Two radio antenna cables.

[geirkh]

Hello,
I have a 2007 Golf V. Original radio was RCD 300.
Last week I installed a Zenec ZE-NC2010.
When I removed the old radio I noticed that there are 2 antenna cables in my Golf (and 2 inputs on the RCD 300). The RCD 300 is quite simple so I assume that both cables are for radio.

The Zenec has only one antenna input for radio so I just plugged in one of the antenna cables. Radio reception is not as good as it was with original radio, so I wonder if anybody knows if there is a difference between the two antenna cables. Another explanation is of course that Zenec radio is not as good as the original...
I will try to change antenna cables on the Zenec, but first I wanted to ask here.

(The second antenna cable I used for TMC input on the Zenec)

Thanks in advance!


Geir

[richard@thebrae]

The Antenna system on your Golf has a passive rooftop beesting ariel and an amplified one in the rear window it is called a diversity system and the RCD 300 has a controll circuit built in which selects the best signal at the present location for the station you have tuned into. It works very well with the VW oem radios.
Go 3rd party, and it is very difficult to get it to perform anything like a VW oem setup.
The Zenec and other RNS clones only have one antenna input, no diversity circuit and need a twin fakra diversity adapter.
The tuner in the Zenec 2010 is is weakness and even with a (powered) diversity adapter the best you can hope for in reception comparison/performance is 7 or 8 out of 10.
Going back to the two cables one will be beige in colour and one will be white.
One will give you AM signals and poor FM signals (unless you are near a transmitter) the other will give you no AM signal anda bit better FM signal depending on the oriantation of the car to the transmitter.
Sorry if it is a bit long winded but it is a very complex set up and arrangement just to hear the Radio.

[geirkh]

Thank you Richard,
yes, it really seems to have become more complex.
But, the original RCD 300 is good as radio.
Much better than what I experienced in Rav4, Megane Scenic and more.

I opened the dashboard to switch antenna cables because I had no AM.
Now I am using the cable with white connector (from roof antenna) to radio,
and the one with beige connector (from rear window) to TMC.
For the moment I have a usable radio. I have tuned into a station that is 80km away (over sea)
and it is pretty much the same as it was with the rear window antenna
(good in some places and behind big buildings not so good...).
The big test will be in Norwegian mountains soon, there it is hard to be a radio.
But I will look for diversity adapter, so far I have only seen versions without fakra connector in the radio end.

I have found this page explaining the antenna variants quite good: http://www.my-gti.com/1389

Anybody else out there using Zenec ZE-NC2010?
What is your experience/opinion?

[richard@thebrae]

Yes I agree the RCD is a good radio on FM, but The RNS 510 is even better.
Like you I live in a terrain which is difficult for FM reception unless you have good circuits and an good AF performance.
IN my Golf which came with the RCD 300 I found it to be equal to the set up in a car I drive at work (a top of the range Jaguar) I ran a chinese clone for a year and tried everything to obtain a good fm performance and eventually gave up and switched to a RNS 510 and the FM reception is flawless, even in all the bad locations I know, it is perfect.
Here is a link to a multi connecter end to solve the fakra fittings.
http://translate.google.com/translat...e.google.co.uk
Best Regards Richard