Poor Ariel reception after Head Unit Upgrade

[Nickb23]

I guys. I have just installed a Pioneer AppRadio3 HU into my a180. It replaces an Audio20 unit. Everything works great apart from the radio. I can only seem to pickup a few stations. I have the correct ariel adaptor and I plugged it into the double white connector (only one connector has a wire) which I believe is the fm ariel. There is also a mustard coloured connector that has the same fitting.

Has anyone had any issues with the radio when upgrading the stereo? What is the mustard cable?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. Nick

 

[davidjpowell]

I believe that the standard stereo normally powers a signal amplifier. You need to find a way to replicate this.

My parents have the same problem and I think I am going to suggest they order this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Aeria...le-Din-Splitter-Connector-Cable-/161154421789

It is a complete punt though.

 

[Nickb23]

Thanks david.

I will have a look at that. I am also gonna give the people i bought the adaptor a call too to see if they know if this is a known issue.

Nick

 

[kalvin928]

I guys. I have just installed a Pioneer AppRadio3 HU into my a180. It replaces an Audio20 unit. Everything works great apart from the radio. I can only seem to pickup a few stations. I have the correct ariel adaptor and I plugged it into the double white connector (only one connector has a wire) which I believe is the fm ariel. There is also a mustard coloured connector that has the same fitting.

Has anyone had any issues with the radio when upgrading the stereo? What is the mustard cable?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. Nick

had similar issues when I bought a jvc unit, tried a few amplified units but no good, eventually bought a Hirschman screen mounted one, it sits high up in my rear screen and cable was fed down and power taken from the rear fuse box, works great

 

[Nickb23]

Thanks guys. Does anyone know why it does this? Is there a built in Ariel amplifier in the OEM head unit??

 

[davidjpowell]

Thanks guys. Does anyone know why it does this? Is there a built in Ariel amplifier in the OEM head unit??

I did a bit of reading last night. From what I saw there are two antenna's (and maybe even more) and the radio chooses the one with the best reception. It sends power or a signal down to tell the aerials to wake up.

Reading this I suspect I'm not quite there yet, but it's sort of along these lines. If you google it you should be able to find the same stuff. It sort of makes sense, and is why I will not be changing my own head unit. This sort of hassle I can do without.

 

[andy27168]

The aerial amplifier gets a feed from the stereo, (on most of the mercs I have had dealings with) the standard head unit has 12V+ coming out of it going to this amp.
All you need to do is to identify which cable goes to this amplifier (possibly blue/white and connect it to an ignition fed 12V+. You SHOULD just be able to use the remote "on" output on your new stereo, which again is normally blue/white. Be aware this supply coming out of the stereo on your new stereo is only limited to running something very small as it will only have been designed to turn an amp on.
You could also just splice into the ignition feed for the stereo and link that to the amp at the ISO connector block.

 

[richard]

You have an Audio-20 NTG2.5 in your car (which is why the connector is the double white fakra). There are one or two antenna (depending on car and what head unit) - but Audio-20 gets only one antenna installed. (COMAND often has two, but not on SLK)

On NTG2.5 the antenna system is phantom fed. I.e there is a voltage fed up the coax to power the antenna amplifier that is between the end of the coax and the antenna in the windscreen.

You need to power the antenna amp via the coax, so you need an adapter with phantom power input. The one in the link is OTT as it is for feeding cars with both antenna, but thats the kind of thing you need.

Older cars (i.e NTG2 and before) have separate, often blue/white, power feed to the antenna amp.

Richard

 

[Nickb23]

Thanks guys. Still very confused, but I will take a picture of the cables to get even more help. There is a blue white cable too!!

 

[wrong]

Poor Aerial reception after NTG2.5 Upgrade - W169

Hi

I too have just upgraded my facelift W169 from an Audio 20 to an NTG2.5. I also installed the roof-mounted radio/GPS/combi aerial. The radio is fine with the Audio 20, but the NTG2.5 radio reception is negligible though Satnav is fine. It's obviously not a plug-and-play swap.

The car presents the (Audio 20) with a dual Fakra antenna plug, but with only 1 wired connection.

I note the previous post from Richard about powering an in-line amp, but that's where I get stumped.

I will still need to get the NTG2.5 unit programmed into the car, but would like to solve the radio first.

Any suggestions ?

 

[richard]

You need an antenna splitter

https://www.commandonline.co.uk/NTG2.5-FM-antenna-splitter.html

Your car is facelift already (is model year 2009) so antennas work the same. I assume you changed the roof antenna to get a GPS feed


Richard

 

[wrong]

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the quick response !
I suspected that this might be the case - but wasn't 100%.