DAB+ aerial help needed
Discussion
Hi all,
I bought my current car second hand with one of those DAB+ windscreen aerials installed. Ever since I had my cracked windscreen replaced, I can no longer receive DAB radio broadcasts. FM still works. The Autoglass guy did warn me that he couldn't guarantee not to break the aerial, but I didn't have much choice other than to say "OK". So he peeled it off, then stuck it back in the new windscreen and now it doesn't work.
I suppose it needs to be replaced, it now looks a bit tatty anyway, and since they are around £10 on Amazon I ordered a new one. But now I have it, I notice that it differs from the one that was installed as it has an additional red 12v power wire, which the new one does not have. In fact I cannot find any online that have this power wire. The installation video on Dynavin's YouTube channel shows this wire being connected, so I think it is definitely needed (I know some head units send the power down the aerial coax.)
The current aerial is connected to a Dynavin head unit, which came with the car when I bought it. The car is a Mercedes W211 E Class for what it's worth.
Dynavin sells one on their website, but it's about £30 plus another £30 postage which I am loath to pay. Can anyone help?
I bought my current car second hand with one of those DAB+ windscreen aerials installed. Ever since I had my cracked windscreen replaced, I can no longer receive DAB radio broadcasts. FM still works. The Autoglass guy did warn me that he couldn't guarantee not to break the aerial, but I didn't have much choice other than to say "OK". So he peeled it off, then stuck it back in the new windscreen and now it doesn't work.
I suppose it needs to be replaced, it now looks a bit tatty anyway, and since they are around £10 on Amazon I ordered a new one. But now I have it, I notice that it differs from the one that was installed as it has an additional red 12v power wire, which the new one does not have. In fact I cannot find any online that have this power wire. The installation video on Dynavin's YouTube channel shows this wire being connected, so I think it is definitely needed (I know some head units send the power down the aerial coax.)
The current aerial is connected to a Dynavin head unit, which came with the car when I bought it. The car is a Mercedes W211 E Class for what it's worth.
Dynavin sells one on their website, but it's about £30 plus another £30 postage which I am loath to pay. Can anyone help?
£30 postage?
I have nothing to add about the red cable, but these antennas are quite difficult to get off and reinstalled without some damage. It's also important to connect the ground 'ribbon' to bare metal. I always advise when booking the job to get a new one.
Your A-pillar trim looks awful. Doesn't look clipped in, or is that the cable pushing it out?
I have nothing to add about the red cable, but these antennas are quite difficult to get off and reinstalled without some damage. It's also important to connect the ground 'ribbon' to bare metal. I always advise when booking the job to get a new one.
Your A-pillar trim looks awful. Doesn't look clipped in, or is that the cable pushing it out?
Glassman said:
£30 postage?
Well, 30 Euros, so near enough:Glassman said:
I have nothing to add about the red cable, but these antennas are quite difficult to get off and reinstalled without some damage. It's also important to connect the ground 'ribbon' to bare metal. I always advise when booking the job to get a new one.
Yes, I realise now that the ground ribbon may be the problem.Glassman said:
Your A-pillar trim looks awful. Doesn't look clipped in, or is that the cable pushing it out?
I know it's not clipped in correctly. The Autoglass guy didn't want to reattach it because of the cables underneath. I tried twice to get it seated correctly, without success. It's nothing to do with the cable as far as I can tell, as it looked OK before. I've left it for now since I will have to remove it again if I replace the aerial.At this point I'm so sick of it I'm tempted to just remove the damn thing and not have DAB.
I'd love to help you with this. I like a challenge!
Can the antenna be repositioned? Moving it up or down might make a difference. How much ribbon is there? You just need another 5mm slack to get it away from fouling the trim.
Don't give up on it; if you're anywhere on one of my runs, I am happy to pass by and assist.
Can the antenna be repositioned? Moving it up or down might make a difference. How much ribbon is there? You just need another 5mm slack to get it away from fouling the trim.
Don't give up on it; if you're anywhere on one of my runs, I am happy to pass by and assist.
Glassman said:
I'd love to help you with this. I like a challenge!
Can the antenna be repositioned? Moving it up or down might make a difference. How much ribbon is there? You just need another 5mm slack to get it away from fouling the trim.
Don't give up on it; if you're anywhere on one of my runs, I am happy to pass by and assist.
It's actually nowhere near fouling the trim, it's just the angle of the photo. From the inside:Can the antenna be repositioned? Moving it up or down might make a difference. How much ribbon is there? You just need another 5mm slack to get it away from fouling the trim.
Don't give up on it; if you're anywhere on one of my runs, I am happy to pass by and assist.
FWIW I live in Northampton, not far off the M1.
The easiest thing might, as you say, be to try to get this one working. But it looks a bit tatty now, and as the car is pretty much immaculate, I'm keen on replacing it.
mk2 24v said:
If the FM part of the radio works, have you looked at an aerial splitter?
Plugs in to the standard FM aerial, and splits off to FM and DAB plugs for the headunit.
I have one in my old Ford for the Kenwood DAB add-on box, and it works a treat with the electric mast aerial
So it would use the FM aerial for the DAB as well? The FM aerial is one of those little amplified "shark fin" ones so I don't know if it would even pick up DAB frequencies,Plugs in to the standard FM aerial, and splits off to FM and DAB plugs for the headunit.
I have one in my old Ford for the Kenwood DAB add-on box, and it works a treat with the electric mast aerial
Wilseus said:
So it would use the FM aerial for the DAB as well? The FM aerial is one of those little amplified "shark fin" ones so I don't know if it would even pick up DAB frequencies,
Thats the one.As long as the shark fin aerial still gets its power supply, the splitter should be fine.
Or maybe just upgrade the shark fin to a FM and DAB one?
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