Radio reception poor ?

[RST]

I wonder if any one can help, I have a 2009 a3 with a pioneer Avic head unit, it is installed properly with the amplified aerial adapter at the back of the head unit.

My problem is that when I had the concert 2 head unit I had a reasonable FM signal and poor AM signal (every car I have ever had has poor AM where we are any way). Occasionally the FM would crackle.

However over the last 5 weeks since switching the head unit I have noticed that the FM signal with the pioneer is poorer, more frequent crackles and distortion to the reception.

Is there anything else I can do to improve the signal strength ? I have checked the amplified adapter at the back of the head unit it is correctly fitted.

Is it that the aerial setup in the A3 is borderline as standard ? (I noticed that with the oem radio the reception would worsen if the heated rear window or rear wiper were operated).

Thanks for any help.

There must be a fix !

 

[Charlie Ford]

the radio signal for any aftermarket radio will never be as good as an OEM one as the radios are Wavelength matched to the car (not specific car but the setup of all A3's) There are extra adaptor kits out there that offer to boost the radio signal by wavelength tuning or smoothing but as with anything that claims to do this its a try it and see (could end up wasting a tiny amount of money)

 

[mike foster]

The aerial is part of the heated rear screen element and if this is faulty you will get the symptom that you mention that reception is worse when the heated screen is switched on. I don't think the amplifier has anything to do with it !

I'm afraid the only proper cure is a new rear screen.

There are other threads on the same subject.

 

[paddy]

I think its just luck how the radio was factory set. I had a Symphony II std fit in my 3.2 and it was simply superb, i uprated to an rnse and it was crap. I now have a std fit rnse in a new S3 and its pretty bad TBH, most presenters have a hissy lisp ... Strange thing is i can see the transmitter on top of the hill about 5 miles away from my garden and i can barely get DAB or Digital TV. BBC broadcasting house is only 30 miles away...lol That said the Symphony was the best radio i ever had. In the old days radios had an aerial fine tuner screw...

 

[RST]

I have just ordered an in line powered booster of eBay. Who knows it may help, I hope so, if not will have to look at an alternative as it seems from various comments and searches the screen aerial is a compromise.

May have to look at something discrete like a shark fin or a stick on aerial.

 

[paddy]

My symphony was running on a screen aerial. I dont think that is your problem.

 

[mike foster]

I have just ordered an in line powered booster of eBay. Who knows it may help, I hope so, if not will have to look at an alternative as it seems from various comments and searches the screen aerial is a compromise.

May have to look at something discrete like a shark fin or a stick on aerial.

Please bear in mind that the booster will only increase the strength of the actual signal received. If the signal is poor and has background noise then the booster will also increase the noise.

Perhaps you may be better with a different aerial system.

 

[Geoff_UK]

I've just got a TDi Sportback and I think the radio reception is v poor compared to my Focus.

Car is bog standard except Bluetooth, with a Concert Head Unit. Local commercial channels are ok, but the BBC channels are terrible with a constant static crackle in the background.

Not Happy based on the fact that I spend a long time in the car for work

 

[RST]

Think I may have to go for a different aerial system.... Any suggestions ?

Hi Geoff, I spend a lot of time travelling too and the radio is important company, nothing worse than a hissing presenter or a crackling tune !

 

[Geoff_UK]

RST - as mines a lease car, if I can demonstrate that it's a fault, I'll take it back to Audi and insist that they do something with it.

I don't mind listening to commercial stations, but as an grumpy old git, I like Radio 2 - LOL

 

[NHN]

Go to halfords, buy a bog standard antenna plug into back of the Pioneer, see if this helps, then you know what you need to improve it, as the antenna system in the A3 is diversity & has its own design for specific Audi radio's, although diversity is used in other brand cars aswell.

 

[Nimbus265]

Go to halfords, buy a bog standard antenna plug into back of the Pioneer, see if this helps, then you know what you need to improve it, as the antenna system in the A3 is diversity & has its own design for specific Audi radio's, although diversity is used in other brand cars aswell.

any idea what i need to do to test antenna signal strength with VCDS?