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Antenna Booster for 2002 Golf



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 21st 05, 10:52 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Antenna Booster for 2002 Golf


My 2002 Golf has a factory radio (non-Monsoon system).
It works fine, except some nearby stations really fade
quickly as I leave town. I drive 45 miles to a nearby
town a few times every week and these stations are
nearly gone after about 20 miles. These are both AM
and FM stations with talk radio programs that I like.

I suppose the problem could be that these are just
low-powered stations and I am out of luck (can't
amplify non-existent signals).

Anyway, I visited a local car stereo place today and in
a moment of weakness I bought an AM/FM antenna booster
for $20.

I've never installed any kind of car audio equipment.
Is this sort of thing easy to do? Will I need to remove
the radio? If so, will this cause problems with the radio
(password/whatever)? Do I need special tools?

Also, someone told me my car already has an antenna booster.
How do I check for this? If so, I guess I should get a
refund for my booster (unless it's okay to use two boosters).

I appreciate any help anyone can send, as I am clearly a rookie
and need help!

Thanks.

--
David Swanger

Ads
  #2  
Old January 22nd 05, 03:38 AM
Woodchuck
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Posts: n/a
Default

There's a amp built into the factory base. Also, power for this amp is sent
down the OEM ant cable. Don't think adding an amp will help.

> wrote in message
...
>
> My 2002 Golf has a factory radio (non-Monsoon system).
> It works fine, except some nearby stations really fade
> quickly as I leave town. I drive 45 miles to a nearby
> town a few times every week and these stations are
> nearly gone after about 20 miles. These are both AM
> and FM stations with talk radio programs that I like.
>
> I suppose the problem could be that these are just
> low-powered stations and I am out of luck (can't
> amplify non-existent signals).
>
> Anyway, I visited a local car stereo place today and in
> a moment of weakness I bought an AM/FM antenna booster
> for $20.
>
> I've never installed any kind of car audio equipment.
> Is this sort of thing easy to do? Will I need to remove
> the radio? If so, will this cause problems with the radio
> (password/whatever)? Do I need special tools?
>
> Also, someone told me my car already has an antenna booster.
> How do I check for this? If so, I guess I should get a
> refund for my booster (unless it's okay to use two boosters).
>
> I appreciate any help anyone can send, as I am clearly a rookie
> and need help!
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> David Swanger
>




  #3  
Old January 22nd 05, 05:56 AM
R J Carpenter
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Posts: n/a
Default


"Woodchuck" > wrote in message
...
> There's a amp built into the factory base. Also, power for this amp

is sent
> down the OEM ant cable. Don't think adding an amp will help.


Possibly worse than that. It may not pass the power through to the
antanna-base amplifier so the AM stations would become even weaker.

Possibly worse that that. It might even short the power, possibly with
unpleasant results.

You can download my display software and a listing of all the US and
nearby Canadian/Mexican broadcasting stations from
http://home.earthlink.net/~lvehorn/ The listing includes power and
antenna directional patterns. You can plot transmitter locations on
Street Atlas maps.


  #4  
Old January 24th 05, 09:08 PM
Mike Smith
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Posts: n/a
Default

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 21:52:46 +0000 (UTC), wrote:

>
>My 2002 Golf has a factory radio (non-Monsoon system).
>It works fine, except some nearby stations really fade
>quickly as I leave town. I drive 45 miles to a nearby
>town a few times every week and these stations are
>nearly gone after about 20 miles. These are both AM
>and FM stations with talk radio programs that I like.
>
>I suppose the problem could be that these are just
>low-powered stations and I am out of luck (can't
>amplify non-existent signals).
>
>Anyway, I visited a local car stereo place today and in
>a moment of weakness I bought an AM/FM antenna booster
>for $20.
>
>I've never installed any kind of car audio equipment.
>Is this sort of thing easy to do? Will I need to remove
>the radio? If so, will this cause problems with the radio
>(password/whatever)? Do I need special tools?
>
>Also, someone told me my car already has an antenna booster.
>How do I check for this? If so, I guess I should get a
>refund for my booster (unless it's okay to use two boosters).
>
>I appreciate any help anyone can send, as I am clearly a rookie
>and need help!
>
>Thanks.
>
>--
>David Swanger



My reception sucks too. I just bought a new antenna from VW for $75.
and it did not cure the problem. I also have a new Sony Radio so I am
at a loss as to what teh problem is. I toyed with the idea of just
installing a regular antenna on the fender or something but I wanted
to try the booster deal first. I think it is simple to install but
you have to open your dashboard and grab the radio. The plugs are
inline but you may need to grab a hot lead to power it.

I would be curious if it worked before I do it on my 99 Jetta
  #5  
Old January 24th 05, 11:47 PM
Tom's VR6
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, Mike Smith wrote:

>
>My reception sucks too. I just bought a new antenna from VW for $75.
>and it did not cure the problem. I also have a new Sony Radio so I am
>at a loss as to what teh problem is.


I would suspect that the Sony radio does not superimpose the power
over the coaxial cable that the amplified VW requires.


> I toyed with the idea of just
>installing a regular antenna on the fender or something but I wanted
>to try the booster deal first. I think it is simple to install but
>you have to open your dashboard and grab the radio. The plugs are
>inline but you may need to grab a hot lead to power it.


  #6  
Old January 25th 05, 01:53 AM
Woodchuck
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Posts: n/a
Default

I would suspect that the Sony radio does not superimpose the power
> over the coaxial cable that the amplified VW requires.



Yep, you got it all figured out.



  #7  
Old January 25th 05, 03:44 AM
Jim Lacko
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Posts: n/a
Default

None of my recent VWs had a working radio in them, but here's a thought that
used to apply to some radios, and all old ones.

There was a small trimmer capacitor on the radio that was adjusted when the
radio was installed and connected to the antenna (and power, ofcourse). If
such a capacitor is there, adjust AM to the highest frequency station at the
1600 kHz end of band and adjust capacitor with small flat-blade screwdriver
for best signal. I was "matching" the radio to the antenna installation and
it usually made a big difference.

If there's no trimmer capacitor, you might want to check that d.c voltage is
getting to the antenna base. If d.c. is present the amp may be dead. At
this point you're going to have to get a Tech to help you with the radio
itself -- new or used, the connector on the cable, radio or crimp/solder
points might be bad -- ofcourse there are always semiconductors to mess with
too, but since you're getting some stations, I'll bet the amp isn't working
for one of the above reasons.



> wrote in message
...
>
> My 2002 Golf has a factory radio (non-Monsoon system).
> It works fine, except some nearby stations really fade
> quickly as I leave town. I drive 45 miles to a nearby
> town a few times every week and these stations are
> nearly gone after about 20 miles. These are both AM
> and FM stations with talk radio programs that I like.
>
> I suppose the problem could be that these are just
> low-powered stations and I am out of luck (can't
> amplify non-existent signals).
>
> Anyway, I visited a local car stereo place today and in
> a moment of weakness I bought an AM/FM antenna booster
> for $20.
>
> I've never installed any kind of car audio equipment.
> Is this sort of thing easy to do? Will I need to remove
> the radio? If so, will this cause problems with the radio
> (password/whatever)? Do I need special tools?
>
> Also, someone told me my car already has an antenna booster.
> How do I check for this? If so, I guess I should get a
> refund for my booster (unless it's okay to use two boosters).
>
> I appreciate any help anyone can send, as I am clearly a rookie
> and need help!
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> David Swanger
>



  #8  
Old January 25th 05, 03:49 AM
Woodchuck
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I will keep this short, I know of NO aftermarket radios that work on AM with
the factory radio!


"Jim Lacko" > wrote in message
news:1106620261.a3394d27a675911accb170c0783f365c@1 usenet...
> None of my recent VWs had a working radio in them, but here's a thought
> that
> used to apply to some radios, and all old ones.
>
> There was a small trimmer capacitor on the radio that was adjusted when
> the
> radio was installed and connected to the antenna (and power, ofcourse).
> If
> such a capacitor is there, adjust AM to the highest frequency station at
> the
> 1600 kHz end of band and adjust capacitor with small flat-blade
> screwdriver
> for best signal. I was "matching" the radio to the antenna installation
> and
> it usually made a big difference.
>
> If there's no trimmer capacitor, you might want to check that d.c voltage
> is
> getting to the antenna base. If d.c. is present the amp may be dead. At
> this point you're going to have to get a Tech to help you with the radio
> itself -- new or used, the connector on the cable, radio or crimp/solder
> points might be bad -- ofcourse there are always semiconductors to mess
> with
> too, but since you're getting some stations, I'll bet the amp isn't
> working
> for one of the above reasons.
>
>
>
> > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> My 2002 Golf has a factory radio (non-Monsoon system).
>> It works fine, except some nearby stations really fade
>> quickly as I leave town. I drive 45 miles to a nearby
>> town a few times every week and these stations are
>> nearly gone after about 20 miles. These are both AM
>> and FM stations with talk radio programs that I like.
>>
>> I suppose the problem could be that these are just
>> low-powered stations and I am out of luck (can't
>> amplify non-existent signals).
>>
>> Anyway, I visited a local car stereo place today and in
>> a moment of weakness I bought an AM/FM antenna booster
>> for $20.
>>
>> I've never installed any kind of car audio equipment.
>> Is this sort of thing easy to do? Will I need to remove
>> the radio? If so, will this cause problems with the radio
>> (password/whatever)? Do I need special tools?
>>
>> Also, someone told me my car already has an antenna booster.
>> How do I check for this? If so, I guess I should get a
>> refund for my booster (unless it's okay to use two boosters).
>>
>> I appreciate any help anyone can send, as I am clearly a rookie
>> and need help!
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> --
>> David Swanger
>>

>
>




  #9  
Old January 25th 05, 04:54 AM
Randolph
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


Tom's VR6 wrote:
>
> In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, Mike Smith wrote:
>
> >
> >My reception sucks too. I just bought a new antenna from VW for $75.
> >and it did not cure the problem. I also have a new Sony Radio so I am
> >at a loss as to what teh problem is.

>
> I would suspect that the Sony radio does not superimpose the power
> over the coaxial cable that the amplified VW requires.
>
> > I toyed with the idea of just
> >installing a regular antenna on the fender or something but I wanted
> >to try the booster deal first. I think it is simple to install but
> >you have to open your dashboard and grab the radio. The plugs are
> >inline but you may need to grab a hot lead to power it.


If using an after market head unit (that does not put power on the
antenna cable) you can use on of these:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-AFAzTv7...400&I=097DIN12.
If that link does not work, search for part number 097DIN12 at
http://www.crutchfield.com.
  #10  
Old January 26th 05, 04:29 AM
Tom's VR6
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Posts: n/a
Default

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, Woodchuck wrote:

>I will keep this short, I know of NO aftermarket radios that work on AM with
>the factory radio!


That's to the point!

 




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