Retrofitting radio controlled clock - Page 22

The_Laird · #**211** 3rd November 2015, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian E

The_Laird - have you done the fuse pull to reset the clock, then advance it to just before the time Sergey has posted that it will attempt to get a signal, lock the car and leave it parked outside for a couple of hours and it should have sorted itself out.

I think I'm being a bit thick about this!

I thought that the fuse pull trick was basically just to speed up the synchronisation if you didn't want to wait overnight. But my antenna symbol has been 'missing' for a couple of weeks now, so it's had plenty of chance to find a signal (although it is in a garage overnight).

I will try this though (when I get the time), but I get the feeling that the device might have failed.

oldnick · #**212** 5th November 2015, 11:55 AM

have been doing a little more research on this ; apparently after 3 days it gives up trying to find the signal ...having lived in southern france for many years I am well aware that the strength of long wave signals varies considerably according to climatic conditions , maybe has not been good lately ... if it has improved maybe the ...cut the power ....trick would work

or would it be easier just to move south?

notorious · #**213** 5th November 2015, 12:34 PM

Yes, it removes mast symbol after about 3 days of failed synch attempts and switches back to manual clock mode, but still tries to catch a signal every time after you move the car (ignition + a bit of speed signal from cluster point of view), plus several times per night. If it catches good signal the radio control clock will be back in operation with the mast symbol on. In this situation the time shift between UK and Germany is taken into account (not forgotten).

After installation of receiver in OEM spot I had no single disappearance of mast symbol. It always worked tip top. Even with my heated windscreen.

From what I read in other forums A8 D2 owners in places like Moscow and Turkey (with 3 hours of time shift from Frankfurt the other direction) are receiving signal quite reliably. See the signal range map at the top of the thread. The power of the long waves.

It is all about the OEM location of the receiver.

Adrian E · #**214** 5th November 2015, 01:10 PM

Coincidentally I had my car out of the garage today, for the first time since Monday evening. The car was used from Friday-Monday and parked outside all weekend, so should've had good signal reception. When put away on Monday the symbol was showing in the dash cluster.

Got it out today and mast symbol had disappeared between Monday evening and today (Thursday)

Parked the car up to do some errands and came back to it a fairly short time later, and signal has been reacquired

So behaviour on loss of signal is completely as per Sergey's explanation above. My receiver has always been mounted in OEM position, as Sergey knows as he helped me put it there (cheers mate!) but my car is mainly garaged and can often sit for a week or 2 unused. This is the first time in over 2 years that it's ever lost signal, coming quite quickly after the date function loss which may have been related or may not.

I will park it up again tonight and see if it's still there come the weekend. It does suggest there's some wider reception issues, either atmospheric or power of transmission/distance related.

ETA - made the pics smaller - they were HUGE!

The_Laird · #**215** 10th November 2015, 06:21 AM

Well, I tried pulling the fuse and then setting the clock to 2:59 on Sunday. No joy. So reset the clock again a couple of times yesterday. Still nothing.

But this morning - the antenna symbol is back and all is well with time and date!

oldnick · #**216** 10th November 2015, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Laird

Well, I tried pulling the fuse and then setting the clock to 2:59 on Sunday. No joy. So reset the clock again a couple of times yesterday. Still nothing.

But this morning - the antenna symbol is back and all is well with time and date!

weather improved ...even in scotland ?

The_Laird · #**217** 11th November 2015, 06:31 AM

You must be joking! We've had torrential rain for days now and, although it's not bad this morning, a major storm is forecast.

I wonder if there was a 'glitch' on the transmitter as a couple of us seem to have problems recently.

HPsauce · #**218** 11th November 2015, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Laird

major storm is forecast.

Don't we know it! Named in honour (very appropriately) of our daughter. She keeps reminding us of it.
(Went into the "terrible two's" almost 32 years ago and never left them...... )

mattylondon · #**219** 11th November 2015, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Laird

I wonder if there was a 'glitch' on the transmitter as a couple of us seem to have problems recently.

Maybe there was a problem with the MSF signal. Over the weekend our bedroom alarm clock was the wrong time and wouldn't auto set....

The_Laird · #**220** 25th May 2017, 01:13 PM

Well, my radio clocked has worked fine for some time now, but last weekend I left the ignition on and flattened the battery. The battery is fine after a slow charge and holds its charge for at least 3 or 4 days (that's all I've tried so far) - but the radio clock has gone!

Just checked the coding with the VCDS and it's 30001 (as it should be), but, although the car is now parked in the open (and back in the East Midlands) there's been no sign of the signal for a few days now.

Any ideas?