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Thread: Very poor radio reception after sound system install.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Milford MA/UMass Lowell
    Posts
    4,234
    My Cars
    1999 M3, 2002 530i Sport

    Very poor radio reception after sound system install.

    Hey guys.

    I finally got to installing the system in my car(New HU, amp, components, subs, crossovers).

    Everything works and sounds excellent. However, I now have almost no radio reception( AM and FM)

    Does the stock amp have some kind of reception amplification built in? Thats the only thing I can think of.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    West London/Heathrow - UK
    Posts
    7,203
    My Cars
    03 530dT - Ex Police Car
    Hi,

    Most likely yes, there'll be an FM/AM amplifier to boost signals as BMW do like to use the screen mounted wire type antenna's. I'm having the same issue on my E39 touring. For me though, a simple solution will be to get a small stubby external mount antenna, that will cover FM/AM/GPS/Digital TV reception and the UK's (Europe too) DAB+ standard so I get an all in one unit. One's I've seen are from high end manufacturers and include an amplifier. If you are wanting to keep the smooth lines and no antenna look, then perhaps either find the current oem amplifier and get a switched 12V supply to it or get an aftermarket amplifier and wire that in to bypass the oem one

    Cheers, Dennis!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    260
    My Cars
    2000 528iT sport 11/99
    Quote Originally Posted by mikemxbike4 View Post
    Hey guys.

    I finally got to installing the system in my car(New HU, amp, components, subs, crossovers).

    Everything works and sounds excellent. However, I now have almost no radio reception( AM and FM)

    Does the stock amp have some kind of reception amplification built in? Thats the only thing I can think of.

    Thanks.
    Did your old radio have 2 antenna connectors? the normal one and a little brass one? If they switched in the 3 series like they did in the 5, you might be able to fix the problem by switching to the newer antenna. Just guessing. Even without power to the antenna, if you live near a city or somewhere else with good strong signals, you should be able to pick them up.

    You might have a bad connection at the antenna adapter for your new HU, the bmw connectors are notorious for not seating and connecting correctly.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Milford MA/UMass Lowell
    Posts
    4,234
    My Cars
    1999 M3, 2002 530i Sport
    I still have my stock amp laying around. Tried hooking it up again and made no difference.

    The old radio( ALPINE) had the same fat connector as the new one so I don't see what else could be going on.

    I'll try to move the connector around and see if it's has a bad contact or something.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Carless, careless.
    Posts
    3,368
    There's a powered antenna amplifier behind the (IIRC) driver's C-pillar cover. This gets turned on by the stock HU/amp and I believe it needs a separate turn-on signal. (2) here or (5) here depending whether you have the diversity antenna (usually for cars with prewired phones, I think.)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Sandy OR
    Posts
    1,033
    My Cars
    '97 M3 sdn, '00 528 sprt
    97 M3 lux, aftermarket head unit, weak to little AM/FM reception. Antenna booster/amp in the drivers C-pillar, white wire, is being powered by head unit, verified 12v at the antenna amp in C-pillar, reception still sucks. Any other ideas?

    '97 Sedan, Cosmos Meconium, Click ME for the build thread.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Milford MA/UMass Lowell
    Posts
    4,234
    My Cars
    1999 M3, 2002 530i Sport
    Quote Originally Posted by BRAAP View Post
    97 M3 lux, aftermarket head unit, weak to little AM/FM reception. Antenna booster/amp in the drivers C-pillar, white wire, is being powered by head unit, verified 12v at the antenna amp in C-pillar, reception still sucks. Any other ideas?
    Well, I have discovered a blue wire that is supposed to be getting 12v from HU. I have had great reception ever since I hooked it up. Make sure that is hooked up to the head unit into power antenna terminal

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Sandy OR
    Posts
    1,033
    My Cars
    '97 M3 sdn, '00 528 sprt
    When I verified my antenna amplifier was powered with 12v, I also verified that 12v was coming from the HU.


    Did some probing and found the cheesy Chinese antenna adapter wire between the HU and car antenna wire was at fault. Fixed that and radio reception is now normal.

    '97 Sedan, Cosmos Meconium, Click ME for the build thread.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Milford MA/UMass Lowell
    Posts
    4,234
    My Cars
    1999 M3, 2002 530i Sport
    Quote Originally Posted by BRAAP View Post
    When I verified my antenna amplifier was powered with 12v, I also verified that 12v was coming from the HU.


    Did some probing and found the cheesy Chinese antenna adapter wire between the HU and car antenna wire was at fault. Fixed that and radio reception is now normal.
    Good job

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Salem, Oregon
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    1994 BMW 318i
    Hello Just have seen this thread and have seen this works for aftermarket head units but is there a fix for the original radio? It appears I have the same issue but dont know how to get it fixed without having the power antenna cable in the OEM HU.

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