Radio Clarity

[d0nk3x]

Hello yall. I put in a new deck/speakers/subs/amp while back in a 97 Limited V8 with original audiophile system from JBL. after installing the deck, i tried to connect up the radio to the new deck. but i coudln't find it in the front area, so i found the preamp for the stock system and ran an antenna extension from a connection i could pull apart and wird it to the front where my aftermarket deck is. it worked at first, but i cant get over the fact that the radio doesn't ever really have that nice quality, is it cuz im re routing the antenna source so much? does anyone know where i can find the antenna outlet in the front of the car? Or is it my antenna, which fails to go up or down anymore and just stays up. should i replace it with a euro style one? and then hope that one comes with a new shorter antenna wire to replace the old and go striaght to my aftermarket deck? help me defeat static!!!

 

[jeff96]

OK still trying to decipher all that

1) Are you saying to your antenna is not hooked up to your radio? It is possible while changning out your cd player that the wire just fell behind something, I would try and trace it from the actuall antenae itself because I'm sure its there, if not you just need a new antenae cable. Your plug for the radio should look like the tip of a set of headphones only larger, its not just a regular cable like everything else.

2) Your antenae isn't going up or down most likely because you did'nt wire your cd player correctly, your antenae has a remote wire that needs to be connected to the same thing your amp is connected to (remote) that way when you turn on your radio it then turns on your amp and should also turn on your antenae.

 

[d0nk3x]

okay sorry, to clarify, ironically, i hooked up the radio to my new deck with a looong extension from the preamp area in the back of the car. the preamp was bypassed when i installed deck/speakers. i can get the radio, its just that its not really that good quality, on my other cars with stock radios, it comes through much clearer. is it cuz other stock cars have worse speakers and adjust to a worse source of input?
i dont really care about my antenna going up or down, i just want the radio to be clear, does anyone know where the antenna feed is in the front dash on 97's or similar explorers in this gen? Or is it an issue of low quality ford stock antenna, and i should jsut switch to a new "euro style" or whatever you guys may suggest type of antenna?
writing was never one of my strong subjects in school -_- sory for the confusion

 

[jeff96]

OK I think your antenae cable is not hooked up, unless things changed for the 97 from my 96 the preamp should have nothing to do with the radio, that is simply bypassing the factory amp. There is a separate plug running from the antenae that plugs directly into the back of the radio, it kind of looks like a single rca plug. When you pulled out your factory radio you should have had to unplug the big patch of cables running into the stereo, plus one single cord (thats your antenae). Right now basically you have no antennae so what your picking up is the strongest of radio stations, probably only getting half of what you use to get right? Just search around behind your radio I'm sure that the antenae plug is there somewhere.

 

[d0nk3x]

okay more clarification haha sorry. my 97 limited came with the audilphile jbl system which had all the parts running to a preamp in the back of the car. they then used non generic wires to wire it all to the front/speakers/etc. the antenna feed in the "rca type" wire went back there, into the preamp and came out in a regualr looking wire. that is the only location with the "rca type." thats why i had to buy an extension.

so, my question is, would buying a new antenna and just hoping the pack that comes with it has an "rca" type feed work for me? that way the "rca type" for the new antenna would be right there in the front.

you may know more than me in this area, but to my best knowledge, without really connecting the antenna to the deck, the deck will pick up stations in the clarity i have or better if im right next to the broadcasting signal antenna haha. im quite sure the signal is getting through. im just wondering if the long lengths of wire are dumbing down the clarity/quality.

thank you a lot for you suggestions and help thus far.

 

[jeff96]

I don't think the distance has anything to do with it, as normally the larger an antennae is the better your signal gets, and technically you adding wire to it made it a longer antenae. I have'nt seen this configuration your talking about before (the rca type connector to a normal wire)

Here is a pic of the antenna I am thinking of (although this one is much shorter)
http://www.jcwhitney.com/wcsstore/jcwhitney/images/imagecache/I1628.gif

And that large piece on the end usually plugs directly into the back of your cd player. Hopefully someone out here who has your setup chimes in.

 

[jeff96]

Here is a good pic
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-gdzkYg...id=morephotos&pi=2&i=12044U105&display=XL#Tab