DAB antenna placement

[furfurfur]

I have just purchased a DAB unit to retrofit to my A6 Saloon. It comes with an aftermarket film antenna and booster module. Seems to be manufactured by JVC.

I planned to fit it to the rear side panel window (small window) which is above the all the MMI Nav equipment where the radio will go. The instructions specifically say not to install on a side window though. This seems strange to me!

Has anyone else done this? Were the results from the side window OK? See pics of antenna and instructions below...

[johnsimcox]

Could be that their instructions not to fit to the side are simply to avoid the wire breaking with the door being opened and closed rather than for any reception reason. On the A6 Avant the DAB aerial is on the LH glass in the load area so having an aerial on the side should not be a problem. On the saloon it is part of the rear window wiring. An alternative would be place it low down on the rear window where it would be out of sight of driver, being hidden by the rear headrest.

[apole]

Hi,

Got exactly the same DAB aerial as you. Did some experiments on best position before sticking aerial down properly. I found best place wasn't quarter light glass at all. Looking from rear of car forwards (ie standing behind boot looking to front of car) best place was upper left hand side of rear screen so black tab goes towards LHS of car into C pillar. Easy also to route cable. The black tab is actually an earth according to instructions. I used a spring loaded insulated connector from maplins to connect this to an earth although to be fair the earth didn't appear to make a difference so suspect this comes from DAB tuner anyway.

Mount it vertically so elements go up and down not side to side.

This gave best reception.

Hope this helps.

Andy

[furfurfur]

All done - I actually did end up placing it on the read quarter panel on the passenger side. I was worried about the heated window elements on the main screen getting in the way.

Very happy with DAB and have been on planet ROCK all week :)

[neilos100]

Could be that their instructions not to fit to the side are simply to avoid the wire breaking with the door being opened and closed rather than for any reception reason. On the A6 Avant the DAB aerial is on the LH glass in the load area so having an aerial on the side should not be a problem. On the saloon it is part of the rear window wiring. An alternative would be place it low down on the rear window where it would be out of sight of driver, being hidden by the rear headrest.
Been researching this after my radio unit got wet and died:aargh4: and the DAB aerial in the Avant is factory fitted regardless of whether the DAB radio is actually specified. Its also located n the right-hand window glass in the boot as you look from the rear of the car....its opposite the analogue aerial which is in the left glass. On the saloon, it's not fitted as standard and its location is the rear RHS quarter lightt. In the Avant you can see the three electrical connections needed for the wiring to the DAB amplifier.

Neil
NB....please note correction....saloon aerial location for DAB is rear RHS quarter light.
Sorry...was late when I was typing last night!

[Guest 2]

Been researching this after my radio unit got wet and died:aargh4: and the DAB aerial in the Avant is factory fitted regardless of whether the DAB radio is actually specified. Its also located n the right-hand window glass in the boot as you look from the rear of the car....its opposite the analogue aerial which is in the left glass. On the saloon, it's not fitted as standard and its location is the rear LHS quarter light. In the Avant you can see the three electrical connections needed for the wiring to the DAB amplifier.

Neil

Correct!

Does anyone know how easy (ha!) it is to remove the rear quarter window on a saloon? Tempted to do the dab upgrade again, this time properly.

[neilos100]

Chris....there is a thread on here somewhere where somebody did the same thing as you want to do.....they got autoglass or someone to remove old one and fit new. I'll try and find it when I can get on the PC.

Neil

Sent from my phone...

[Guest 2]

Thanks Neil - if I could get the window changed, I'd keep DAB whereas I removed it because of poor reception in my town but hoping the proper aerial will boost it!

[ragebe]

I'm just reading through the replies and it seems that there is DAB aerial factory fitted already, would this be correct for a 2006 55 plate A6? I've got a Pure Highway and the signal in the West Hants/East Dorset area (think New Forest) is poor and the supplied window fit antenna isn't up to the job, so I've bought a magnetic, external aeria (http://www.pure.com/products/accessory.asp?Product=VL-61112)l which does a magnificent job but of course entails wires through doors and across the cabin, not ideal. If the factory-fitted antenna is a superior quality, then I'd like to swap to using that.

Also, the magnetic aerial will scratch your paintwork, mine has a business card under tha base now.

[furfurfur]

There is a sticky thread up top which details the addition of DAB to an Avant. The Avant DOES have the window antenna built in, but as far as I'm aware not the signal booster or cabling to actually use it, so you would still need a few things.

How does the Pure integrate to your car system out of interest?

If you're going to go down that route you may as well retrofit the proper Audi DAB unit for full MMI integration...

[gupsterg]

There is a sticky thread up top

That has been moved to the "How to" section on site... Link:- VW AUDI Forum - VWAF (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?131820-Digital-Radio-DAB-Retrofit-Avant-MMI-2G-HIGH)

[ragebe]

How does the Pure integrate to your car system out of interest?


DAB signal through the air to the Pure > Pure converts DAB to VHF > Pure transmits VHF > Car picks up VHF

It uses a VHF frequency by searching for what is free on the spectrum. i.e. Radio2 is on 88.50 MHz in my part of the world, so I can the tune the Pure to 87.5MHz, which is the frequency on which the Pure transmits. Obviously this is a low amplitude (power) transmitter. I then tune the Audi car radio to what ever frequency I have selected - 87.7MHz in this example - and the radio in the car, sees that as a VHF signal.

For those poor souls who didn't study electronics for a career, VHF=FM ;)

The down side of the Pure Highway, is having something stuck on the dashboard and extra wires, it looks naff. I'll take some pictures once I've got this Ark floated off my drive and can get out to the car.

[furfurfur]

DAB signal through the air to the Pure > Pure converts DAB to VHF > Pure transmits VHF > Car picks up VHF

Fair enough - kinda funny though converting nice high quality DAB back down to FM ;)


For those poor souls who didn't study electronics for a career, VHF=FM ;)

For those pedantic gits (or those who also fly planes) VHF can also be AM :)

[neilos100]

Nope.....AM=MW! :D

Sent from my phone...

[ragebe]

Any radio frequency, be it Long Wave/Medium Wave/Short Wave/Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency can be Frequency Modulated or Amplitude Modulated. Shall we talk SSB and SuperHet? :)

[gupsterg]

:biglaugh:.... :smashfrea....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwuy4hHO3YQ

[furfurfur]

Nope.....AM=MW! :D

My AM VHF receiver begs to differ :) As ragebe said anyway VHF/MW are just frequency ranges and AM and FM are just two ways of encoding data or audio onto a carrier wave.

[neilos100]

Fair enough.....:o

Sent from my phone...

[ragebe]

Slightly late but here's the pic of what a Pure Highway looks like on the dash.

20897

[MarkTM]

That is FUGLY!:1zhelp:

[Guest 2]

That is FUGLY!:1zhelp:

I agree!

ragebe, you have High, so make use of the DAB retrofit!

Far nicer and nothing bulky on your dash.

I bought parts separately and cost around £150.

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz90/57_audi/A6/IMG_3829_zps079001b6.jpg

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz90/57_audi/A6/IMG_3831_zpsed65e1f9.jpg

[ragebe]

Yes I agree, I should. I was swapping emails with somebody who was selling a unit and I thought he was on here but I can't find the emails :(

[apole]

The DAB add on for me was a good investment. Make sure you get all the parts you need, fibre and power looms, aeriel and unit. Also PM me your email address as Gup gave me a pic of the latest unit and firmware levels, always wise to get the later version if you can. You will need VCDS to enable it also.

BTW, in the meantime, can you put the unit in the glovebox or armrest to hide it. Did that in my last car (non audi) so it was hidden and neater.

[apole]

Actually, easier to just put the info up here, then everyone can benefit .....

20913

[Guest 2]

I have put all links etc in this thread for anyone who wants to look ;)

DAB Retrofit to MMI 2G High .. Done! (again!) (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?144879-DAB-Retrofit-to-MMI-2G-High-Done!-%28again!%29&highlight=dab+retrofit+again)

[ragebe]

Nice one Chris, I have the following links open in multiple tabs:

DIY for center console removal? - AudiWorld Forums (http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?t=2832795)
CF Trim Install Write-up w/ Pics (long) - AudiWorld Forums (http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?t=2607343)
retrofit DAB in Saloon with aftermarket antenna (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?136199-retrofit-DAB-in-Saloon-with-aftermarket-antenna)
VW AUDI Forum - VWAF (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?131820-Digital-Radio-DAB-Retrofit-Avant-MMI-2G-HIGH)
Location of DAB in A6 avant (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?124189-Location-of-DAB-in-A6-avant)

So you've helped me immensely :)

[ragebe]

The DAB add on for me was a good investment. Make sure you get all the parts you need, fibre and power looms, aeriel and unit. Also PM me your email address as Gup gave me a pic of the latest unit and firmware levels, always wise to get the later version if you can. You will need VCDS to enable it also.

BTW, in the meantime, can you put the unit in the glovebox or armrest to hide it. Did that in my last car (non audi) so it was hidden and neater.

I could put the Pure DAB unit in the passenger door pocket. I tend to mostly listen to Planet Rock, so don't need access to it on the move. In fact, I have put it under the armrest and run the external aerial out of the rear passenger door.

[gupsterg]

In reply to your PM AMI is not part of DAB, they are two different retrofits and independent of each other ... Link:- Audi music interface (http://www.audi.com/com/brand/en/tools/advice/glossary/audi_music_interface.browser.html)

As yours is an Avant the DAB retrofit in the "How to ... " section which you have already seen covers it ...

There is also an AMI "How to ... " in that section ...

All P/N's are still current in those threads ...

Happy retro fitting ;) ...