Radio fitted - Antenna adaptor question

[Ianbirt]

Hi guys,

I fitted a new stereo the other day Sony MEX-BT3800U and it's working like a dream.

However.. I noticed the radio signals aren't really being picked up. I can get some of the strong signals like radio 1,2,3 etc.. but nothing else.. MW and LW also seem blank.

Just wondering if I fitted the Antenna Adaptor correctly.. I used one of these and it was easy enough to install.. but I wasn't sure where to plug the blue cable.

I ended up attaching it onto the ATT cable on the back of the Sony unit.. as it reported 'ATT ON' on the display when I connected it.. so I assumed this was correct (they are also both light blue cables).

However after reading up on the ATT cable it appears to be ATTenuate, to do with Muting the sound - so not sure it has anything to do with the antenna?

Should I have connected this cable somewhere else? Any clues where?

Cheers.

[dfullb]

Hi guys,

I fitted a new stereo the other day Sony MEX-BT3800U and it's working like a dream.

However.. I noticed the radio signals aren't really being picked up. I can get some of the strong signals like radio 1,2,3 etc.. but nothing else.. MW and LW also seem blank.

Just wondering if I fitted the Antenna Adaptor correctly.. I used one of these and it was easy enough to install.. but I wasn't sure where to plug the blue cable.

I ended up attaching it onto the ATT cable on the back of the Sony unit.. as it reported 'ATT ON' on the display when I connected it.. so I assumed this was correct (they are also both light blue cables).

However after reading up on the ATT cable it appears to be ATTenuate, to do with Muting the sound - so not sure it has anything to do with the antenna?

Should I have connected this cable somewhere else? Any clues where?

Cheers.

Hi.

The blue cable should be connected to an Ignition Live, In other words a feed that becomes live when the ignition is on & not live when off Etc. the blue is for the signal boost on the ariel , so will explain your loss of stations.

I know on the vw range you have to swap the red & yellow wires over on aftermarket head units, One of these is a switched live, So you could just connect it to the correct one. Once identified Etc. There generally also is a output pin on the connector block which is a switched live also.

Dean

Edited 13 July, 2010 by dfullb

[Ianbirt]

Thanks for the fast reply Dean!

That makes sense then.. so the adaptor needs power basically..

I also fitted a PC2-69-4 Wiring Harness Adaptor.. it actually has a blue cable coming out of it so I wonder if this is an Ignition Live cable?

[dfullb]

Thanks for the fast reply Dean!

That makes sense then.. so the adaptor needs power basically..

I also fitted a PC2-69-4 Wiring Harness Adaptor.. it actually has a blue cable coming out of it so I wonder if this is an Ignition Live cable?

No Problem

If you do a search on here there is quite a bit of info on it, Alternatively, Just buy a chepo 12v elec tester & check, not forgetting to pull the Keys out fully afterwards to see if the tester goes out, as Vw's keep the power there until the key is removed ...

Dean

[Confused_Cheese]

You really didn't need the harness adapter mate, they're standard ISO looms apart from the ignition and constant lives are switched. Loom that comes with the stereo should have bullets on the red and yellow cables, just swap

[Ianbirt]

You really didn't need the harness adapter mate, they're standard ISO looms apart from the ignition and constant lives are switched. Loom that comes with the stereo should have bullets on the red and yellow cables, just swap

I've realised this after reading up a bit more about it - doh - though I'm not too upset as I only spent about a tenner on getting the metal 'keys', the harness adapter and the antenna adaptor in a kit.

If I did swap the red and yellow cables i'd still need to attach the blue cable to something though right?

[Confused_Cheese]

Yeah, the antenna adapter still needs power. They're normally powered in a none standard way by the stock stereo, hence the blue wire needs power too.

I looked in the manual of my stereo, found the cable that was the ignition power one (either red or yellow i always forget) then just pushed the little connector at the end of the blue wire into the loom where the cables connect so it was nice and snug. Been that way for over a year and still works

[anewman]

Some stereos have a wire which is live when the stereo is turned on, to for example put up a motorised aerial or power a subwoofer - I just connected the aerial amplifier to this and it seems to work.

[Confused_Cheese]

Actually, I think thats what I did, not the ignition one... I knew I looked at the manual for a reason but couldn't remember why!

[Ianbirt]

Just wanted to confirm that attaching the blue cable of the antenna adaptor to the blue cable of the harness adapter solved the problem. Thanks guys!

[dfullb]

Just wanted to confirm that attaching the blue cable of the antenna adaptor to the blue cable of the harness adapter solved the problem. Thanks guys!

Good news, Simples when you know, We have all been there & done that... What would you do without the Internet ...

Dean