windshield antenna

[jeff1hughes]

ok, i'm having this problem too. I have the little black wire at the end of the antenna cable, what do I need to hook the little wire up to?

[Eric Coffey]

Originally posted by jeff1hughes
ok, i'm having this problem too. I have the little black wire at the end of the antenna cable, what do I need to hook the little wire up to?

Switched 12v (only hot when radio is on) is preferable. Your deck should have a power antenna or amplifier output.

[nhromyak]

WHOOAAA

Which little black wire? The one from the antenna?

I wouldn't put 12 v to the ANTENNA.

You put 12 V (switched, or off radio) goes to the booster, not the little wire coming from the windshield....

[Eric Coffey]

Originally posted by nhromyak
WHOOAAA

Which little black wire? The one from the antenna?

Yes, the antenna amplifier/booster wire, as mentioned previosly (which is the only "little" black wire typically coiled around the antenna cable). I hope it is obvious that you should not put 12v to the larger antenna cable/plug.

[derkpitt]

Can anyone post the name of these auto glass chain companies that have the Sigla windshield for under $500?

I can't find any that will to sell me any brand of mfg w/s for under that.

[nhromyak]

Originally posted by Eric Coffey
as mentioned previosly (which is the only "little" black wire typically coiled around the antenna cable).

On my antenna, integrated into the windshield, there is a "little" black wire coming out, (not a typical shielded antenna wire or connector). It goes to the booster, then there are two wires coming out of the booster, one is a typical radio antenna wire, and the other is a black wire going to + 12v...

Hence, I wanted to be sure the "little black wire" isn't the antenna wire.



DERKPITT -
The best price I have found on a Sigla is $750 for a tinted, and integrated antenna windshield here on the West coast. Good luck. Stay away from the other brands (besides Sekurit), as these have the obscurities and bend the images as the come in through the glass in the far corners of the windshield.... maybe it's just me, but this annoyed the heck out of me.

[randywebb]

Does this windshiled have two small vertical wires that run up in the center? Or is that area unobscured?

[nhromyak]

Originally posted by randywebb
Does this windshiled have two small vertical wires that run up in the center? Or is that area unobscured?

IIRC - my '85 has one wire in the center laminated into the windshield, and it goes off to the passenger side top. But I don't have the car at work today to be sure. Looking through the winshield in this area in the center the lines are straight.

If you look at an aftermarket windhield and some vertical lines you can clearly see the lines bend where the windshield bends.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally posted by nhromyak
On my antenna, integrated into the windshield, there is a "little" black wire coming out, (not a typical shielded antenna wire or connector). It goes to the booster, then there are two wires coming out of the booster, one is a typical radio antenna wire, and the other is a black wire going to + 12v...

Hence, I wanted to be sure the "little black wire" isn't the antenna wire.

Originally posted by nhromyak
IIRC - my '85 has one wire in the center laminated into the windshield, and it goes off to the passenger side top.

Correct on all counts (and thanks for the clarification)!

[nhromyak]

Actually, now that I am thinking about it, the wire inside the antenna starts at the passengers bottom goes around the passenger corners and comes down the center of the Windshield.

I think about this because I KNOW the little black wire coming out of the antenna is about 1/4 of the way into the passenger side.

[Eric Coffey]

Yep. Your above post was correct, (one wire from the center going to passenger side top), you just left out the specific (trivial) part that it comes back down the passenger side, essentially making one big "loop" around the passenger side of the glass. Much preferred over an eye sore mounted on the right fender though!

[WERK I]

Does anyone have a photo of the "booster" they can post? I recently replaced my cracked windshield(no internal antenna) with a windshield with an embedded antenna. Since my 930 is an '85, I thought the booster would have been there, but I can not seem to find it.
TIA

[nhromyak]

My booster is in the trunk, behind (further to the rear of the car) the door lock "computer".

It is WAY WAY WAY up inside (towards the rear of the car) the passenger fender area of the trunk.

I don't think a camera would be able to go up there to take a pic.

[Eric Coffey]

Yep again. It's right behind the central lock brain, which is right behind the passenger-side hood hinge. Here's a pic from the Bentley manual (#1 = central lock brain, #2 = antenna booster):

[WERK I]

Thanks!!

[jeff1hughes]

Thanks to all, I hooked the black wire to the "Power antenna lead" off my radio and BAMM! I get great reception, better sound quality, AND am signal--even in my garage!!

I love this website.

[bwell]

I should have asked this question here first. I figured this out on my own (with Bentley's help) a couple of days ago. Only took me about 4 hours! Oh well.

[RoninLB]

I followed this thread for some info on my booseter preinstall. My preinstall think of the booster is that it could be mounted more secure and tucked away better for my old car new install act. I like antennas, now I've got two. Now all I need is two more or a combo in one. I've learned that a CB/VHF antenna db rating, such as 0db, 10db, 30db, affects more specific sections of the 360deg/ 0db.

cool bs

[randywebb]

Followup -- IS this best way to get decent reception? I don't want to have an external whip antenna mounted in a hole in the fender. My first 911 had a regular whip antenna mounted horizontally in the trunk near the ventliation system and the reception was lousy.

Is there any way to get decent (not great, but not lousy) reception except by putting in a windshield with a builtin wire antenna?

[Eric Coffey]

For all practical purposes, yes (unless you want a properly tuned 5ft. whip antenna bolted to your fender ). IMO, a windshield antenna with a properly functioning booster is hard to beat. Great reception, no ugly external antenna to deal with, and another potential mechanical failure removed in the case of a powered antenna. Of course it depends on the quality of your head unit's tuner as well. You might be able to extract a bit more "performance" by using a stronger after-market booster if it is still not pulling stations in from overseas .