Hi,

I bought a used Skoda Octavia, 2005, an ex PSNI car. When the police are selling their cars here in Northern Ireland they remove the radio aerials. The dealer supplied the correct genuine replacement aerial, but their is a problem. The lead which goes from the roof lining in the back to the radio is terminated in a BNC connector, and not a RAKU connector like the genuine aerial. Are their adaptors available to convert BNC to raku?

Thanks

Not sure what you mean by raku? The standard connectors are fakra (is this what you meant) and yes there are adaptors available on ebay. You can also often use SMB connectors, as a Fakra is an SMB with a plastic housing, basically.

I understood this was a raku connector?

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Oh, that one. I thought you meant the one at the radio end.  I believe that one is a Roka. I can't find any adaptors for this but BNC's aren't hard to fit, so maybe make your own?

Okay...yea can give that a try...any idea where I can get one of the Roka connectors?

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It is RAKU II (2) connector, you are correct.

I had an adapter made to covert that to FAKRA by China RF on eBay. Very good company and spot on products so far.

However getting Raku II connectors is tricky as they are in short supply. I'm not sure if I've still got my convertor cable in the garage going spare. I'll have a look.

They'll almost certainly make a convertor for you.

However, does the aerial you have fitted require power? If so, the Phantom power supplied via the cable / FAKRA connectors may not go through the BNC connectir to the aerial. I honestly don't know the answer, but it's a question I'd be asking.

The aerial I have fitted is a genuine skoda aerial, feeding a genuine skoda head unit. This is an amplified aerial? The phantom power should pass through any connector thou?

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Sorry, I'm confused. The photo you posted: is that the aerial in your car or the cable from the HU?

If it's the cable, you'll need to convert from RAKU (as in the picture) to FAKRA (as that is what the stereo uses).

Is there a cable from the HU to the rear of the car? Or is that the cable in the picture?

No that's the tail coming from the aerial itself. There is a cable in the headlining near the aerial which is terminated with a BNC connector. I'm assuming this is running to the head unit. There is a fakra connection at the hu

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So you need to convert from RAKU to BNC?

Or change the RAKU to BNC!

Can you test the cable from the BNC near the aerial to the FAKRA behind the headunit?

It might not be the same cable! I'm surprised that a BNC was fitted as VAG haven't used them AFAIK.

I was thinking maybe was it changed to BNC by the police for their aerial?

I will put a multi meter between the two to check, but I'm guessing it is as its bundled with the wiring for the interior light coming up the pillar

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Hi

 

I might be stating the obvious here but wont it be quicker to simply replace the current cable with a fakre to facra? It will be fakre on the new antenna so just use the old cable to pull it through?

 

Garnett

As above, do a continuity check as I'd have thought a BNC plug would be for the police radio rather than the head unit.

Well all sorted anyway...went to the local scrap yard.

Cut off the connector, and about 4 inches of cable, and then put a BNC connector on to it to make my own BNC - roka/raku adaptor lead...plugged it in and radio working fantastic! Actually the reception is by far the best of all the cars on the street!

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Edited 20 January, 201511 yr by garyfitz123

Sorry I gave some duff info earlier. I'm still not sure why I'd been told they were called Roka connectors, but if you search I'm not alone as you can find them. Or maybe they are just very similar connectors.

Hi garyfitz123, yes, the police comm's guys will have used both male & female bnc connectors , as this type of coupling is very low-loss at UHF & VHF. Maybe that is why you are getting superior reception. Glad it's sorted mate.