Dose the little black aerial only get fitted if the Bluetooth+ option is chosen or standard on all models?

Shark fin?

Isn't that for sat nav?

Indication that the car has nav, bluetooth plus or both.

the black antenna will contain a GPS receiver, GSM antenna or both combined depending on the vehicle options. Look the same but likely 3 completely different parts.

was the same with the previous gen Octy, though the sharkfin for that also had a DAB antenna on some vehicles, all Blacklines in the UK.

Yup I have nav but not bt+ and I have the aerial. I would suggest it also contains an unrated DAB aerial too.

There have been a few pieces in the motoring press about the VAG window mounted antenna giving poor reception in some cars due to its location.

Andy

Yup I have nav but not bt+ and I have the aerial. I would suggest it also contains an unrated DAB aerial too.

There have been a few pieces in the motoring press about the VAG window mounted antenna giving poor reception in some cars due to its location.

Andy

not sure that it does as cars without nav and bt+ dont get the antenna. I think its now built into the car somehow, rear windscreen and elsewhere.

the shark fin aerial is for GPS only. The radio aerials are in the windows, and Bluetooth+ is contained within the car (it's a coil underneath the phone holder compartment in the centre console)

the shark fin aerial is for GPS only. The radio aerials are in the windows, and Bluetooth+ is contained within the car (it's a coil underneath the phone holder compartment in the centre console)

Nope. I've got the shark fin with BT+ and no sat nav, so it must be doing something!

Nope. I've got the shark fin with BT+ and no sat nav, so it must be doing something!

In that case, perhaps I'm wrong and there is a GSM aerial in there as well. All Octavias have basic Bluetooth but certainly some of the basic ones don't have the shark fin.

 

My Volvo C30 had a shark fin, but it was a dummy with no functionality -there are GPS and GSM aerials in there if you have those options, but I had neither 

the shark fin aerial is for GPS only. The radio aerials are in the windows, and Bluetooth+ is contained within the car (it's a coil underneath the phone holder compartment in the centre console)

I'd have thought the coil under the phone holder was the 'transmitter', if you like, to the phone. The coil surely must be connected to an external aerial, whether it is in the shark fin, the window, or elsewhere. My understanding of the purpose of the system is to reduce any interference / loss of signal caused by the car, by providing an external aerial, much like back in the olden days when 'company car drivers' had little aerials stuck on their rear windows. Just now it is wireless.

FYI, i'm only 25, therefore wired mobile phone aerials on windows were the 'olden days' for me :-D

I'd have thought the coil under the phone holder was the 'transmitter', if you like, to the phone. The coil surely must be connected to an external aerial, whether it is in the shark fin, the window, or elsewhere. My understanding of the purpose of the system is to reduce any interference / loss of signal caused by the car, by providing an external aerial, much like back in the olden days when 'company car drivers' had little aerials stuck on their rear windows. Just now it is wireless.

FYI, i'm only 25, therefore wired mobile phone aerials on windows were the 'olden days' for me :-D

You're probably right -I haven't really find out much information on exactly what the Bluetooth+ system does or how it does it. It does seem to work though and the Bluetooth call quality in my car is miles better than anything that I've used before.

I thought that the main problem for phone reception in cars was the Faraday Cage effect caused by the metal body. Previous hands free solutions on VW group cars have worked by RSAP which then uses the car as a phone and seizes control of the SIM card in your phone so the mobile phone is not connected to the network during operation.

I've not looked into it much either. Personally, I've never noticed that much of a difference in signal strength between being inside or outside my car. Generally, if the signals crap inside the car, its also crap outside the car. I've already spent enough money on extras so this wasnt very high on my list of 'wants'

I suppose it depends where you are and what phone your using. Maybe it'll giev you an extra 'bar' of signal which i guess could be the difference between a clear phone call and a slightly distorted one.

Having never used the system though, I'm not gonna go critising it, it could be the greatest thing ever for all i know :-D

Boosts signal by 20% according to the Columbus Manual