*** Radio / TMC Issue FIXED ***

[RichB]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

Last week I realised it doesn't seem to store pretuned frequencies on FM so much as store the fact that it is set for (for instance) R4 and the last good frequency it found it on.

I had a gripe about this issue in a previous reception issue thread. On every other stereo I had, it stores a particular frequency. The station may re-tune to stronger frequencies during a drive when AF is set but it should not update the frequency stored in the preset.

I do a lot of driving where the radio stations retune, I regularly find that the frequency needed in my area that I had saved as a preset has been changed and I need to retune it. Pain in the bum.

I've also noticed a couple of times when the station retunes, it locks into a frequency 0.1 KHz (or whatever range it's measured in) which is very crackly. It will then not retune to the right frequency no matter how long I leave it and I then need to manually tune it the last 0.1. Another pain in the bum.

The tuning of the 'gain' setting doesn't seem to have helped my reception much. I just seem to have it retuning more frequently than before with no perceptable improvement in reception

Rich

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by RichB

I had a gripe about this issue in a previous reception issue thread. On every other stereo I had, it stores a particular frequency. The station may re-tune to stronger frequencies during a drive when AF is set but it should not update the frequency stored in the preset.

I do a lot of driving where the radio stations retune, I regularly find that the frequency needed in my area that I had saved as a preset has been changed and I need to retune it. Pain in the bum.

I've also noticed a couple of times when the station retunes, it locks into a frequency 0.1 KHz (or whatever range it's measured in) which is very crackly. It will then not retune to the right frequency no matter how long I leave it and I then need to manually tune it the last 0.1. Another pain in the bum.

The tuning of the 'gain' setting doesn't seem to have helped my reception much. I just seem to have it retuning more frequently than before with no perceptable improvement in reception

Rich

Absolutely no complaints from me, it seems to tune spot on to the advertised frequencies.

The way the tuning alternative frequencies seems to work, is that is seeks an altenative, if the signal level drops below a set point. It then stores the new frequency until it finds a need to retune again due to weak signal. My only gripe, is that it goes through a period of flutter before it switches. My Ford radio would usually swap its frequencies seamlessly, unless it was in a very poor signal area.

I can see there might be a problem with its channel switching, when you listen regualarly to the very local stations, rather than the national ones.

[RichB]

Harry, what I've found is if I start a journey with R1 tuned in, drive a few miles and then switch to mp3, by the time I get back to the my home area, my preset is tuned into noise and it will not retune to R1. I have to do it manually EVERY time.

I'm used to a preset that locks in the frequency you ask for. If this unit did that, I wouldn't have the problem.

I think my issue is compounded by the fact that the area of Berkshire I'm in seems to be right on the edge of a number of tranmistters as I get general poor reception and R1 will tune into 3 or 4 different frequencies within a 4 or 5 mile local drive. And none of them are strong enough to lock onto if I try and let let it autotune into them.

Still not sure if this is a problem with my unit, my installation or my general poor reception area. It would be good if someone local could drop by and give me something to compare to.

Cheers,
Rich

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by RichB

Harry, what I've found is if I start a journey with R1 tuned in, drive a few miles and then switch to mp3, by the time I get back to the my home area, my preset is tuned into noise and it will not retune to R1. I have to do it manually EVERY time.+
Rich

Sorry, I completely misinterpreted what you had said

I would assume the preset would always store the RDS station data ID and from that be able to tune to the strongest signal to match the RDS ID that it could find. It sounds as if your is completely failing to do that.

Mine only seems to fail where there is genuingly no reception to be found.

[Prometheus]

Hi all,

Well the saga contiues the update. I wanted TMC and i got it so i'd figured i better get it to work since it's on there.

So after trying splitter that gave tmc signal and radio signal my quality of signal dropped a bit but it was scanning tmc channels but never locking on. (green bar TMC present about 3 quarters full) Never had 1 tmc reported on my unit.

So i guessed well i better order the 22 db booster. So bought that got that in hooked it up now comes the great part. Radio reception notacibly Worse almost half what it was. TMC reception only 1 channel it finds and that's the most powerfull station. Even on splitter it detected more stations with tmc present.

What the heck am i doing wrong i'm at the point of having a ritual burning of a NAV unit.







Measured the whole thing though everything is getting 12 volts. Got Earths hooked up all looking fine and dandy only signal is for pants.

Regards Marijn

[MARKUK]

Hiya Marijn

I wouldn't have recomended splicing into the iput wire from your rear screen into the OEM Amp, as you have now degraded the clean input signal and that will have mucked up your radio signal too..

The best way is pushing the inner core of the aerial cable into the amp as shown in the instructions and video..

You may have to replace the wire you have sliced and re solder onto the screen or you could try connecting the two ends back together and see if that improves it, then install the inner core on the aerial lead as suggested...

Also, worth checking to see if the wires on the rear screen are loose, as when I installed Ged's for him, I had to re solder it due to it having been under tension for some time and had a dry / loose connection...

[RichB]

Splicing into the wire or shoving a bare core into the connector should make absolutley no difference. Both should give the same electrical connection.

I couldn't see in the photo of the loom wiring, but is the purple/yellow wire to the rear OEM amp getting power? Mine was not getting power with the new unit (just a flying lead on the other end of the double din loom) and needed a switched 12V feed connecting to it.

Rich

[HarryM1BYT]

I suffered some deterioration of the radio reception too, by hooking onto the wire before the Rover amp (as per Mark's suggested method)....

I resolved it by installing a completely separate antenna just for the TMC. Instead of connecting the inner of the coax onto the existing antenna, just connect it to a length of single wire around 6 to 8 feet long, then tuck that up around the edges of the roof lining. Mine ran from the rear, along the passenger side, then along the front edge.

I don't think the TMC reception is nearly so critical as the radio reception - if it can grab the TMC data every so often, it then stores it for use. I know my TMC is working fine, when check it out it shows 100% signal and solidly locked on. When I have checked via the satnav's own TMC button it shows it constantly scanning for better reception, yet with a stack of received holdups on the road.

[Prometheus]

Maybe it's my Headunit.

When i have the TMC antenna hooked up my signal goes to pants.

When i disconnect the cable on the antenna end signal stays crappy.

When i disconnect the TMC cable from the Headunit. My radio signal improves to acceptable levels.

Now Totally lost.

With everything hooked up as it should be for the TMC kit the whole radio is bad. i only had TMC data once in a 60 mile trip for like 1 or 2 seconds. Radio signal is so bad if i do an automatic scan of all the channels on the FM band it's like 3 stations that it can lock on to.

If i disconnect the whole tmc antenna from the HU i can get about 30 to 40 FM stations and signal clarity is pretty good.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by RichB

Splicing into the wire or shoving a bare core into the connector should make absolutley no difference. Both should give the same electrical connection.

I couldn't see in the photo of the loom wiring, but is the purple/yellow wire to the rear OEM amp getting power? Mine was not getting power with the new unit (just a flying lead on the other end of the double din loom) and needed a switched 12V feed connecting to it.

Rich

It's hooked up and tested with multimeter.