MKIV - Radio reception issue... is my solution safe?

[dash]

I was having huge problems with my radio reception having put in a second hand MD player I got from ebay. Fine, I thought, it's faulty so I'll send it back. Then I put the factory install Sony CDX-C5000r back in and started getting exactly the same problems, and no amount of jiggling of the aerial lead would fix it. Basically when scanning for channels it would simply cycle between Radio 1 and Classic FM and skip everything in between.

Despairing, I started removing black tape from around the wires inside to try and figure out what was going on. Inside that I found this hooked in between an aerial plug and the stereo, have removed it and radio is now picking up a lot more stations (although still not quite all of them).



My question is really should I be trying to find a replacement for this bit or will I just get the same problems back, and if the latter am I going to damage my stereo by not having this part in?

Thanks,

Maj

[david burton]

blimey - how did VW fit a Southamption A to Z in your dash?! I've heard about sandwiches being left in cars by assemblers, but not atoz's!

bin it - wouldn't help the reception at all.



sorry - no help, but i can guess not having the adaptor won't harm anything.

[Karl_CLCoupe]

That by the looks of it is some kind of ISO adapter cable. Removing it shouldn't have any bad effects on your radio reception in any way.

Karl.

[TSM]

That looks like an antena amp, on all VWs arround and after 94 will have antenas that need an amplifier, if you have a factory radio it is normaly installed internaly (gamma, beta ....). If you install another radio you need one of these.

[metz]

i have removed my factory blau(cantspellrest) stereo 2day and i found the same thing, it wouldnt connect to the new head unit so i took it off and all seems fine...my arial is rubbish anyway. think 13yrs of rain and muck have taken its toll.

[logistix]

That looks like an antena amp, on all VWs arround and after 94 will have antenas that need an amplifier, if you have a factory radio it is normaly installed internaly (gamma, beta ....). If you install another radio you need one of these.

i have a sony cdx-ca900 headunit in my 2004 polo 9n, and sometimes i get really bad reception. will fitting an aerial amp help?

[pukka]

That's an amplified antenna adaptor. On the factory headunits this is built-in. But you need one when fitting an aftermarket headunit to (newer) VWs.

This adaptor gives you a power feed from the aftermarket headunit to the antenna. If the antenna isn't powered up properly you won't get good reception.

Check the wire coming out of the adaptor (white wire in your case) is connected up properly to the ISO block. That wire provides power to the adaptor (thus antenna). If I remember correctly it should be connected to the number five position in the ISO block (double check that tho). If that fails it could be a faulty adaptor.

I don't think you will damage the headunit by not having this part in, it just means the antenna won't be amplified or powered up.

Regards.

[logistix]

does anyone know the part number of this amplifier? thanks

[Tahrey1043]

im gonna hunt inside my dash and look for one of those now.... i know the end connector for the aerial has that L-shape on the end.... mebbe there's a now-busted ampy thing hanging off there that i can junk and get better radio pick-up.

thats a good thing to bring to our attention, dash/maj!