When trying to fit a new stereo to my 56 plate Octavia it looks like when pushing the unit back in, it's snapped the antenna connector as I now have this:

I assume I've snapped the cable but I can't see how to repair this as the plastic connector box doesn't look like co-ax or similar where I could trim the cable back and feed a new section in. I assume this is some sort of fakra connector but I can't seem to find exact information about it as there seems to be a lot of different types and most searches point to very general information.

Any advice appreciated as I'm pretty gutted I've lost the radio (apart from BBC Gaelic strangely which is probably the last station I would want), the radio is a Kenwood DVX520VBT and there seems to be a lot of excess cabling which I couldn't get to really sit anywhere properly.

John

Can't help with the first problem.

However:

.......there seems to be a lot of excess cabling which I couldn't get to really sit anywhere properly.

I had a lot of cable left when I did the MDI install. I removed the HVAC controls and coaxed it all into the gap behind them. The controls are less than an inch deep. Plenty of space.

Thanks for the tip on the cabling, I'll need to get the unit out again to fit the GPS aerial so that sounds like it might be a better way to do it.

John

I did the same. I bought a fakra connector linked to on here but it was wrong by a long way.

I've ended up going to a local car electrics place and got them to fit a din aerial connector and used a booster to my headunit. You should be able to do the same but with a new fakra connector

I'm not sure there are any specialist car electrics places here, which fakra connector was it you bought? I'm wondering if it's worth just trying a spot of solder to hold the two together and tape it externally or something, the problem is I'm not quite sure what it's supposed to look like exactly - this connector looks right but concerned it isn't:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fakra-crimp-Jack-connector-white-9001-Radio-With-Phantom-/290844530560?pt=UK_Computing_Boosters_Extenders_Antennas&hash=item43b7af5780

John

I cant remember which I bought. It was linked in a thread i made a couple months ago in this part of the forum.

From my research it seems fakra's are one use. So a GPS fakra will be different to an aerial which means it should be impossible to get the wrong one but someone still managed to link the wrong one and say it was right.

Any auto electrics (be it car audio or just general auto electrics) should be able to fix it.

If you are not using the oem headunit you will need a booster for the aerial

The car will need to go in for a service and MOT next week so I'll ask the garage if they have any recommendations where to take it to look at the cable. I think you're right about the connector being one use as I can't see any way to put it back together.

It isn't an OEM headunit but it is one specifically made for VW vehicles (Kenwood DNX520VBT) so I don't think I need any other parts.

I'm baffled how the car is still receiving BBC Gaelic and nothing else which seems bizarre.

John

I've found your thread and see what you mean about the fakra connector, what does a DIN plug look like exactly? I'm assuming it looks a bit like a cigarette power adapter and then I'd need something like this to get back to a fakra connector:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-BMW-Ford-VW-Vauxhall-Fakra-Aerial-Adaptor-Female-Fakra-to-Female-DIN-/250914907576?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item3a6bb1a5b8

Thanks again for the prompt replies, feeling a bit ill with myself over this with there not being any solution with the fakra connector but hoping this works out.

John

thats exactly what you will need.

A din connector is what cars have been using as aerials for years

Did you ever have a fakra connector adapter on yours again or did you go straight onto a different head unit? The head unit itself doesn't use fakra, just the converter (which I assume is also a booster as it has a box on the cable) that comes with the head unit which takes the fakra connector and connect to what I assume is a DIN connection so potentially I could bypass all that and fit my own booster at worst. I'm a bit concerned given the variation in these fakra connectors that the din to fakra connector may not work properly but I guess if I can get this DIN connection on the antennae connector that opens my options up.

Sorry for all the questions, when I get this working I'll type it up to make it easier to refer to.

John

Mine went from broken straight to din as the place didnt have any fakra's in stock. I just bought a din to din booster for a few quid and the signal is better now than it ever was with the oem headunit (this could explain why it broke so easy though, might have been broken already)