vonslack 10 Posted December 4, 2015 Had my Sony head unit in and out a couple of times over the last few weeks whilst working on the rado (been working on the heater), and now the radio wont tune in. Took it out again yesterday and checked the aerial hadn't popped off the back of it, seemed to be clipped on properly also is the rado aerial amplified, any ideas?:bonk::scratch: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarkR 11 Posted December 5, 2015 As far as I know some of the original VW fitted units had inbuilt amplifiers. If you have fitted an aftermarket unit the chances are you need to install a small amplifier between the end of the aerial cable and the head unit. I replaced my aerial amp in the summer and from memory it cost about £5 from eBay. I believe some early cars may have had a separate amp installed by the roof aerial, but I guess this can also be fixed by installing a new amp closer to the radio. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vonslack 10 Posted December 6, 2015 My car is a 91, the rubber seal around the base of the Ariel is very perished. I have read that this can let moister into the amplifier if it is the early type & knacker it. Because I have had the head unit in and out recently I was thinking that maybe I had accidentally disconnected the wire(s) that might feed the signal amplifier. I re routed the loom & the aerial to the head unit the other week. The radio worked ok before my resent fixing of the heater. One of these amps you mentioned might be just what I need, not sure if I would need to disconnect the old one though? I have found a non amplified bee sting ariel kit in my box of useful stuff which might do as a temporary fix. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZpog 10 Posted December 7, 2015 My car is a 91, the rubber seal around the base of the Ariel is very perished. I have read that this can let moister into the amplifier if it is the early type & knacker it. Because I have had the head unit in and out recently I was thinking that maybe I had accidentally disconnected the wire(s) that might feed the signal amplifier. I re routed the loom & the aerial to the head unit the other week. The radio worked ok before my resent fixing of the heater. One of these amps you mentioned might be just what I need, not sure if I would need to disconnect the old one though? I have found a non amplified bee sting ariel kit in my box of useful stuff which might do as a temporary fix. Just get on ebay and by a replacement with the built in amp (think it was a Hirshman like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hirschmann-HIT-AUTA-16V-Flex-AM-FM-OEM-B-sting-car-roof-aerial-inc-5m-cable-/231546465946?hash=item35e93eae9a:g:UogAAOSwBLlVP8De). I did this and went from radio 1 or 2 only to receiving everything. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vonslack 10 Posted December 7, 2015 Went and had a look at it lunch time today, took down the head lining just enough to get to the aerial. It is the amplified type as suspected, the crimp had snapped off so I remade this. No power on it so I took out the head unit found the wire poked down the back of the dash with some tape on it, so I have not ever had the thing powered up! Connected this to the switched supply out of the back of the head unit & still no radio. I then started wiggling the aerial cable about & as if by magic the radio started working again. This will do for now but I think I shall replace the amplified Ariel completely next year when I take down the roof lining to repair the sunroof as I don't think the amp is working and the alloy base of the aerial is rotting away I discovered when I replaced the rubber seal on it today. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
