Connecting radio to Status Digital Television TV Aerial

ES Cumbrian

ES Cumbrian

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Hi has anyone connected their cab radio to the Staus aerial if you have how good was the result and do you need the power switched on on the Status amplifier? Should say its the directional one with the extending radio aerial.
 
I have thought about this got to work better due to position
 
Cant see any reason not to except having to run a new coax from dash to signal booster, wherever that may be.

Yes, it will need the booster turned on.
 
I thought I would contact Status customer help line and they have confirmed that both the FM radio and the DAB radio outputs are "passive throughput" and do not require the amplifier to be powered to work. So that's even better for us as when on the move there is no need to switch it on, just got to run he cable now.

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AT Fun said:
I thought I would contact Status customer help line and they have confirmed that both the FM radio and the DAB radio outputs are "passive throughput" and do not require the amplifier to be powered to work. So that's even better for us as when on the move there is no need to switch it on, just got to run he cable now.
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Brilliant(y)
been on my list of todos for some time
 
It will be interesting to try different lengths of the extending dipole to see what length gives the best signal remembering of course to keep what will be the "down" side when the TV aerial is set to vertical so that it clears the roof.
 
On the later model status the aerials do not extend.
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We suffered from dreadful radio reception in both of our Swift Bessacarr motorhomes. On the second one the dealer fitted an aerial mounted on the front nearside door pillar but that did not improve things. They then arranged for the radio to be linked to the Status aerial, and were confident that that would do the trick.
Sad to report that it made no difference at all.
Stef.
 
StefAndDi said:
We suffered from dreadful radio reception in both of our Swift Bessacarr motorhomes. On the second one the dealer fitted an aerial mounted on the front nearside door pillar but that did not improve things. They then arranged for the radio to be linked to the Status aerial, and were confident that that would do the trick.
Sad to report that it made no difference at all.
Stef.
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Interesting think I might run a temporary wire fist and see how it goes on our next trip. Maybe its something to do with not having a steel ground plane around the aerial like you do on a car or indeed a van before conversion.

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Well this has got me thinking now, if I use the Status I will have a short dipole aerial which when travelling will be horizontal so its not going to be very good as FM needs vertical polarisation and longer sides than the fixed Status stub bits which can not be extended. So am I barking up the wrong tree and would I be better finding a place for a whip aerial with a ground plane?
 
I wired the radio to the status aerial on my Burstner. Far better reception than before but far from perfect.
 
andyman said:
I wired the radio to the status aerial on my Burstner. Far better reception than before but far from perfect.
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Did you check it vertically and horizontal by any chance to see if it made any difference?
 
Had this done in my Comanche as I had no reception before. Seems to work well & I don't switch on the booster.
 
AT Fun said:
Did you check it vertically and horizontal by any chance to see if it made any difference?
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Tried it both ways and could not tell any difference. Switching on the booster seems to help.

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Well I have started the job, removed the lower passenger side dash on my 2002 Ducato and found a thin wire that looked like it may be a coaxial and it went behind the radio so carefully stripped off the outer insulation and revealed the wire inside and it was indeed a coaxial. Put the radio on then cut the coaxial first the outer then the very thin centre wire ....... radio still working panic! have I cut the wrong wire? With a struggle I removed the radio complete with mounting cradle and it was the correct wire so pulled out the now 18 inch long "aerial" radio working but a bit of loss of signal. So I think I can say the problem is with the aerial I was not able to trace where the end went to but seemed to vanish near the passenger side window pillar which is above the door window wiring and I do not think it went there. Next stage will be a good quality coaxial run to the Status to see what happens. I will be back. lol
 
AT Fun said:
So I think I can say the problem is with the aerial I was not able to trace where the end went to but seemed to vanish near the passenger side window pillar which is above the door window wiring and I do not think it went there.
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On the Ducato the converters remove the original aerial from the cab roof and create a new aerial inside the mirror on the passengers door. Another reason why mirror guards can be a good investment.
Stef.
 
Right job done, renewed the coaxial from the radio up to the Status amplifier signal sounds very good but the real test will be when we are on the move which will be in a couple of weeks. Cable run was easier than I thought it would be if anyone else is doing it on a Ducato like mine its a 2002 feel free to ask and I will tell you how I run the wire. Will report on reception on the move in a couple of weeks. :)
 
Have you tried with the engine running, mine is perfect until I start the engine and then reception is not so good.

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Good point I have not tried that yet but will do soon.
 
Run the engine and reception was still good no sign of any interference will just have to wait until the next trip away and get into some bad reception areas.
 
Well I have now driven from Scarborough over to the Lakes via Hawes and the radio works very well connected to the Status, radio 2 worked well all the way with a few exceptions in a few valleys where any radio would have struggled. So if anyone else is considering doing this mod I can recommend it just make sure you change the coaxial all the way from the radio not just extend it as the wire used was a very cheap one.
 
AT Fun said:
Well I have now driven from Scarborough over to the Lakes via Hawes and the radio works very well connected to the Status, radio 2 worked well all the way with a few exceptions in a few valleys where any radio would have struggled. So if anyone else is considering doing this mod I can recommend it just make sure you change the coaxial all the way from the radio not just extend it as the wire used was a very cheap one.
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Hi.
I have a 2000 Ducatto with v poor radio reception, I assume it the same so would be interested in hearing more..(excuse the pun!)
Thanks.
 
My status is the long pole one so was mounted in the wardrobe so the cable run in my 2002 Ducato Cheyenne was easy, just remove the lower passengers dash remove plastic former in passengers foot well remove radio drill hole into wardrobe then run new cable.

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been having poor reception problems on my 2005 autocruise, i did fit a wing mounted aerial but it still suffered so next step install a inline amp, still having probs, i have just run a coax from the status to the radio and tuned in to a weak signal on mw and it is a lot better, so i'm just waiting for the rain to stop and then i can run the cable down the wardrobe and out under the van and back in near the cab.
 
kalamitty said:
been having poor reception problems on my 2005 autocruise, i did fit a wing mounted aerial but it still suffered so next step install a inline amp, still having probs, i have just run a coax from the status to the radio and tuned in to a weak signal on mw and it is a lot better, so i'm just waiting for the rain to stop and then i can run the cable down the wardrobe and out under the van and back in near the cab.
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What base vehicle is it?
 
Has anyone got an update on this thread as i'm thinking along the same lines or is there a better solution to the problem of radio reception (2004 ducato) :(
 
My idea (and I stress I have not tried it as yet) is to mount the aerial on the corner of one of my solar panels. That will offer decent height, a reasonable ground plane, and a cable route into the van where the solar panel cabling enters.
 
Still happy with mine, I was lucky as the TV aerial was in a wardrobe just behind the passenger seat so the cable run was very easy all inside.

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