I have recently bought a 2nd hand Fabia which contains a JVC head unit. The radio was not picking up any stations and thanks to this forum I realised that I needed an aerial booster.

I duly bought a booster and used the electric aerial output from the JVC unit to power the booster. This worked fine for about a fortnight but then stopped working. Took the booster back to the shop who gave me a replacement but suggested that the power output from the JVC unit may have failed. It seems this is a fairly common problem. Unfortunately it looks like they were correct - the new booster is not working either.

Does anyone know of a solution ? Is there another way to power the booster from the JVC unit or will I have to get a new head unit ?

Could you not connect it to the switched live feed to the head unit? It would mean the booster would be turned on with the ignition rather than the head unit but I don't think that would be an issue?

Also, have you checked the back of the head unit? Sometimes there is a fuse for the antenna feed which could have gone.

I think vag cars have a feed for an amplified antenna in the main loom. Some of them have an amplifier in the base of the OEM antenna so it might be woth trying to find a wiring diagram to see if you can get power from that.

It seems that I have misdiagnosed the problem. I have put a test meter on the aerial power output and it seems OK - about 12 volts. So power is getting to the booster.

This problem appeared immediately after I got he car back from the dealer who replaced the power steering pump. Can anyone suggest something that might have been displaced or damaged by the mechanic to cause this problem ?

I would say that if the HU is giving the 12V you need then it must lie either with the booster or the aerial base itself. Doubt it would be connected to the steering pump change except that the techie would have taken the battery off.

Are you using a good quality booster such as Autoleads?

The booster is just a generic brand. I don't have the packaging any more.

I really do think the booster should be OK. The first one I bought worked great for a few weeks - I thought it was faulty and got a replacement which has not worked at all. So I now suspect that something else has caused the problem.

Radio working OK.

Power to booster working OK.

Booster working OK ( I think )

So what else can be wrong ? A techie friend has questioned the earthing of the booster. Where would this be and how do I check it ?

You mentioned the aerial base, VRStu - can this be easily checked ?

I don't know for sure how to check the base other than to replace it. Does the HU give out 12v alll the time it's on or only for a short period?

I don't think the booster is earthed at the HU end but maybe via the aerial base.