I have a 93 BMW 525i and just replaced my HU w an aftermarket. I got an antenna adapter to convert to fit my new HU but the fm reception is not as good as it was or should be. I noticed in reading some BMW literature a reference to the original HU having an amplified antenna. The antenna wire inside the dash had a very small black wire taped along with it with a very small barrel plug adapter that plugged into the factory radio right below where the antenna plugged in. This seems to me to be related to the assumed amplified antenna I think I have. Is there any way I can utilize this with my new aftermarket HU? Can this wire be stripped and tied into my power wire going to the HU?
Or I thought of buying an AM/FM RADIO ANTENNA BOOSTER( http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/ItemBrowse?storeId=10101&productId=100000145002&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&appId=&Pr=p_CATENTRY_ID:100000145002 )that fits in between the HU and the antenna wire and has a wire to tie into the power wire. A couple of people in forums have said they help. Do you have any knowledge of these or some other way to get better FM reception?
THX
Replies (4)
ttocs on 01/1/2008 22:38:50
what did the instructions with the ant adaptor say to do with these? I am willing to bet that is directly related to your reception problem. The ant boosters do not do anything but occasionally generate some noise.
Have you tried a bmw audio related forum?
hraustin on 01/1/2008 23:38:04
I haven't used the antenna boster or bought one yet. What is the little wire that was taped to my antenna wire in my dash??? Anything I'm supposed to do or can do with it?
THX
ttocs on 01/2/2008 15:24:49
I am willing to bet that you will need to either ground it or put it to a remote turn on wire but I am not sure which is which. I myself own a ranger and a mustang and know all th ins-and-outs of them but I am not up to date an bimmers. I don't really know anyone on here that has one which is why I suggested a bmw related audio forum. I give alot of mustang specific advise on another mustang site, I bet there is a similar person on a bimmer forum for you.
swez on 01/2/2008 19:51:22
Antenna amplifiers are usually not needed in most Aftermarket HU's. If the stock antenna and coaxial cable are in good shape, there should be enough signal present to pull in FM stations as well or better than most factory systems.
An antenna booster is nothing more than a small signal preamp. (a 3-6dB gain can help weak tuner circuits in some cars) It would be powered off the radio and grounded via the antenna/coaxial cable and mount to the chassis.
As ttocs said, since this is an older Bimmer, you might have better luck getting specific details on this install from a Bimmer forum. Try a google search until you home in the right sites.
Swez
Or I thought of buying an AM/FM RADIO ANTENNA BOOSTER( http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/ItemBrowse?storeId=10101&productId=100000145002&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&appId=&Pr=p_CATENTRY_ID:100000145002 )that fits in between the HU and the antenna wire and has a wire to tie into the power wire. A couple of people in forums have said they help. Do you have any knowledge of these or some other way to get better FM reception?
THX
Replies (4)
ttocs on 01/1/2008 22:38:50
what did the instructions with the ant adaptor say to do with these? I am willing to bet that is directly related to your reception problem. The ant boosters do not do anything but occasionally generate some noise.
Have you tried a bmw audio related forum?
hraustin on 01/1/2008 23:38:04
I haven't used the antenna boster or bought one yet. What is the little wire that was taped to my antenna wire in my dash??? Anything I'm supposed to do or can do with it?
THX
ttocs on 01/2/2008 15:24:49
I am willing to bet that you will need to either ground it or put it to a remote turn on wire but I am not sure which is which. I myself own a ranger and a mustang and know all th ins-and-outs of them but I am not up to date an bimmers. I don't really know anyone on here that has one which is why I suggested a bmw related audio forum. I give alot of mustang specific advise on another mustang site, I bet there is a similar person on a bimmer forum for you.
swez on 01/2/2008 19:51:22
Antenna amplifiers are usually not needed in most Aftermarket HU's. If the stock antenna and coaxial cable are in good shape, there should be enough signal present to pull in FM stations as well or better than most factory systems.
An antenna booster is nothing more than a small signal preamp. (a 3-6dB gain can help weak tuner circuits in some cars) It would be powered off the radio and grounded via the antenna/coaxial cable and mount to the chassis.
As ttocs said, since this is an older Bimmer, you might have better luck getting specific details on this install from a Bimmer forum. Try a google search until you home in the right sites.
Swez
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