Radio reception issues with double din - Page 19

Teflon · 22nd October 2010, 13:53

Grateful for the thoughts of the forum on this. I have one of Seans "double din" sets, and have some issues with the radio reception. It wasn't too bad to start with, but since fitting an aerial splitter to feed both the main unit and TMC from the same aerial, the reception has worsened (to be expected I suppose).

Anyhow, this morning I set about checking that my aerial amp is working as it should:

Firstly, I simply disconnected the feed to the aerial amp at the back of the car whilst the radio was on, and noticed hardly any difference in reception. Putting the feed back made a few crackles, but not much else. Seems like no power to the amp then.
I next checked for power using one of those electrical screwdrivers (with the light in the handle and some crocodile clips). I put the blade of the driver into the end of the power feed, and the clips onto the connector of the amp - the bulb in the handle did not light. So:
I then (just to be sure) connected a length of wire direct from the battery, and placed the other end on the aerial amp's terminal. Still nothing. So:
To check my connections, I clipped the electrical screwdriver to the end of my improvised power lead, and "earthed" the screwdriver tip on the cars body work. The bulb lit up, confirming power. I then put the screwdrivers tip onto the power feed terminal of the amp. Nothing. No lit bulb, no improvement in reception.

So, does this mean that my aerial amp is simply not working? Am I right in assuming that the screwdrivers bulb should have lit up when connected between the amp and it's power feed? Or is it simply that the later (non diversity) aerial amps are not really up to the job?

Any and all thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Cliff

22nd October 2010, 13:53	#1
Teflon This is my second home Lagoon 2.0 V6 75 Conn SE Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Chertsey Posts: 5,214 Thanks: 2,825 Thanked 2,920 Times in 1,570 Posts	Radio reception issues with double din Grateful for the thoughts of the forum on this. I have one of Seans "double din" sets, and have some issues with the radio reception. It wasn't too bad to start with, but since fitting an aerial splitter to feed both the main unit and TMC from the same aerial, the reception has worsened (to be expected I suppose). Anyhow, this morning I set about checking that my aerial amp is working as it should: Firstly, I simply disconnected the feed to the aerial amp at the back of the car whilst the radio was on, and noticed hardly any difference in reception. Putting the feed back made a few crackles, but not much else. Seems like no power to the amp then. I next checked for power using one of those electrical screwdrivers (with the light in the handle and some crocodile clips). I put the blade of the driver into the end of the power feed, and the clips onto the connector of the amp - the bulb in the handle did not light. So: I then (just to be sure) connected a length of wire direct from the battery, and placed the other end on the aerial amp's terminal. Still nothing. So: To check my connections, I clipped the electrical screwdriver to the end of my improvised power lead, and "earthed" the screwdriver tip on the cars body work. The bulb lit up, confirming power. I then put the screwdrivers tip onto the power feed terminal of the amp. Nothing. No lit bulb, no improvement in reception. So, does this mean that my aerial amp is simply not working? Am I right in assuming that the screwdrivers bulb should have lit up when connected between the amp and it's power feed? Or is it simply that the later (non diversity) aerial amps are not really up to the job? Any and all thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers, Cliff __________________ No. 4 of 6