Aftermarket radio + VX antenna?

[paultvx]

I noticed our VX antennas are identical to the one my VW GTI had. The VW Fuba antenna was amplified and the factory radio sent power to the antenna. When installing aftermarket radios a DIN-12 adpater was required to provide the antenna with a power lead.

Is that necessary with the VX antenna?

I checked behind the dash the other day and noticed a blue wire running along side the antenna cable. This blue wire ends at a small plug which is plugged to an orange wire running to the factory radio harness. Does this wire feed power to the antenna?

Thanks.

[Triathlete]

When I replaced my head unit with a Pioneer I didn't and it works just fine!

[PitViper]

Anyone have any further input on this? I just swapped out my stock radio w/an Alpine head unit and the AM reception is almost non existent. I used a Crutchfield harness, but am now thinking that the extra wire that was jumped into the factory harness at the connector might have been power for the antenna which the aftermarket harness doesn’t account for. Toughts??

[etlsport]

i dont have any trouble with reception and i didnt even use the factory harness for my wiring, i ran a new power, new ground etc, only wire i used from the factory unit was to dim the faceplate when the headlights are on

[Spike]

Anyone have any further input on this? I just swapped out my stock radio w/an Alpine head unit and the AM reception is almost non existent. I used a Crutchfield harness, but am now thinking that the extra wire that was jumped into the factory harness at the connector might have been power for the antenna which the aftermarket harness doesn’t account for. Toughts??

AM 'should' use a ferrite dipole loop antenna inside the radio itself. I dont think the roof antenna affects AM at all... But I could be wrong.

[PitViper]

AM 'should' use a ferrite dipole loop antenna inside the radio itself. I dont think the roof antenna affects AM at all... But I could be wrong.

Not sure of the specifics, but with the 12v antenna wire connected I now get AM clear as a whistle.

[MustangO4]

I have the same problem with AM. Did you connect it to anywhere in particular or just splice it to the radio input power?

[Spike]

Not sure of the specifics, but with the 12v antenna wire connected I now get AM clear as a whistle.

My AM whistles when i am near high tension lines :P

[etlsport]

Not sure of the specifics, but with the 12v antenna wire connected I now get AM clear as a whistle.

huh! guess that shows how much i listen to the radio in my VX.. long live the mp3 DVD!

[kpaske]

I noticed our VX antennas are identical to the one my VW GTI had. The VW Fuba antenna was amplified and the factory radio sent power to the antenna. When installing aftermarket radios a DIN-12 adpater was required to provide the antenna with a power lead.

Is that necessary with the VX antenna?

I checked behind the dash the other day and noticed a blue wire running along side the antenna cable. This blue wire ends at a small plug which is plugged to an orange wire running to the factory radio harness. Does this wire feed power to the antenna?

Thanks.

When I installed my aftermarket headunit, I used a generic wiring harness/pigtail purchased at a car audio shop. I don't recall any additional power needed for the antenna.

But I'm a little unsure about why you would send power to an antenna anyway. If you need to amplify the signal, you could do that in the radio. Remember, that antenna isn't sending anything OUT, it's only recieving signals. VW's are weird - maybe they wired something else to it also, like a HomeLink connection?

[CrnCnn]

Unfortunately, I don’t even have an antenna. When I bought mine there was nothing but the stand. I get fairly good reception in town but when I head home, which is kinda up in the mountains, it gets crappy. So if anyone knows of any good replacement options I’ll be open to those

[Zorak]

Fuba antenna, same as used on late model VW's.

Plentiful and cheap on ebay and probably elsewhere.

[PitViper]

Fuba antenna, same as used on late model VW's.

Plentiful and cheap on ebay and probably elsewhere.

Hmmmm, those Fuba antenna's look powered. That might have actually answered my question...

[CrnCnn]

Fuba antenna, same as used on late model VW's.

Plentiful and cheap on ebay and probably elsewhere.

So if I get that sucker it will screw right in?

[Y33TREKker]

Unfortunately, I don’t even have an antenna. When I bought mine there was nothing but the stand. I get fairly good reception in town but when I head home, which is kinda up in the mountains, it gets crappy. So if anyone knows of any good replacement options I’ll be open to those

http://www.antennax.com/

Click on "Volkswagen" and then click on "page 2" then select "GTI".

Cheap replacements with quick shipping. It's where I got my last one.