Radio reception worse than factory radio, antenna adapter?

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I installed a low-end Aiwa CD/Radio stereo in my car as I was getting
tired of the factory tape/radio. When I was buying the necessary
supplies to install this stereo in my car, the list they have at stores
said harness and a dash kit.

It didn't mention antenna adapter, but there's something questionable
about it. The factory radio have two antenna connections on cord rather
than directly into the unit. A female banana jack like you see on all
after-market stereo and a male banana jack. There's a matching set on
the car side as well. Since the manual at the stores didn't call for
"antenna adapter" I did the only way possible. I plugged the male plug
from car into female jack on my stereo and left the female plug from car
abandoned. Well my reception isn't as good as factory radio now and I
think this might have something to do with it.

There's a whip antenna at front and a window antenna that looks exactly
like a defogger with just one connection on one of the rear window. I'm
guessing each jack connects to its own respective antenna. I've been
given mixed instructions about it. One store says I need an adapter to
consolidate them into one. Every other source says leave the extra one
dangling.

If I need an adapter to combine the two, what is this called?

Is this likely the cause of bad reception?

What kind of car?!

David
UnderTheDash.com

"AC/DCdude17" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> X-No-Archive: Yes
>
> I installed a low-end Aiwa CD/Radio stereo in my car as I was getting
> tired of the factory tape/radio. When I was buying the necessary
> supplies to install this stereo in my car, the list they have at stores
> said harness and a dash kit.
>
> It didn't mention antenna adapter, but there's something questionable
> about it. The factory radio have two antenna connections on cord rather
> than directly into the unit. A female banana jack like you see on all
> after-market stereo and a male banana jack. There's a matching set on
> the car side as well. Since the manual at the stores didn't call for
> "antenna adapter" I did the only way possible. I plugged the male plug
> from car into female jack on my stereo and left the female plug from car
> abandoned. Well my reception isn't as good as factory radio now and I
> think this might have something to do with it.
>
> There's a whip antenna at front and a window antenna that looks exactly
> like a defogger with just one connection on one of the rear window. I'm
> guessing each jack connects to its own respective antenna. I've been
> given mixed instructions about it. One store says I need an adapter to
> consolidate them into one. Every other source says leave the extra one
> dangling.
>
> If I need an adapter to combine the two, what is this called?
>
> Is this likely the cause of bad reception?
>

If you have the small black "Fuba" antenna on the roof then it needs a 5vdc
input (usually fed thru the antenna cable from the head unit) for AM signal
amplification. These antennas have a habit of blowing the amplifier and the
requisite symptom is a total loss of AM signal and weak FM reception. This
is usually caused by corrosion at the base of the antenna (also the ground)
nesessating the replacement of the antenna or as a preemptive measure
replacement of the rubber gasket at the base of the antenna.This is usually
available as a kit from your stealership parts dept. VW/Audis have this and
when you get an aftermarket stereo you need an adapter that has a lead that
comes off the side that you have to connect to the "blue" amplifier/power
antenna turn on lead that comes off the stereo connector. That other
non-standard connector may be the 5vdc input or a separate AM antenna lead.
My guess would be the 5vdc input to the antenna.

Scott, the Model Hobbit

Model Building is FUN!.........model building is fun.......model building is
?$#!!*?##!%$?&%$##!!

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By the way, the factory unit says "diversity" on the front. The system's a
dual antenna system that switches back and forth automatically.

This was common on 90's Mazdas as well as Nissans. You can find Nissan
Diversity adapters everywhere, but I can't find one for Mazda anywhere.