[Dopeyngrumpy]

Hi all,

I've terrible reception on the cab radio on the Mercedes chassis - I'm told this is not uncommon due to where the aerial is. Is this true? and if so what have you done about it ? I cannot believe everyone "just puts up with it" as I was advised.

Regards

David

 

[carolgavin]

Funnily enough we have just noticed this same problem with our van (fiat ducato) and was just going to ask how to fix it. Our dealer muttered something about a something that would fit somewhere in the engine :? :? :? needless to say that particular piece of advice was definately worth the phone call and helped enormously NOT

 

[peedee]

Mine works fine. Not sure where the aerial is. Dosn't the motorhome manufacturer put these in not Mercedes, if so they could all be different. I am hoping to be able to do some work on mine today so I will make a point of checking further but I have no obvious radio aerial so it may be wired in to the Status TV aerial which also has a radio aerial outlet. You could check to see if you have that option.

peedee

 

[Malc]

Hi,
It is often found that poor reception is caused by poor antennas. The builders receive a cab with an antenna on the roof prior to the build, they tend to just remove the `rubber duck` and split the co-ax to form as it were, a 1/2 wave antenna. They then `bury this in the body work. This in itself would be a useful practise if the antenna was anywhere near the correct length to be resonent at the frange of requencies you require, usually its not!
The solution is to locate a metal or `rubber duck` antenna on a metal part of the cab to ensure a decent `ground` and connect the anenna to the radio in the appropriate socket ignoring and removing the origional bodge up! BTW try to avoid ,as much as possible to route the cable (co-ax) via the engine bay, this can avoid electrical pulses being picked up.

Malc

 

[Bazbro]

I have exactly the same problem with my Transit.

Apparently, the coax from the radio to the wing aerial is damaged and not passing sufficient signal (the earth at the aerial was checked and is fine).

A new fly lead was ordered, and when I went to have it fitted, they wanted me to leave the vehicle for TWO DAYS, because "the dash has to come out!!!

When the vehicles are made, the aerial lead is taped in with the wiring loom and fitted at an early stage in the construction, buried deep behind the dash, (which isn't fitted 'til later). This is what they are going to reproduce... remove the dash, somehow separate the old fly lead from the rest of the wiring loom, put in the new fly lead and replace the dash!

I obviously declined their kind offer of a two day job pulling out the dash, and am now trying to get the lead supplied to me so that I can just run it under the dash myself - a five minute job.

Goodness only knows what the garage would charge Ford for this warranty work.

 

[Grizzly]

July 2005 ( current edition) of Practical Motorhome has some fairly basic tips for improving radio reception on page 118 . Also tells you how to fix the 20 minute switch off problem.

G

 

[Wiggy]

Hi everyone

My Merc sprinter based motorhome also had a problem with radio reception on delivery about 18 months ago, as its an overhead coachbuilt the aeriel was sited on the lefthand wing.

Reception was pretty poor especially on anything other than a local FM station, on its first service to fix the usual few snags the short mast was replaced with a much longer one (approx 1 metre), this seems to have done the job dramatically improving reception.

Hope this info is of help and your cures are as simple as mine - Halfords sell aerial mast replacements for only a few pounds.

Regards

Ralph

 

[gdwales]

Poor radio reception

Had same problem on Fiat Ducato, as there were other problems with radio even put new one in,but made no difference. Decided to change arial (rubber duck) for new one,only slightly longer, after doing so found that there was virtually no difference. After further checking found a very poor earth connection at clamp behind front wing. Cleaned up area and got reasonable earth, this has considerably improved things, not perfect but a lot better. The old connection was only bolted onto the painted surface under wing..
Hope this helps Peter[

 

[peedee]

I am hoping to be able to do some work on mine today so I will make a point of checking further but I have no obvious radio aerial so it may be wired in to the Status TV aerial which also has a radio aerial outlet. You could check to see if you have that option.

peedee

Dunno where the aerial on mine is, definitely not driven from the status aerial.
Like Malc says, it is probably buried in the bodywork somewhere. It works so I won't go pulling things appart to find out.

peedee

 

[Dopeyngrumpy]

My aerial is also on the nearside indicator - under the luton, so I guess I'll try the longer mast first and see where that leads me. I'm intrigued by the idea of using the status as it just sits there but looks a longer wiring job so we shall see.

Thanks for the suggestions - I'll keep you posted.


David

 

[Bazbro]

Don't forget the lead from the aerial to the radio - in my case, it's this that's defective. I presume it's been folded at some point and damaged.

As you've already said, the earth on the aerial itself is vital, too.

 

[97668]

Hi I had a rection problem when I bought my 22 year old van - Merc 207d chassis/cab. However this was due to the aerial being one of those silly little rubber efforts and the radio being the original.
I replaced the radio with a new Sony cd/radio and the aerial with a £7 jobbie from Halfords. It works excellently.

The aerial is mounted in the good old fasioned way - straight onto the drivers side wing with the fly lead running from there to the unit in the dash..

It would seem that manufacturers today have not heard of the old phrase - if it aint broke don't fix it.

 

[teemyob]

Radio An Merc Cab

Me too,

Was considering fitting a side fit antenna to the luton, protruding out about the same height as the Weekender TV Aerial. Seen one in Halfords for £11 but unhappy about drilling into side of luton and putting a 5 Meter extension on the coax.

I have also thought about a diversity split type thing by adding an extra antenna in an easy to fit area and teeing into the existing wing mount?

Will keep an eye on the post here see who comes up with anything better.

Trev