jeeper31

Just installed new stereo and the FM reception is awful. Antenna is attached. I can't even get one of the local stations. Anybody experience this and have any ideas what to do? Can this be improved. IS there an FM booster or something? Even stations I get sound really thin.

Cyrus951

Ok, this is a common problem. For future reference guys, the "search" option is your best friend.

On the Antenna wire there is a thin black lead coming out of it.
You must splice that thin black wire coming out of the antenna wire to a 12v switched source (on my car it's a white/green wire).
This is the power for the Fuba Radio Booster.
Good luck.

jeeper31

Have an '84 944. My antenna is on the front fender. do I still have this black wire. Judging from the search I don't.

Cyrus951

Here, I got this from some 944 Document I found on my computer.

My AM radio reception is terrible, but FM seems to work fine, what’s up? Poor AM radio reception is typically caused by the pre-amp not
receiving power. Apparently the pre-amp is not required for good FM
reception if they have fairly strong signals. The power to the pre-
amp is sent through a black wire in the same sleeve as the power
antenna. +12 volts should be applied to this wire whenever the radio
is on. Most radios have a “Power Antenna” wire that should work for
this function. Directly connecting +12V would be a bad idea since it would eventually drain your battery.

Here's a wiring diagram from an 83:

Dave

While were at it, I knew about this wire when I installed my new HU a month or so ago, and I was still confused. For over 20 years, FM sensitivity has been one of the first specs I look at when I pick out a new HU. This time was no different, my Blaupunkt Hamburg is rated @ 7.8dBf, when I started out 14dBf was the best available (and 944s were not yet available) so I figured that even with the crappy reception that 944s are known for I'd be set. I found the black wire behind the old Sony that I pulled out, but it was neither hanging or hooked up to the old stereo, it was plugged it to another connecter from the cars wiring harness, this connector had 2 wires coming from it, a red and a red/???? (I don't remember). Nearby there was another connector that was loose, this had just one wire but it seemed to be one of the wires that was hooked to this connector (same color and continuity).
Is this normal? I don't remember what I ended up doing with the red wires, weather I left them attached and powered everything or took them off and just powered the black wire, but the black wire is hooked up to the power antenna lead and the FM still sucks!

Dave

Cyrus, thanks for adding that (while I typed), but I need either a new monitor or better eyesight. I can't make out any of the color codes

Cyrus951

Sorry about that.

Dave

Much betterer!!! Thanx, saved me a trip upstairs for my glasses!

jeeper31

I don't have a power antenna either. Is this wire still there? didn't see it when I put head unit in.

joseywhales

I installed a Kenwood "Sirius" satellite head unit in mine and it works great! No commercials. $200. for radio and $95. for the year I have 3 units, great reception and no more buying CD's. Just a suggestion. Good luck!

SoCal Driver

Electrical is for the later 944's with the antenna in the windshield. That is the wiring to the amplifier.

If you have an old fender mounted power antenna there is a good chance that the spring contact between the antenna wire and the mast has worn out and/or there is a lot of corrosion in the unit. Of could have the wire pulled lose.

I replaced mine with an after market and it made a tremendous difference.

jeeper31

Mine is an aftermarket stub from the previous owner. Seems to be about a foot high and made our of rubber. Not even a power antenna. Thinking about just putting a black mast antenna on. How tough would it be to install a power antenna?

SoCal Driver

This is in the fender? Even if it's not it more than likely had to be amplified. Should be a wire that comes from the antenna possibly moulded as part of the antenna lead. This has to go the power antenna lead. If there is no amplifier as part of the antenna you may have to add one.

I have a FUBA antenna I was going to mount on my roof when I changed the front fender group to a later model. No fender antenna.

A note on the radio electrical. This is the same wire codes for most 944's. The early ones don't have the amplified antenna.

jeeper31

Yes front driver's fender.

Phil Harrison

Hey Dan, is that you? It's Phil (aka Previous owner!). There is no reason the existing aerial isn't working, are you sure it's pluged into the radio or that someone didn't cut the cable by accident? It used to work fine with the Sony...

Early cars 83-85.5 all had external aerials that were fender mounted, not the windshield type that had the infamous power lead to the amplifier.