reception nightmares
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=83126
Printed Date: May 13, 2024 at 5:09 PM
Topic: reception nightmares
Posted By: brutis31c
Subject: reception nightmares
Date Posted: September 20, 2006 at 1:08 AM
I just hooked up a new aftermarket kenwood stereo in my 2004 kia optima and my reception is poor. I just found out the car has a powerred antenna but I don't know where. I asumed it was built into the winshield. I only had the coax hooked up with the power wire on my harness and radio just taped off asuming it was for one of those power antennas that go up and down . without the power hooked up I got no reception at all. once I relized that car had an ampped antenna I went back in and spliced the power conection for the antenna and now I get reception but its not great. am almost always has noise and fm is ok sometimes but mostly only good on the stronger stations. when I drive it occasionaly fuzzes in and out especialy if I drive next to something or go around a corner and if I park in some spots it gets fuzzy. It was alot better with the stock stereo. actauly the reception was perfect before. I realy don't think I'm picking up engine noise. It just seems its not pulling in a strong signal.the only thing I can think of is that the male end on the coax didn't seem like it would slide all the way down into the female end.if it didn't it was very close but it would go no further and it was snug so I figured thats all it goes. I just spent 2 grand on all these amps and speakers and It sounds great on cd but for all that money I want good radio reception. If anyone has any advice it would be much apreciated. ------------- kia pride baby
Replies:
Posted By: supradude
Date Posted: September 20, 2006 at 8:22 AM
Exactly the reason I stick with Pioneer head units. Radio Shack sells antenna boosters. You can try that and see if it helps. ------------- '85 Toy
Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: September 20, 2006 at 2:37 PM
did you use the proper Metra harness? usually it's just a case of hooking up the power antenna wire on the Metra harness, which will in turn power the antenna amplifier.....
-------------
Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer
Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
Posted By: bellsracer
Date Posted: September 20, 2006 at 8:19 PM
brutis31c wrote:
~snip~ without the power hooked up I got no reception at all. once I relized that car had an ampped antenna I went back in and spliced the power conection for the antenna and now I get reception but its not great. ~snip~
What wire did you splice into, if you tapped into the radio harness power wire then that could be your problem right there. the aftermarket takes in a lot more power than factory and your antenna's amplifier isn't getting the energy it needs. Run a fresh wire from your accessory wire to the back of the radio and give the antenna it's own power. One of our friends has the same vehicle and the same thing happened to him. The only other thing we could think of is that the radio has a slight defect in it. Attach an aftermarket antenna temporarily and see if that improves the signal. If it doesn't, then it most likely will be a defective HU. Good Luck! ------------- Never send your ducks to eagle school.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
The 3Ls of life: Learn from the Past, Live for the Present, Look to the Future.
Posted By: brutis31c
Date Posted: September 20, 2006 at 11:04 PM
the harness I bought had a wire for power antenna and so did the radio. are you saying I should disconect that and run a new wire into the car harness antenna conection? wich accesory wire the one thats coming out of the car harness? ------------- kia pride baby
Posted By: brutis31c
Date Posted: September 20, 2006 at 11:13 PM
do those realy work? I've only herd bad things about them. like all they do is boost the static your already getting. I also think I read they only boost fm and don't help am and arent those only for non powered antennas? what about a noise eliminator? I herd those are junk too. I'm not positive if i'm getting noise or just bad reception. my cd sounds great.
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kia pride baby
Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: September 21, 2006 at 2:13 PM
connect the blue power antenna wire in the metra harness to the blue power antenna wire from your H/U.... this should power up the factory antenna signal amp if there is one....
-------------
Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer
Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
Posted By: brutis31c
Date Posted: September 21, 2006 at 11:05 PM
the car definitley has an ampped antenna and it is hooked up properly using the a metra harness like you suggested. I'm way past that. I guess you didn't carefully read the post. thats ok. I still apreciated your help. if you can think of anything else that would be great. thanks
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kia pride baby
Posted By: bryantobando
Date Posted: September 22, 2006 at 10:59 AM
Get another head unit. Maybe a pioneer. or try one of those new HD Radio head units. They supposably play FM as CD quality and AM as FM quality.
Posted By: brutis31c
Date Posted: September 22, 2006 at 4:32 PM
that is not an option. this one is brand new and was 300 dollars. it is a kenwood dpx 701. I don't have and wouldn't spend if I did the money for a new one after i just shelled out 300 for this one. I realy dont think there is anything wrong with the stereo.
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kia pride baby
Posted By: bellsracer
Date Posted: September 22, 2006 at 10:04 PM
When I said to attach an aftermarket antenna temporarily, it's just to see if the signal coming from your factory antenna is bad or if it is the HU. It doesn't have to be an amplified antenna. What you are doing when you do that is isolating all possibilities of what could be causing the issue. If after you attach the aftermarket antenna and it sounds good, then it has to be something in the factory antenna. If the sound is still bad, then it is the HU. Now if it does turn out that it is the antenna that is the issue here, run a fresh wire for the antenna instead of piggybacking off one of the wires in the radio harness. Tap it from the accessory wire in the ignition harness. If that still doesn't clear it up, then somehow your factory antenna got damaged. If you still want that factory look, replace it and see what happens. Or just stick with an aftermarket. Good Luck! ------------- Never send your ducks to eagle school.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
The 3Ls of life: Learn from the Past, Live for the Present, Look to the Future.
Posted By: brutis31c
Date Posted: September 26, 2006 at 9:41 PM
I didn't piggyback the antennas power wire off the radio harness . I used the power antenna wire from the aftermarket head unit. where is the ignition harnes?
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kia pride baby
Posted By: bellsracer
Date Posted: September 27, 2006 at 3:33 AM
Steering Column
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Never send your ducks to eagle school.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
The 3Ls of life: Learn from the Past, Live for the Present, Look to the Future.
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