Ok everyone, I've read loads of posts about fitting aftermarket radios in octys and fabias so I'm well aware of the radio reception problems etc and the usual need for boosters.

I fitted my sony head unit pretty soon after getting the car so can't really remember what the radio was like as standard (also used the changer mostly).

The radio reception was not that great but seemed to work for the most part, again don't listen that much anyway.

After a few weeks I decided to fit the arial booster from hellfrauds as recommended on here (can't remember the exact part number) but found the signal actually got worse :eek: so I removed it. Since then I've tried fiddling about with the connectors and even tried soldering the booster directly into the head unit (as it has a flying lead to a deep socket with an adaptor, incidently inside the HU it's on a tiny little two pin plug - I'd have thought that alone was asking for trouble ) but it was absolutely terrible so tonight I've put the original arial lead back in which has improved things again but still not as perfect as I'd like.

My dilema is this - is it possible that the ariel is at fault?

I've read a bit on here about water ingress casuing problems etc but I don't know whether to put the stock system back in and vag-com it for faults???

How would I stand with a warranty claim for a new ariel if I haven't got the symphony HU installed?

I'm slightly reluctant to just bung it back at skoda as I don't like being without the car, especially when I get a really low spec model while mine's in for "looking at", then again when they replace parts etc.

Any advice anyone?

And sorry for the mammoth length post:O .

Matt

Ok everyone, I've read loads of posts about fitting aftermarket radios in octys and fabias so I'm well aware of the radio reception problems etc and the usual need for boosters.

I fitted my sony head unit pretty soon after getting the car so can't really remember what the radio was like as standard (also used the changer mostly).

The radio reception was not that great but seemed to work for the most part, again don't listen that much anyway.

After a few weeks I decided to fit the arial booster from hellfrauds as recommended on here (can't remember the exact part number) but found the signal actually got worse :eek: so I removed it. Since then I've tried fiddling about with the connectors and even tried soldering the booster directly into the head unit (as it has a flying lead to a deep socket with an adaptor, incidently inside the HU it's on a tiny little two pin plug - I'd have thought that alone was asking for trouble ) but it was absolutely terrible so tonight I've put the original arial lead back in which has improved things again but still not as perfect as I'd like.

My dilema is this - is it possible that the ariel is at fault?

I've read a bit on here about water ingress casuing problems etc but I don't know whether to put the stock system back in and vag-com it for faults???

How would I stand with a warranty claim for a new ariel if I haven't got the symphony HU installed?

I'm slightly reluctant to just bung it back at skoda as I don't like being without the car, especially when I get a really low spec model while mine's in for "looking at", then again when they replace parts etc.

Any advice anyone?

And sorry for the mammoth length post:O .

Matt

My previous car was a 1996 Polo and I never had issues with radio reception. Since my Fabia, I have struggled with poor reception. I then thought changing the standard head unit to the one out of my Polo would fix it but no. I then bought a new head unit and still no luck (however with a hard drive on the head unit I now have no real need for the radio!). I had thought about a signal booster, however read that these are suitable for AM bands.

Using my noggin here so correct me if Im wrong, I thought that the omision of FM in the description leads me to think they dont work with FM. Sure enough, if you think about what a booster does it boosts the amplitude of a signal. So with AM you are getting a "stronger" signal as the amplitude of the wave is increased. However FM doesnt bother with varying amplitude and uses frequency modulation to distinguish the carrier wave from the data wave. So, if the amplitude is increased on FM, the frequency isnt changed and therefore the signal should be exacly the same as it was before the booster.

You would be better tracing the route of the aerial wire and making sure it isnt touching the body of that car as that would break the 1/4 wave length rule and give a poor signal.

Please correct me if Im wrong but Im sure Im somewhere near the right tracks:D

Hi Pembo, thanks for the reply (nobody else got any thoughts here or what?!:( ).

I had another go at fitting it last night but unfortunately the fm signal on my driveway is ok anyway for all three or four stations i listen to, even without the booster.

After experimenting with disconnecting the power to the booster etc with various stations it actually seems to give more noise on a weak station signal with it plugged in:eek: which really doesn't make sense.

I'm pretty sure it's all wired correctly (being my job I'm pretty savvy on electrics :P ) but I thought the boosters were supposed to improve on all bands.

If it's just AM then it's pointless for me as I never listen anyway and can't pick up ANY stations on LW or MW with or without the booster so I may as well remove it again.

As my car is under warranty till next september tracing the route of the ariel lead is out of the question for me - I'm not about to rip apart the dashboard or head lining, that's a job for skoda!!

That's the reason I posted the thread as I wanted to hear from anyone who has had similar problems and has got any joy from the dealer replacing the ariel, and how much hassle I'm likely to have persuading them to look at it without first re-installing the symphony unit.

If anyone else can offer adice I'd be glad to hear it.

Matt

what you are supposed to fit with an aftermarket HU is NOT a booster. It's just a device that couples the power supply for the booster that's already in the base of the aerial onto the cable. Do a search on my user name. I did post a more detailed description of that problem a while ago.

Your problem almost sounds like you actually bought a real booster which doesnt help since you'd be amplifying both the weak signal and the noise from the aerial. So you don't improve the signal to noise ratio that is important for both AM and FM reception. Signal strength alone says nothing about sound quality after demodulation.

Michael

Miho,

The part you mentioned in your earlier posts is the part I purchased in halfords some time ago (PC5-52).

With my head unit the signal actully gets worse with the "booster" connected so I'm really confused now!!!

I used the Halfords item and it improved reception with my JVC head unit.

I think your problem lies at the other end of the car, in the aerial base.

Yeah I'm with Goochie. We had an issue with an A6 Allroad that didn't have any radio signal. All the amplifiers were changed in the NSR quarter panel trim but this made absolutely no difference. Finally we had a look at the aerial in the roof and found that the aerial mount had worked loose and the earth strap attached had fallen away. As soon as eveything was tightened back up the reception was brilliant. FM signals are so strong you don't need much of an aerial to pick up a good, clean signal.

Quick update for anyone interested or with a similar problem.

I purchased another audio leads booster from hellfrauds recently as I had another problem with the head unit that required removal from the dash, and had very bad reception after replacing it.

The new booster has made a noticable difference to the signal - I can actually find loads of stations on MW and even LW now outside my house which was completely impossible with the old one fitted.

It looks like I had a faulty unit to begin with but as I had cut the power connector off and replaced with a bullet crimp, and also had cut the ariel plug off and tried hard wiring it to the head unit to reduce connection resistance problems, again without success I cannot really return it.

The best test I could find was to tune into a station with poor reception and try unplugging the power to the booster - it became most noticable when music was playing rather than just talking and one of the icons on the head unit (like TA or something similar) would come on with the power on and go out again with it removed, which convinced me of the improvement.

Also the sound was more crisp with it on.

I did try the original one on the same test and it failed miserably!!!

If you have similar problems with the booster installed then I advise returning it for a replacement.

Hope this helps someone.

I once fitted an aftermarket radio and new aerial in a favorit (many years ago) and had all kinds of reception trouble - I eventually found I'd used the wrong Coaxial cable - the impedance of the cable has to match the input impedance of the radio. Sorry I can't remember any more - but hope it may help.

I'd like to plug a multimeter into the aerial mast on my Octavia 2 to make sure that the in-mast amp is getting power from the head unit ok. Unfortunately I can't figure out how to get into it. Unscrewing it only lets me tilt the aerial backwards (for going through a car wash?). Anyone know how to open it up?

I'd like to plug a multimeter into the aerial mast on my Octavia 2 to make sure that the in-mast amp is getting power from the head unit ok. Unfortunately I can't figure out how to get into it. Unscrewing it only lets me tilt the aerial backwards (for going through a car wash?). Anyone know how to open it up?

IIRC you just tug it, or I could be thinking of something else?

Miho,

The part you mentioned in your earlier posts is the part I purchased in halfords some time ago (PC5-52).

With my head unit the signal actully gets worse with the "booster" connected so I'm really confused now!!!

If you have fitted the PC5-52 between the HU and booster you have installed, then there is a good chance the booster is blocking the 12 volts DC needed by the aerial's built in booster amplifier. The PC5-52 provides the DC needed by the aerial to power the built in booster.

Remove the booster you have installed and just install the PC5-52, not forgetting to connect the flying lead to 12V.

There's a bit of confusion going on here!

The PC5-52 IS the booster I have fitted - there's nothing else in the line, just head unit to pc5-52 to ariel.

Anyway as previously posted it seems to be acceptable now since I fitted the replacement, I just seem to drive through areas with poor radio reception. (Backed up by others who live in those areas!)

Tested my antenna with a multimeter today. No 12V coming from the inline adapter. I don't want to venture any further into the dash than I already did (removing the glovebox) so I'll take it back to the installer. :(

There's a bit of confusion going on here!

The PC5-52 IS the booster I have fitted - there's nothing else in the line, just head unit to pc5-52 to ariel.

Anyway as previously posted it seems to be acceptable now since I fitted the replacement, I just seem to drive through areas with poor radio reception. (Backed up by others who live in those areas!)

You're right there is some confusion; PC5-52 is not a boster, all it does is provides a 12V feed to the antenna, there is an amplifier built into the antenna and that needs a power supply to power it. The PC5-52 routes the 12V to the antenna and ensures the 12V does not enter the radio as that would most likely stop the radio from working.

With my aftermarket radio; FM was just about tolerable without the PC5-52 but there was no signal on MW and LW. If you can recieve on MW and LW (if you've got it, but how are you going to listen to Test Match Special if you haven't?) then everything's probably working as it should.

Yeah I know that technically speaking it's not a booster, just everyone describes it as such on here . - I was aware of what it's purpose is anyway .

I think it's even marked as that in hellfrauds...........

Does the 12v Travel from the pc5-52 back up thru the aerial cable? Tried fitting one earlier to fix my bad reception but no luck...will try in morning to see if the 12v is eeaching the base of the antenna (the booster) i believe i have to pull back the ceiling trim to get at it....i have an octavia 1 esrate...

Ok everyone, I've read loads of posts about fitting aftermarket radios in octys and fabias so I'm well aware of the radio reception problems etc and the usual need for boosters.

I fitted my sony head unit pretty soon after getting the car so can't really remember what the radio was like as standard (also used the changer mostly).

The radio reception was not that great but seemed to work for the most part, again don't listen that much anyway.

After a few weeks I decided to fit the arial booster from hellfrauds as recommended on here (can't remember the exact part number) but found the signal actually got worse :eek: so I removed it. Since then I've tried fiddling about with the connectors and even tried soldering the booster directly into the head unit (as it has a flying lead to a deep socket with an adaptor, incidently inside the HU it's on a tiny little two pin plug - I'd have thought that alone was asking for trouble ) but it was absolutely terrible so tonight I've put the original arial lead back in which has improved things again but still not as perfect as I'd like.

My dilema is this - is it possible that the ariel is at fault?

I've read a bit on here about water ingress casuing problems etc but I don't know whether to put the stock system back in and vag-com it for faults???

How would I stand with a warranty claim for a new ariel if I haven't got the symphony HU installed?

I'm slightly reluctant to just bung it back at skoda as I don't like being without the car, especially when I get a really low spec model while mine's in for "looking at", then again when they replace parts etc.

Any advice anyone?

And sorry for the mammoth length post:O .

Matt

On the subject of radios/reception etc I had a bluetooth unit fitted by Hellfrauds in January. Shortly after the radio stopped working. On removing the HU I discovered that the ape-like operative had cut the ariel wire to the radio and taped it together!

After 2 Hellfruad attemps to repair it, still not fixed. I have joined the wire using coaxial cable plugs (for TVs) but feel it may not last forevever.

Does anyone know if the ariel cable has a joint around the steering column, or does it go right back to the ariel on the roof, the car is an Octavia II estate.

thanks