Grrrr.

Right now I have got that of my chest, I'll tell you the story. Around Christmas last year I though the reception on my radio was getting worse, so I changed the power injector - and maybe it got a bit better, but I wasn't convinced so I changed the amplifier base (from a mk4 Golf in a scrap yard). That helped but it still wasn't brilliant, but I left it alone at that point.

Yesterday I removed my old Nokia car kit and fitted a parrot, and all seemed fine during testing. when I put the Pioneer HU back in the radio would only pick up BBC Radio Solent (when I was in the garage) previously the first thing it got was BBC2. I initially wondered if the aerial has become disconnected so I pulled the HU out again - nope all fine.

Upon fiddling, I removed the power injector totally and then picked up loads of stations.....

So what is going on? I need to drive the car tomorrow so I need to put it back together (at least partly), as the glove box is on the floor, and the stereo is hanging out of the dash.

Should I remove the power injector and see how it gets on? However when I first got the car reception was rubbish and the guy fitting my old Nokia car kit put in a power injector then and that improved things no end.

if you're pleased with the reception without the power injector remove it... seems to be the logical conclusion, or ?

if you're pleased with the reception without the power injector remove it... seems to be the logical conclusion, or ?

Well yes indeed. That might seem logical, however once upon a time it was rubbish without the injector - that is what is confusing me :S

Plus I have only tested it in my garage so far - although I have to drive to Farnborough tomorrow morning so that should give the radio a bit of a work out.

don't quite grasp the reason why the injector messes things up when connected...

don't quite grasp the reason why the injector messes things up when connected...

The only think I can think of is that the injector has failed somehow (was a cheapo one from ebay), I can't remember where my original one is that I removed when I swapped them over a few months ago.

I have just ordered some Pioneer HU keys from ebay, so in the short term I'll reassemble without the injector and see how I get on.

I just hate taking the thing apart, as there are too many cables and so little space. Normally I have to remove the glovebox and stick my hand down the side to help wiggle cables into place :-(

It might be the aerial from the golf was a non-amplified one perhaps. I think they did 2 different ones. Even so, it shouldn't cause the aerial to stop working all together when used with the injector.

It might be the aerial from the golf was a non-amplified one perhaps. I think they did 2 different ones. Even so, it shouldn't cause the aerial to stop working all together when used with the injector.

Possible I guess, the aerial did not stop working altogether, but with the injector plugged in, I could pick up about 3-4 radio stations and with it unplugged many more. Maybe I need to try harder to find myself an Octy in a scrap yard to borrow the aerial base from.

Curious. Anyhow I have re-assembled the dash and left the power injector out and I will see how it gets on.

O/T I bought an amplifier from ebay to help with my lack of radio. Where abouts does the wire connect?

Well I drove to Farnborough this morning and while Radio1 just about worked, when I scanned for other stations, virtually none were picked up. Guess I need to stick the power injector back in and try and find a proper aerial base.

The blue wire from the power injector attaches to the blue wire in the ISO loom (powered aerial feed), and the injector then just sits inline between the HU and the aerial cable in the back of the dash.

My Pioneer HU came with a signal booster type thing, to fit in-line with the coaxial cable, with a single blue wire which the instructions said to connect to the switched 12v.

The confusion with mine was when I first fitted it, the reception was definitely better when I removed the 12v feed! I left the booster in-line with no power, and this gave the best results.

However more recently, when I last had the dash apart, I re-connected the 12v to it, and I got a massive boost in radio performance. It has been fine since!

Out of interest, how do I know if my aerial has an amplified base?

Andrew.

O/T I bought an amplifier from ebay to help with my lack of radio. Where abouts does the wire connect?

Typically if the std amplifier is working then fitting another one won't help and in some cases make it worse.

Those inline amplifiers are normally used for vehicles without a std amplifier fitted.

If I can remember (as been a while)To fit them you need to unplug your ariel from your head unit fit the amplifier ariel into your head unit refit the ariel lead into the inline amplifier and then connect the thin power lead to a 12v supply or a electric ariel connection from head unit(blue or blue/white stripe) I think.

Can I access the loom if I remove the glove box or do I have to remove the unit aswell?

you will need to get to the back of the HU to connect into the aerial as well, so I suggest both. Having the glovebox out makes it easier to tuck/move the cables about.

Plus dependind on your loom you will need to connect into the blue wire somehow (bullet connector, lucar spade thingy, etc)

Edited 19 September, 201114 yr by mbames