TonyV Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 We recently purchased new Autocruise Stardream 2006, and find like all other users of the base vehicle that the radio is poor. (note - I resisted the word beginning with cr as this is my first visit to the forum). This must be an old chestnut as I see that geordie posted a similar comment regarding aerial fitting on the 20/02/07. I do not have the time however to trawl thro' 91 pages of the forum to find other comments. Is the problem the aerial location which a dealer tells me is in the wheelarch or the radio itself, or a combination of both. Has anybody out there solved the problem or has this been covered on a previous thread. If so can you detail how the problem was solved or the thread date as I am fed up with the radio beeping to tell me its searching for a stronger signal. TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Its a combination of both, the standard supplied radio is a base level unit but the aerial is frequently the major cause of poor reception. Some converters leave the original Fiat aerial on the cab roof and fit their luton pod over it, some replace it with a "rubber duck" type cheapy aerial on the wing and some have even been known to plug a couple of feet of TV coax in and hide it behind the dash! (Oh yes they do, I've replaced several examples of this with proper aerials)! I've always found the best aerial performance to come from a wing mounted telescopic aerial which can be bought for £5 - £10. d. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassavantgarde Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Hi, I had the same problem with my Peugot.I resolved it with a telescopic aeriel fitted to the same point as the original short aerieland clipped to the overcab front.Worked a treat so now I can listen to all staions.Except when I pull over because the radio switches off after 20 mins.Still I can live with that.Regards Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance kid Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 I found the Fiat radio to be useless. Tried it in my car with a good telescopic aerial and it was constantly searching for a signal. The only station I could get was Radio Saga. Was it trying to tell me somrthing?!!!. It still switched off after 20 minutes and changing the setting to 0 on the menu made no difference. I have fitted a Sony radio with cd player and USB port, about £80.00. Works fine with the Fiat aerial and I can store up to 250 songs on a 1meg memory stick. Saves carrying a load of CD's. Brilliant. My advice. Bin it. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyV Posted March 1, 2007 Author Share Posted March 1, 2007 Many thanks for your responses. Looks like a two stage operation to improve radio reception. I will have to bite the bullet and drill a hole in the wing of the cab to accomodate a longish aerial. If little or no improvement look to replace factory fitted radio with a higher quality piece of kit. Any further hints, or recommendations to carry out the work/radio supplier would be appreciated. TonyV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 With car radio's being the cheapest they have EVER been relatively,there is no excuse for Fiat/Sevel to be putting such rubbish into their 'bright shiny new' chassis cabs(destined for at least £30,000 motorhomes). An excellent 50w per channel Sony is available for less than a £100 ! And Fiat please ditch the 20 min nonsense, we are all grown-ups. Less 'Nanny knows best' !! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 When I first viewed my new MH based on a Fiat (2006) it didn't have a radio. My dealer fitted a Pioneer radio/CD along with the awning, TV and TV aerial and matching cab seat covers as part of the package. Perhaps UK bound models are different? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 The aerial on my 2005 Starspirit is in the cab roof - under the luton and is useless. If you remove the black plastic trim below the windscreen on the nearside (outside) there is just about enough space for slim fingers and a small spanner to get in and a judiciously placed freshly drilled hole near the top of the wing will take the aerial. Don't forget to paint the raw edges of the hole to prevent rust forming and to remove the paint from under the wing to get a decent earth. Prior to fitting the aerial the smearing of Vaseline on the newly bared metal will help preserve it from rust. There is already a hole through the inner wing through which the lead can meander (via a grommet to stop wear)(or a dollop of silicone sealer) and with a bit of poke and hope a way can be found through the bulkhead via an existing grommet and along behind the dash to the radio. Taking the clipboard out improves internal access and the use of a bent old coathanger increases the rigidity of the aerial cable enough to wiggle it through and into sight. I found that the 12" aerial was better than the old internal aerial but still very directional so I replaced the top screw on section with an old CB aerial about 3'6" long and it now works well all the time. Hope this helps. There is also a simple solution to the twenty minute radio syndrome too if you need it although replacing the radio with a better one will also cure this as the problem lies within the radio design not the wiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassavantgarde Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Hi, Whats the answer to the 20 minute cut off?Other wise the radio is fine for me. Regards Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 compassavantgarde - 2007-03-02 8:42 PM Hi, Whats the answer to the 20 minute cut off?Other wise the radio is fine for me. Regards Kevin do a search for "Fiat radio" for more info, or come and see me and I'll fix it for ya. D. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyV Posted March 3, 2007 Author Share Posted March 3, 2007 Thanks everybody for all your useful input. Will get on with the job within the next couple of weeks. (can't be seen by 'management' to be working on MH when there are jobs indoors). Will report back on results. Watch this space! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 So, to go slightly off thread, is there a fix for a Transit radio so we don't have to have the key in the ignition all the time? :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 Hi Mel, not sure about the latest range of Trannies but certainly the previous generation (up to 2006) can be fixed. It should play for one hour without the keys in the ignition though. d. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 Almost all vehicle Radio's are now fitted using 'standard Din' plugs and sockets. Now that radio's are electronic and require a live feed (constant) to keep those station settings that you programmed in so carefully. This is as well as the 'Main' feed that is taken(usually) from the 'Accesories' side of your ignition switch. Hence the need for the key. Take a wire from the 'constant' and bridge it to the 'main' then cut and insulate the 'main'. now the radio will work all the time,without the key. You will need the standard 'din' socket positions,(get them off the 'net') I am assuming (never assume,it makes an ASS out of U and ME) you know how to do basic 12v wiring ? if not . Get Dave to do It. Also dont leave the radio on so long that you flatten your vehicle battery. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 Just done a search on ' Fiat Radios' (as Dave suggested earlier) loads of info there, including ISO/DIN Radio Connections. This Fiat 20min switch off must be working from a timer relay somwhere...... oh for the days of a wiring diagram included with every vehicle handbook, but i suppose a lot of this stuff all ends up in the ECU these days? end of story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 The 20 minute timer is in the radio and can be reduced via the menu but not extended. The permanent live is not just there to maintain memory (many radios now use non volatile memory anyway) but to power the set. The iginition switched does not supply the operating power but is used as a signal to tell the radio to switch on or off with the igintion. The mod described above will work but better still is to fit a switch in the bridging wire and mount it remotely in the hab area, you also need to fit a diode in the original ignition feed wire and you can then have the radio switch on and of automatically with the ignition or you can switch it on/off from the hab area. Here's a link to a diagram I posted on another forum. http://www.motorhometoday.co.uk/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=39 D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Dave Ours is the outgoing Tranny but the radio doesn't work unless the ignition is on ... it's a Kenwood, does that make a difference? :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Yes Mel it does make a difference but it can still be fixed. Shall I put it on the list for when you get over here? (lol) D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Rayjsj - 2007-03-02 5:06 PM And Fiat please ditch the 20 min nonsense, we are all grown-ups. Less 'Nanny knows best' !! :D Ah, we may be but they don't build vans for us really, they are designed for builders and delivery drivers who have other things to occupy their minds... Regarding the aerial, my Pilote has an internal active aerial attached to the windscreen. Remarkably it seems to work very well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyV Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 I started so I will finish ! - Took the vehicle in question back to the dealer who fitted a internal aerial c/w amplifier, no charge and no holes in the wing of the base vehicle. Reception improved 100%. Before anybody asks the dealer is Brownhills. TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Good old Brownhills again. I keep saying their brilliant but no-one believes me *-) (must be worth a good discount next time I'm in there) :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Dave Newell - 2007-03-04 8:07 AM The 20 minute timer is in the radio and can be reduced via the menu but not extended. The permanent live is not just there to maintain memory (many radios now use non volatile memory anyway) but to power the set. The iginition switched does not supply the operating power but is used as a signal to tell the radio to switch on or off with the igintion. The mod described above will work but better still is to fit a switch in the bridging wire and mount it remotely in the hab area, you also need to fit a diode in the original ignition feed wire and you can then have the radio switch on and of automatically with the ignition or you can switch it on/off from the hab area. Here's a link to a diagram I posted on another forum. http://www.motorhometoday.co.uk/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=39 D. Hi Dave. I have noticed this in the instructions about the 20 min timer in radio handbook, but cannot find the item in the menu when I scroll through. Do you know if they all have it or if there is some trick I am missing. Be nice to set timer to zero and have it go off from a remote switch in habitation area like you have suggested. regards, Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Hi Jon, Just fit the remote switch as described and forget all about the 20 minute timer as that only takes effect if you switch the radio on while the ignition is off. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John H Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Hi Sundance, I've bought the Sony radio with the USB port, got the nice Mr. Newell to fit it for me and wire it to my leisure battery with a separate switch etc. I've downloaded about 250 tunes onto a 1mg stick but my question is, how do you arrange the tunes so that you haven't got to press the forward or reverse button 250 times to find the tune you want to listen to? :$ John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Hi John, first of RTFI (read the f£"$%^g instructions):D that came with the Sony. I don't know about using memory sticks but on CDs I put the various tracks into albums (folders) which can then be skippped through easily to find the album you want and then through the individual tracks therein. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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