Radio reception issues

[Simon Dean]

Hi
I have issues with poor radio reception on my z3 1997 .
Could anyone give me an overview of the setup on this please.
The mast has the wound wire up and around it so presuming
Possibly amplified?
Going to take a look at the weekend so any heads up appreciated .

Tia
Deano

 

[t-tony]

I would check that aerial has a good earth, that the cable to the head unit isn't trapped/damaged any where and the the plug is fully pushed into the socket on the head unit (easily dislodged).

Tony.

 

[Tracy Dee]

My 1997 is exactly the same it has an Alpine head unit reception is poor .
If I go more than 10/15 miles Max I loose even the strongest stations radio 1 or Capital it won't pick up much else.
Even when local I get the odd crackle look forward to your solution.
Tracy.

 

[Brian H]

The long aerials can degrade, i had a duff one a while back, if you know someone with a zed swap over a check to see if the reception gets any better. The aerial base in the boot is amplified, on my first Z i found the aerial connector at the back of the radio had a short which resulted in really bad reception. Some food for thought below

 

[Simon Dean]

Thanks guys
Will let you know how I get on
Deano

 

[Tracy Dee]

Checked all the things mentioned above on Tracy's Zed still sounds pants crackles won't even get Capital which Is very strong in our area grrrrrrrrrrr
Back to cds

 

[hard top]

Get a window aerial and stick it up on the windscreen behind your rear view mirror.

 

[Redline]

Now you've discounted the obvious it's going to take a little more time to sort.
Possibly a faulty amp at the base of the aerial. Need to check that it's getting power if you haven't already.
Next check that the cable isn't damaged. Even if it's been compressed it's sufficient to destroy the signal level passed through It. Don't know if it's powered via the coax though.

The aerial has an amp because it's length is somewhat less than a standard FM quarter dipole. If the amp isn't working or if the signal is degraded it will destroy the reception at the head end. Might be useful to run some seperate coax cable from the aerial to the head end just to prove the existing cable is ok. Just measuring it's impedance with at meter won't tell you the impedance at rf frequencies.

 

[hard top]

Thanks @Redline, I just fell asleep...
Maybe you would like to help Littlefella build his space ship in his garden shed?

 

[oldcarman]

Thanks @Redline I appreciate your post and I have one of those window aerials and can't pick up FA!! JIM

 

[hard top]

I think you will find that that is FM Jimbo...

 

[GazHyde]

I think you will find that that is FM Jimbo...

I think you will find that Jim means F*** All Mike

 

[hard top]

I think you will find that Jim means F*** All Mike

Sorry, don't know that radio station.

 

[Redline]

Sorry, don't know that radio station.

Gaz is right. I'm sure that's one that we transmit from several sites around the uk. No, maybe it is that we do FA.

 

[hard top]

I'm sure that's one that we transmit from several sites around the uk.

Think I have heard of that, is it not called 'Sweet FA'? ...

 

[GazHyde]

I'm so gonna off topic this thread in a minute...

 

[t-tony]

Not guilty yer honour, . . . . . . . . . . , well not this time. Be nice to WMMO 98.9 back home though

Tony.

 

[Simon Dean]

Hi
Had a look at the reception issues and found a few problems....
Firstly the amplifier is missing at the rear! Just the power and ground wiring hanging around..


So next I tested the coaxial cable for any short from the centre core to the outside screen cabling
as shown in the photo a good cable will show O/L O/C or open circuit as none of the screen cable
should touch the centre core of the cable.


So all good there as kindly mentioned earlier by fellow Z ers.
Next to test the centre core at the radio head to rear point of ariel.
The reading shows O/L Open circuit so here lies a broken centre core of the coax cable.


So no amp and faulty coax cable no go lol.
I priced the items from bmw and around 120+vat with a new antenna !
So I am going to try a blaupunkt amplified screen ariel which are about 50mm circle on the screen
so should look ok and also amplifier built in.
It won't land until late next week so I will post some pics and see how it performs.
Cost is 25 quid a lot better than 120....

 

[Will_460cs]

I would check that aerial has a good earth, that the cable to the head unit isn't trapped/damaged any where and the the plug is fully pushed into the socket on the head unit (easily dislodged).

Tony.

spot on..

 

[Wilko58]

Now my turn to follow these steps. Thanks for the thread and advice guys.