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| AM Antenna Hack Al in Melbourne Beach - Sunday, 22 May, 2011, at 9:23:16 pm |
| Re: AM Antenna Hack Dwass - Monday, 23 May, 2011, at 3:23:18 am |
Hey!
I remember seeing a lot about this when I got my Boxster several years ago...
I never did it, but it involves removing the visor mount and A-pillar interior panel. I just did this, [lmgtfy.com] and got quite a few threads on it. The first link in that search has some really nice images with the DIY. There's tons of stuff on it.
If you do it, let me know how it goes, it's been on my list for a while, but I must admit... I use XM most of the time. Unless of course I'm listening to the cars natural engine soundtrack
Good luck!
I remember seeing a lot about this when I got my Boxster several years ago...
I never did it, but it involves removing the visor mount and A-pillar interior panel. I just did this, [lmgtfy.com] and got quite a few threads on it. The first link in that search has some really nice images with the DIY. There's tons of stuff on it.
If you do it, let me know how it goes, it's been on my list for a while, but I must admit... I use XM most of the time. Unless of course I'm listening to the cars natural engine soundtrack
Good luck!
Laz - Monday, 23 May, 2011, at 11:55:31 am |
| Re: Clever link! Dwass - Monday, 23 May, 2011, at 2:04:44 pm |
| Re: AM Antenna Hack Al in Melbourne Beach - Monday, 23 May, 2011, at 10:07:20 pm |
I had the same luck with your link I did with my searches. I googled and searched through results for over an hour. I found several people talking about the hack, but could not find the hack itself. Maybe searching on Rennlist would turn it up, but thanks to Pedro, I have the information I needed. Actually, I just wanted to find out how to remove the windshield trim - remove the sunvisor.
Thanks everyone.
Al
Thanks everyone.
Al
| Re: AM Antenna Hack Dwass - Tuesday, 24 May, 2011, at 2:18:12 am |
Good luck and have fun with the DIY hack. Please let us know how it goes.
Take some solace in the fact that the AM reception in the 996 is TERRIBLE and I don't think that hack is compatible with it. My dad has a '99 C4 and the dealership actually replaced the 220 radio which did absolutely nothing to help reception.
Worthy to mention, do you have a smartphone? Like and android or an iPhone? I ask because if you have an aux in, you can listen to the online stream of some of your favorite AM station without static. Just a thought.
Hope things work out for you! I can speak for many of us when I say we're all very interested to see how it goes.
Take some solace in the fact that the AM reception in the 996 is TERRIBLE and I don't think that hack is compatible with it. My dad has a '99 C4 and the dealership actually replaced the 220 radio which did absolutely nothing to help reception.
Worthy to mention, do you have a smartphone? Like and android or an iPhone? I ask because if you have an aux in, you can listen to the online stream of some of your favorite AM station without static. Just a thought.
Hope things work out for you! I can speak for many of us when I say we're all very interested to see how it goes.
| The only thing you can do to the radio's antenna... Pedro (Odessa, FL) - Monday, 23 May, 2011, at 9:13:23 am |
... is to properly ground it.
Remove the right (passenger) A-Pillar plastic cover.
You'll first have to open the top and remove the right side sun visor.
You'll see that the antenna booster is screwed into the A-Pillar itself, over a painted surface.
The TSB calls for unscrewing the amplifier and sanding off the area surrounding the screw.
You can then screw back in place, making sure that the grounding point is secure.
There's also a newer TSB that calls for a PIWIS diagnostic on the antenna booster.
Some of these have been known to fail.
The only REAL cure for AM reception is to install an external radio antenna.
Early 986s offered this as an option, where the factory would install a short, rubber coated antenna.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro
Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)
Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"
"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti
"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna
Remove the right (passenger) A-Pillar plastic cover.
You'll first have to open the top and remove the right side sun visor.
You'll see that the antenna booster is screwed into the A-Pillar itself, over a painted surface.
The TSB calls for unscrewing the amplifier and sanding off the area surrounding the screw.
You can then screw back in place, making sure that the grounding point is secure.
There's also a newer TSB that calls for a PIWIS diagnostic on the antenna booster.
Some of these have been known to fail.
The only REAL cure for AM reception is to install an external radio antenna.
Early 986s offered this as an option, where the factory would install a short, rubber coated antenna.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro
Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)
Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"
"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti
"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna
Laz - Monday, 23 May, 2011, at 11:53:02 am |
I ran an antennna wire extension up the pillar. It all seemed to help for a while, but I believe the ground is the most critical, and needs to be kept clean and tight. I tried some sort of official Porsche part at the back of the radio, and a capacitor on the power lead to act as a high frequency shunt, too. (It's been a while; I think I've got that right!)
I'm considering getting a Cayman, and although I strongly agree with the notion of having an external antenna on technical grounds, aesthetically they don't seem proper for the car. Also, they're too short to act effectively as an AM antenna; something to do with quarter-wavelengths, I think. When cars began being equipped with FM radios, the aerials got a lot shorter in many cases.
Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?
I'm considering getting a Cayman, and although I strongly agree with the notion of having an external antenna on technical grounds, aesthetically they don't seem proper for the car. Also, they're too short to act effectively as an AM antenna; something to do with quarter-wavelengths, I think. When cars began being equipped with FM radios, the aerials got a lot shorter in many cases.
Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?
| Others have provided good info. I have gone through the steps... MarcW - Monday, 23 May, 2011, at 2:06:25 pm |
outlined in the other posts several times. The reception stays good for a while but grows steadily lousier afterwards. I could do this at least once a year. But I'm lazy.
Anyhow, I have tried various things to make the 'fix' last, and the last one was using some grease to 'seal' the bolt and clamp contact with the a-pillar and this didn't help much either.
If you find a permant solution please share it.
Oh, I will admit that immediately after I do the 'fix' the AM radio reception is quite good. If only it would remain so.
Sincerely,
MarcW.
Anyhow, I have tried various things to make the 'fix' last, and the last one was using some grease to 'seal' the bolt and clamp contact with the a-pillar and this didn't help much either.
If you find a permant solution please share it.
Oh, I will admit that immediately after I do the 'fix' the AM radio reception is quite good. If only it would remain so.
Sincerely,
MarcW.
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