
Galoons have single aerial Nev.

Tony_T
09-01-2016, 08:11 AM
I confirm that the two antenna plugs are for the diversity system i.e. twin antennas which the radio selects the best signal from. Do not try to connect them together as that will cause the signals to variously add to or subtract from each other as you move relative to the transmitter. If your radio is not equipped for diversity operation, which most aftermarket units aren't, then just choose one plug and use that. It is most definitely necessary to power up that single wire that goes with the two antenna plugs as that is the power for the amplifiers which are attached to the window antennas, however it doesn't matter if the power comes from the auto antenna wire on the radio or from say the accessory power from the key switch provided it switches off when the key's off to remove the (small) drain from the battery.

ralliartvr47
09-01-2016, 01:43 PM
The only thing I noticed with the booster is that when I turn on the rear defogger, it affects the signal. I get static as if the powered function wasn't connected. As soon as I turn the defogger off it stops.
I don't know if anyone else is experiencing this.

markysparky
09-02-2016, 03:00 PM
The only thing I noticed with the booster is that when I turn on the rear defogger, it affects the signal. I get static as if the powered function wasn't connected. As soon as I turn the defogger off it stops. I don't know if anyone else is experiencing this.
To add to this discussion.... If i fold in or out the side mirrors my radio reception goes to pot LOL

Davezj
09-02-2016, 03:46 PM
The only thing I noticed with the booster is that when I turn on the rear defogger, it affects the signal. I get static as if the powered function wasn't connected. As soon as I turn the defogger off it stops.
I don't know if anyone else is experiencing this.

Does your heated rear window work correctly? Does it have any broken bars that do not clear the window, if so this will the the source of you interference, the bar that is broken will be arcing all be it only very slightly.
I would either fix the broken bar with some conductive paint or make sure the break is big enough to ensure arcing does not occur.

ralliartvr47
26-03-2016, 08:58 PM
Well when I carried my car to re-tint the bastard did scrape the bottom of the glass with a razor. So there are about 3 bars that are broken. Is there any special conductive paint I can use? Can you give more information on this?

Davezj
27-03-2016, 12:48 AM
The only stuff I have ever used i got from halfords. In the paint section bit that was a good few years ago.
Just make sure the area to be painted is clean and free from grease, mask area not to be painted with good quality masking/lining tape then paint the stuff on. Don't wait for the stuff to dry just give in a couple of minutes and pull the tape off. You should be left with good clean painted lines. And things should be working again.