Radio signal patchy

CrispyEdd

CrispyEdd

Member
United-Kingdom
Good Morning!

Before I tuck the A2 away for the weekend, I thought I might ask if anyone has the knowledge to understadn why the radio signal is so rubbish on the A2. I thoguht a new diversity unit might work but its the same signal quality after changing it. Could it be the aerial itself or the headunit?

Car is 04 with single din cd player standard issue, no mods ever done on it by prevous only owner. Its so bad I dont use it now which is rubbish and I dont want to fit an after market headunit and DAB aerial jsut yet as got streaming connects2 adaptor in there for handfree. (plugs into cd changer port).

The radio signal was bad before I fitted handsfree, and its bad on every setting FM and AM. It goes in and out of signla randommly and goes fuzzy then clear.

Any advice?
 
Mine's exactly the same - tried a different diversity unit but made no difference. Particularly bad on AM with the a/c running - loud pinging interference and electronic noise, especially when there are power lines in the vicinity. It has been suggested there may be something amiss with the aerial wiring to the tailgate which suggests a job for @timmus when our paths cross again - the problem is well beyond my abilities to fix.
 
CrispyEdd said:
Good Morning!

Before I tuck the A2 away for the weekend, I thought I might ask if anyone has the knowledge to understadn why the radio signal is so rubbish on the A2. I thoguht a new diversity unit might work but its the same signal quality after changing it. Could it be the aerial itself or the headunit?

Car is 04 with single din cd player standard issue, no mods ever done on it by prevous only owner. Its so bad I dont use it now which is rubbish and I dont want to fit an after market headunit and DAB aerial jsut yet as got streaming connects2 adaptor in there for handfree. (plugs into cd changer port).

The radio signal was bad before I fitted handsfree, and its bad on every setting FM and AM. It goes in and out of signla randommly and goes fuzzy then clear.

Any advice?
Click to expand...
Possibly no switched 12 volts supply to the Diversity unit, or earth. I've been struck down by Covid, but here's a bit of info that might help:
Mac.
Screenshot 2022-07-15 09.47.11.png
 
Last edited:
PlasticMac said:
Possibly no switched 12 volts supply to the Diversity unit, or earth. I've been struck down by Covid, but here's a bit of info that might help:
Mac.View attachment 96922
Click to expand...
Not sure, but check for 12 volts from the radio to the amp, which is supplied on the aerial coax. With the radio on, you should measure 12 volts between the centre core and the screen of the coax, at the Diversity end.
Mac.
 
The cigarette lighter socket is known to cause interference problems with the radio if a 12v item is plugged into it that it wasn't intended for.

Just a thought 👍
 
PlasticMac said:
Possibly no switched 12 volts supply to the Diversity unit, or earth. I've been struck down by Covid, but here's a bit of info that might help:
Mac.View attachment 96922
Click to expand...
There are 4 FM aerials, and 1 AM. Each aerial has it's own amp. The output of each amp go to the Diversity unit, which passes the strongest FM signal to the radio, via either the cable marked HF, or the cable marked ZF, (don't know why the circuit shows two coax cables, as I think there's only one coax to the radio), FM and AM which is the coax from the radio.
Mac.
 
Robin_Cox said:
Mine's exactly the same - tried a different diversity unit but made no difference. Particularly bad on AM with the a/c running - loud pinging interference and electronic noise, especially when there are power lines in the vicinity. It has been suggested there may be something amiss with the aerial wiring to the tailgate which suggests a job for @timmus when our paths cross again - the problem is well beyond my abilities to fix.
Click to expand...
This sounds like the same yes! OK! Cheers Robin
 
A2Z said:
The cigarette lighter socket is known to cause interference problems with the radio if a 12v item is plugged into it that it wasn't intended for.

Just a thought 👍
Click to expand...
Thanks, yes Ive read this too, I dont use mine so thats elliminated on this occasion.
 
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PlasticMac said:
Is it the Chorus/Concert radio, or aftermarket?
Mac
Click to expand...
Its the concert II cd single din, all this elctrical stuff is too uch for me, souds massively elaborate comapred to an aerial plugged into a head unit. i guess they didnt want to fit a roof aerial (other than factory telephone one)
 
@CrispyEdd Just because you do not use it does not mean it is not the ciggy socket. To rule it out remove its fuse.

The A2 does suffer from wiring fatigue as the wires pass from the rear body into the tailgate so worth checking there for broken or nearly broken wires.
 
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but in my experience the A2 just had poor radio reception. This was one of the reasons I had @timmus install the Bluetooth that allowed me to stream music or podcasts via my phone.

I’m sure he can comment further on this issue.
 
dj_efk said:
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but in my experience the A2 just had poor radio reception. This was one of the reasons I had @timmus install the Bluetooth that allowed me to stream music or podcasts via my phone.

I’m sure he can comment further on this issue.
Click to expand...
Haven't experienced any poor reception in mine, Concert I I. Only use FM, so no idea what AM is like. If the Diversity unit, the individual antenna amps are good, no reason for it to be poor, that I can think of. It's all dependant on the 12 volt supply from the head unit though.
Mac.
 
dj_efk said:
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but in my experience the A2 just had poor radio reception.
Click to expand...

FM reception has always been superb in my A2 (Symphony II from new, now have RNS-E Mk 2). The AM reception was rubbish with the Symphony head unit, but more than acceptable with the RNS-E.
 
I’ve one concert with great reception, another with intermittent signal and a third with no reception whatsoever

I have seen LED lights interfere….


Sent from the future
 
Cenick said:
I’ve one concert with great reception, another with intermittent signal and a third with no reception whatsoever

I have seen LED lights interfere….


Sent from the future
Click to expand...
Check that there is 12 volts between the chassis of the radio and the centre pin of the aerial socket on the back of the radio, taking great care not to short between the centre pin and the outer ring. Put a piece of sleeving, or tape on your multimeter probe so that there is just a tiny bit at the end to touch the centre pin (+) and not the outside, (-), at the same time.
This 12 volts runs the Diversity unit, and the an. Without it the radio will get little signal strength.
Mac.
 
PlasticMac said:
Check that there is 12 volts between the chassis of the radio and the centre pin of the aerial socket on the back of the radio, taking great care not to short between the centre pin and the outer ring. Put a piece of sleeving, or tape on your multimeter probe so that there is just a tiny bit at the end to touch the centre pin (+) and not the outside, (-), at the same time.
This 12 volts runs the Diversity unit, and the an. Without it the radio will get little signal strength.
Mac.
Click to expand...
Awesome advice i will give this a try!
 
PlasticMac said:
Check that there is 12 volts between the chassis of the radio and the centre pin of the aerial socket on the back of the radio, taking great care not to short between the centre pin and the outer ring. Put a piece of sleeving, or tape on your multimeter probe so that there is just a tiny bit at the end to touch the centre pin (+) and not the outside, (-), at the same time.
This 12 volts runs the Diversity unit, and the an. Without it the radio will get little signal strength.
Mac.
Click to expand...

Awesome, I’ll also test with a spare unit as the car came to me with no radio reception.


Sent from the future
 
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