DAB Radio install,help required

[tc4332]

Hi All,
As the title says, I need your expertise.
I have just fitted a DAB radio.
Could not locate the correct aerial so I have used an after market DAB "stick on window" aerial.
After completion I stuck the key in the ignition lock, MMI popped up and there was the DAB radio.
It worked.
Showed it off to SWMBO, and off I went to ASDA. Oh horror, the reception was awful. Kept cutting out and the other wavebands had stopped as well.
The current situation is:-

1. With the key in ignition but not switched on the DAB band works correctly, but the other three do not.
2. Turn the ignition on and DAB stops working. MMI show the stations but with a line through the icons.
3. Turn ignition off, still no DAB.
4. Select AMI, or CD player, they both work OK.
5. Then select Radio and the DAB is working.
6. At no time do FM, LW or MW work.
7. Sat Nav works correctly.
8. TV seems to work but where the car is parked TV reception is very poor.

Has anyone any experience with this kind of problem?
Pretty please

[mattylondon]

Hi Ray,

I went down a similar route and bought a cheap aerial. This is the actual one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290951505122

I mounted it under the plastic boot trim. (Sorry don't have photos of it installed)



It works ok. Not perfect as would the correct amp for digital radio. When in a poor area the DAB goes to 1 reception quality and then automatically switches to FM. This is unnoticeable when listening. However it's great 90% of the time. And for the little money it's ok until I do the correct amp job.

All I can suggest is to pull the aerial from the DAB unit and see if FW, LW etc are back to normal. If not I guess your new DAB aerial maybe inducing noise to the other existing aerials, as I'm guessing you installed it on the rear window?

[tc4332]

Thanks Matt.
I used a similiar aerial and did stick it on the back window.
Took me five hours to do the install, remember I am old and stiff now.
Routed the fakra cable along the other aerial cable routes, and while there I rerouted the reversing light connection for the after market reverse camera, and fed the TV out to the front seat backs in preperation for RSE.
I'll try your suggestion and unplug the aerial at the DAB.

[mattylondon]

Originally Posted by tc4332

Took me five hours to do the install, ...
Routed the fakra cable along the other aerial cable routes,

I guessed it would be a long time to route the cable. I wasn't up for that so decided to do the lazy route and mounted mine under that trim, at least my DAB cable is separate from all other aerial cables. That's the only difference between our installs.

[audifin]

Ray, do you have USB-chargers in the car? They can cause interference with DAB radios.

[mattylondon]

Originally Posted by audifin

Ray, do you have USB-chargers in the car? They can cause interference with DAB radios.

Ah yes. Good suggestion.

Also Ray, don't you have aftermarket Xenon headlights? These also cause interference.

[tc4332]

Wow!!!!!
I knew you chaps would have some pointers.
First the good news, I have the other wave bands back
I had a fiddle with the fakra connectors on the roof aerial thingy.
I was letting the other things distract me.
I do have chargers and HIds but none of them are plugged in or switched on at the moment.
I think the problem now is DAB aerial. I wonder if there is a stronger aerial out there?

I will have to see if mine switches automatically to FM. The little drive round the block just had the signal weakening to the point where the radio made a slight crackling and then DAB came back in

[snapdragon]

I have the DAB factory-fitted and the reception has been terrible today. Worst it has been in 5 years. Not sure if they are doing something with the DAB network, or it is atmospheric conditions? In any case, even when it is working it is not great and very susceptible to interference.

[IT]

I had factory dab in the Q7 and RS6, but I couldn't describe it as flawless.... Its unheard of to have a journey where it doesn't flip between FM and DAB a few times. TBH its touch and go whether its worth using some times....

There is a signal strength meter for DAB that can be enabled and it displays a single digit number in the bottom right of the MMI iirc. That might help you troubleshoot a bit more on the signal strength side of things....

[tc4332]

Thanks all.
Ian, I'll have a scout round see if I can find that.