Fiat Ducato radio reception - or not (1 Viewer)

Nov 9, 2015
215
193
Addingham, West Yorkshire, UK
Funster No
40,104
MH
Rapido 7099f
Exp
Veteran
Drove new van home yesterday and reception was crap - why? Cos during the conversion the aeriel is removed! Unbelievable....anyone else aware of this or am a stating the obvious and you all know?
Aeriel being fitted tomorrow!
 

Anthea M

Free Member
Deceased RIP
Oct 18, 2015
9,501
165,134
Sheffield
Funster No
39,598
MH
Hobby
Exp
Since 2009
Oh dear that takes the shine off picking up your new van. Hope it gets fixed soon and enjoy your trips.
 

DuxDeluxe

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 10, 2008
14,627
72,221
Planet Zog
Funster No
3,243
MH
A woosh bang van
Exp
since 2008
Looking at mine, when I replaced the standard stereo for something decent, I found two aerial leads. One was the original Fiat one which was supposed to go to one of the door mirrors as per standard, the other was clearly fitted by Pilote and I haven't a clue where it goes. I found the radio very susceptible to interference and had to remove the hard wired units for the phone and the dashcam (which I fitted) and now power the phone from the outlet on the back of the radio (Pioneer Appradio) which it is designed to do and the dashcam from one of @Techno 's very neat solution for a hard wire USB from one the the lighter sockets

Radio reception is now quite good, whereas it has been utter rubbish for a year - the sole reason being the interference, so it seems........

P.S. I used the Pilote aerial as it was the one that the original radio was connected.......

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

StefAndDi

Free Member
Nov 3, 2014
408
931
Near St. Austell, Cornwall
Funster No
34,107
MH
Ceased motorhoming 1/3/16
Exp
2010 to 2016
@Richard and Janet Mason

Our two previous motorhomes were Bessacarrs on the Fiat Ducato chassis. On a Ducato van the aerial is mounted on the cab roof but when Swift build the coach built body on the aerial lead is re-routed into the mirror housing on the near side door.
As you say, as a result the radio reception is rubbish.
We tried various things to improve it, including having the lead wired into the Status aerial.
With both vehicles we ended up having aerials mounted on the near side windscreen pillar. Even that was far from satisfactory.
Stef.
 
Dec 11, 2011
839
2,102
Nr Hastings, East Sussex
Funster No
19,165
MH
AutoTrail Tracker RL
Exp
since 2010
Having suffered from terrible radio reception for a few years I finally had a proper aerial fitted a few weeks ago. Reception is now excellent!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
Our Ducato radio didn't work until we had one of those bendy rubbery aerials fitted on the front wing. We were told there was some sort of internal aerial set up on MH conversions but it didn't do anything useful.
 
Nov 1, 2015
370
682
Norwich
Funster No
39,928
MH
RAPIDO 686F
Exp
2009
Having an aeriel fitted behind rear view mirror tomorrow. Just wondered how many others suffer poor reception when there is a simple fix (FITTING AN AERIEL!) LOL
Hi Richard, we have had crap reception on our swift which we change at the end of February for new van and I hoped reception would improve as we were told aerial was in near side mirror.
Can you please let me know if your solution is better and also if it is what you have used.
Regards Ray
 
OP
OP
Richard Mason
Nov 9, 2015
215
193
Addingham, West Yorkshire, UK
Funster No
40,104
MH
Rapido 7099f
Exp
Veteran
Aerial now fitted - a small bar inside the windscreen about 7" long - can't be seen due to blind housing covering it;-) Reception is MUCH improved and even MW and LW are good so cricket an option in the summer!

Cost £50 for aerial (fitted) which seems steep but has done the job.

May be worth considering.

Used RAM Mobile Ltd from Wakefield who did a professional job and were very neat and tidy - no wires showing etc and proper MH alarm now fitted for £500 including travelling 60 miles to fit at our house. Happy man:)
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
anyone else aware of this or am a stating the obvious and you all know?

Yup. Standard. It's just what the converters do.

Having an aeriel fitted behind rear view mirror tomorrow. Just wondered how many others suffer poor reception when there is a simple fix (FITTING AN AERIEL!) LOL

That will probably improve things but don't expect it to be perfect.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Oct 26, 2014
732
1,426
Lincolnshire
Funster No
34,001
MH
Adria Coral Supreme 680st
Exp
since 2001
Aerial now fitted - a small bar inside the windscreen about 7" long - can't be seen due to blind housing covering it;-) Reception is MUCH improved and even MW and LW are good so cricket an option in the summer!

Cost £50 for aerial (fitted) which seems steep but has done the job.
Have you any pictures please, as our 2010 Fiat radio is also pants!

so much so that I've only used it for playing spotify via my phone

Andy
 

sdc77

Free Member
Jan 28, 2013
3,244
4,550
Weardale, Co Durham
Funster No
24,456
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
since 2011
We've got one of those windscreen aerials. Pile of poo as far as we're concerned. Radio is pointless. Thank God for the tunein app. Am considering getting the right aerial fitted to the wing tho

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Apr 11, 2015
5,353
54,331
hull
Funster No
35,812
MH
Laika Ecovip 300
Exp
since 1988 with breaks until 2009
We have an aeriel fited to the door pillar nearside, when extended it works really well, if you are stationary it is firne, but when travelling it batters against the bodywork and is very annoying, reception is ok though.
Suggestions please, not a replacement aeriel, want to use it tomorrow.
 
Feb 22, 2008
12,258
44,933
Norfolk
Funster No
1,575
MH
Nearly Tugging
Exp
Since 2004
The radio reception was lousy when we collected our new mhome last year, found to be the 12v supply to the aerial amplifier had not been connected.
 

cornish boy

Free Member
Jul 24, 2016
892
2,365
Body in Hampshire, heart in Cornwall
Funster No
44,231
MH
Swift Kon Tiki 669.
Exp
not so newbie anymore - since 2016
Ours had no reception until after a couple of months I decided to put my glasses on and take a good look at it.

A couple of menu options later changed the radio over from analogue to digital and everything improved instantly. (y)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Aug 6, 2013
11,941
16,527
Kendal, Cumbria
Funster No
27,352
MH
Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
Exp
since 1999
We have an aeriel fited to the door pillar nearside, when extended it works really well, if you are stationary it is firne, but when travelling it batters against the bodywork and is very annoying, reception is ok though.
Suggestions please, not a replacement aeriel, want to use it tomorrow.
Some cars use a similar system but have a small rubber support near the top of the pillar. You maybe able to replicate it by using something like this:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=131920641527

or similar.
 
Jun 22, 2011
498
1,285
Isle of Man
Funster No
17,008
MH
Carthago
Exp
Since Nov 2010 after 25 yrs under canvas.
I get so cross when this subject is brought up. When we bought our globecar we paid close to £1,000 extra for the special sound system, a Blaupunkt New York. We like our Music! Once we set off from the dealer we realised that we had no radio reception at all, maybe a ĺittle crackly local radio ìf anything.

The dealer had no idea what to do and frankly was not interested, he had the money. I took the van to a locaL "expert", long story short, 3 aerials later we now receive quite good radio, not as good as in my Citroën Berlingo standard radio though.
 
Dec 23, 2007
4,077
6,547
Wirral
Funster No
1,064
MH
Hobby Van Kenobi
Exp
started when I was 11 with my parents-forgot to stop!been real one since 1980!
We have an aeriel fited to the door pillar nearside, when extended it works really well, if you are stationary it is firne, but when travelling it batters against the bodywork and is very annoying, reception is ok though.
Suggestions please, not a replacement aeriel, want to use it tomorrow.
Why not put a rubber ball,bung or cork on the aerial mast,if the ball etc is the right size it should satnd off the mast,the Yanks do this with the CB antennas on their RVs.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Oct 7, 2013
5,867
36,736
South Wales
Funster No
28,463
MH
Swift Escape Compact
Exp
Since 1988
We must be unique.

Our 2015 Swift Esprit has great radio reception in the Ducato cab, with the original unit. My only complaint is it switching off every 20 minutes when parked up.

Our previous m/h had crap reception however.
 
Oct 7, 2015
736
3,576
newark
Funster No
39,285
MH
Swift escape 624
Exp
1999
Had this problem on 3 vans cured by fitting an amplifier from amazon £7
 

cornish boy

Free Member
Jul 24, 2016
892
2,365
Body in Hampshire, heart in Cornwall
Funster No
44,231
MH
Swift Kon Tiki 669.
Exp
not so newbie anymore - since 2016
Our 2015 Swift Esprit has great radio reception in the Ducato cab, with the original unit. My only complaint is it switching off every 20 minutes when parked up.

On our 2016 version I managed to enter the Ducato computer menu using the switches on the dash to the right of the steering wheel and selected 180 minutes for the radio auto switch off. Don't know if that is an option on yours. :)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Oct 7, 2013
5,867
36,736
South Wales
Funster No
28,463
MH
Swift Escape Compact
Exp
Since 1988
On our 2016 version I managed to enter the Ducato computer menu using the switches on the dash to the right of the steering wheel and selected 180 minutes for the radio auto switch off. Don't know if that is an option on yours. :)
Thanks. I thought it should be possible to change the duration but have gone through the menus and can't find anything other than "20 minutes" or "off".

The most surprising thing to me is that there is no "Aux" input so iPods, MP3/4 players etc cannot be connected. My previous Ducato accepted them. (just as well as the radio reception on that one was crap)!
 

cornish boy

Free Member
Jul 24, 2016
892
2,365
Body in Hampshire, heart in Cornwall
Funster No
44,231
MH
Swift Kon Tiki 669.
Exp
not so newbie anymore - since 2016
Thanks. I thought it should be possible to change the duration but have gone through the menus and can't find anything other than "20 minutes" or "off".

The most surprising thing to me is that there is no "Aux" input so iPods, MP3/4 players etc cannot be connected. My previous Ducato accepted them. (just as well as the radio reception on that one was crap)!

Must be a change between the 2015/16 models then as ours also has a USB aux input on the dash by the cup holders.
 

ukbill

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 3, 2011
5,501
5,274
Pinoso
Funster No
18,740
MH
4 berth low profile
Exp
starting on saturday 10/3/2012
I bought a windscreen ariel a mid range dab radio,now its all good

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top