Testing antenna via VCDS?

HertS3

HertS3

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Hey all,
Having just been away, it reminded me that my radio signal doesn't quite seem right. OK I was out in the sticks a little (Somerset/Devon) but I didn't even seem to pick up stations like Radio 1 which should have pretty widespread distribution. Also when I'm driving around my local area the radio will sometimes cut out for a couple of seconds and then come back, I don't recall this happening on my previous S3.

So my question is whether it's possible to run an extended antenna/radio test on VCDS to check that everything's OK? I've checked for codes and have nothing.

Updated my MMI to the latest available software for my car (B8.5 MMI 3G high/tech pack) and did a custom install and specifically selected the radio modules so hopefully that's not the cause of the issue (updated very shortly after getting the car so can't confirm if the issue was there before the updates unfortunately)
 
I think if you use the Green Engineering menu there is a bit that gives you signal strengths for different radio channels. I used it a few years back when my DAB went crappy.
 
Stonefish said:
I think if you use the Green Engineering menu there is a bit that gives you signal strengths for different radio channels. I used it a few years back when my DAB went crappy.
Click to expand...
Thanks, will have a tinker
 
Halfords used to sell a cheap DAB aerial, I used one of them to find out if my used DAB Concert radio worked okay when I swopped it from a non DAB Concert radio, I did not even need to connect it to the car's 12V supply, that would give you a quick indication if it was your car's inbuilt DAB aerial amp that was the problem. I tend to live in a "poor" area for some DAB signals, especially local or regional stations - it seems in UK we are treated like a communist state when it comes to DAB radio signals, ie the major London bases radio station signals get pumped out at high levels and regional and local stations suffer.
 
I'm wondering whether the roof bars and bike carriers (one being directly above the antenna) would have any bearing on the signal received. I'll be able to test this today as I've removed them and going on a long drive, see if it's any better.
 
I think it's the stations, put on BBC Radio 2/6 and all down M25 / M4 it was fine
 
As to DAB antenna, I think it’s actually in the rear quarterlight windows in an Avant. The roof aerial is for the phone I believe.
 
Stonefish said:
Have you tried a re-tune?
Click to expand...
I didn't but I assume the car did it itself as lots of stations disappeared when I was further out in the sticks, towards Devon. Just been around Somerset / Wiltshire and it was fine with Radio 2, I think stations like Magic Musicals struggle further out
 
I don't think they are clever enough to re-tune. Also there is an option that the radio will switch to FM if the DAB signal is not very good. In the case of BBC Radio 2 etc this switch is quite seamless.
 
Stonefish said:
I don't think they are clever enough to re-tune. Also there is an option that the radio will switch to FM if the DAB signal is not very good. In the case of BBC Radio 2 etc this switch is quite seamless.
Click to expand...
Yes, I have that option selected
 
You can check the status of the TV antenna amplifiers with VCDS using the extended tests. As the TV antenna amplifiers (well 2 of them) are also radio antennas it makes sense that you can do similar tests via 56 radio. Can’t check right now but will have a look in the coming week.
 
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