Help with solution to fix terrible radio reception on a 156 alfa 2000 model ?

[sportyone]

Hey guys,

where is the antenna on an Alfa 156 ? I can get good reception for FM at times but no AM ?? what gives ?

where would I find the coaxial cable ? could it be at the rear of the car ?

I've heard the antenna maybe in the rear window, how is that connected ?

would it be possible to fit a roof mounted or guard mounted antenna without too much fuss ?

any help would be much appreciated,

cheers

Hope see you guys at the Victorian Specttacolo Event at the end of the month

[colcol]

Hey Sportyone, try posting in the 147-156 section and you may get some more responses, see you at Spectacolo to discuss 156's and radio's, Colin.

[sportyone]

opps sorry mate, l will look out for you

[colcol]

On my 156 JTS, there is an AM Booster on the inside of the right hand side 'C' pillar, you need to unclip the 2 covers blanks on the plastic trim, they are both marked 'SRS' you unclip them with a trim tool and then there are 2 black self tappers that are undone to remove the cover.
Yours is an earlier 156 without the curtain airbags, so it might be different.
On mine there is a positive wire that goes into the booster, this is a box about the size of matchbox and there is an earth wire, i am pretty sure that it uses the heated rear window screen for the AM radio and the bee sting aerial on the back part of the roof is for the FM band.
I disconnected the co axial plug going into the booster and held it and the AM radio worked better, but still terrible.
I then connected a positive wire to the booster and bingo, i had perfect AM.
On head unit radio's, there is a positive wire that becomes live when the unit is turned on, so that an electric aerial can extend or a amplifier booster is turned on or in this case its a antenna booster on the 'C' pillar.
Mine had become disconnected on the head unit, on most head units the wire is blue or blue with a white tracer.
Uncle col col has not suddenly started listening to Neil Mitchell on talkback, but in the wee small hours when he goes to work, the FM stations don't have the news, AM stations are at 20 years away, but i will most likely be so old, i will be driving a Camry, Colin.

[four90s]

Col, mate, no don't do it.

Never a Camry.

Steve
Adelaide

P.S. Nothing to add on 156 reception, all my cars have electric antennae. Some of which actually go up and down.

[Garibaldi]

Col, if you buy a Camry you'll be bored and have nothing to talk about as very little goes wrong with them. They don't even use oil!

[Blu Vela]

Try switching the rear window demister on momentarily, as it is also the AM antenna. I get good reception of 774 Melbourne in central Vic by doing this most times.