In cab radio reception and antenna

[TN Ranger]

Radio in cab has no reception, just static. Also only have the GPS antenna on the window post, no Sirius radio antenna. My friend has same camper and he has 2 antennas mounted on post. One for GPS and one for Sirius. I'm thinking maybe whoever had the responsibility to run the missing Sirius radio antenna was also responsible for running the Regular radio antenna or hooking an antenna to the regular radio. I know the Sirius and the regular radio are different antennas, but I can't find either. Anyone have this problem? What did you do? Thanks

[houstonstroker]

What coach do you have? I know on mine there is a driver's side CB/AM/FM antenna. Behind the dash lives a combiner box made by RAMI. My AM/FM was fine however no go on the CB. I took apart the dash and head liner box to search for wires. I found that the wire to the CB was never connected. So you may need to dig in and see where the wires go.

[TN Ranger]

Thanks for the question and advice. I should have posted it is a MB Sprinter chassis with an Isata 3 body.

[bclemens]

The radio antenna is just in the A pillar of the Sprinter, we don't install anything other than what the OEM provides...might be a loose connection, but they don't get great reception.

As for the other Antenna's...GPS uses multiple satellites, so it can be mounted pretty much anywhere. XM is a southern sky satellite and so we mount that antenna on the roof. the easy way to tell is just change to channel 1 and you should have XM preview.

Do you have the Sony radio? If your friend has the antenna both on the pillar, it might have been before we were installing the XM tuner and antenna and it was added later.

[markb422]

If you have a after market head unit, most have a built in antenna amp. The wire that is labeled antenna needs to be connected to a 12 volt source. You will get very little reception if the wire is not connected. Not sure why the installers do not connect it.

[FFred]

" Not sure why the installers do not connect it."

Many wires marked ANT are to power up & down a retracting antenna.

Has anyone installed an external antenna on a Sony and had it work better?

[Kenny kustom]

Originally Posted by markb422

If you have a after market head unit, most have a built in antenna amp. The wire that is labeled antenna needs to be connected to a 12 volt source. You will get very little reception if the wire is not connected. Not sure why the installers do not connect it.

Nope. Ant is merely for making the antenna go up and down.

[markb422]

Originally Posted by Kenny kustom

Nope. Ant is merely for making the antenna go up and down.

That's what I thought when I pulled the head unit of my daughters car (Kenwood) my car JVC) and our MH (Jensen). There was a light blue wire labled ant.. I figured no need for it as there is no powered antenna. I looked at the instructions and it showed it connecting to a 12 volt source so I did and, tada, radio stations.

[Kenny kustom]

Would it happen to be a European car..?
Some Germans do indeed have amplified antennas.
Most others don’t.

Edit.

Your instructions showed it to go straight to 12v? The antenna wire is an output. Not input.