Can someone tell me how many wires are supposed to go into the amplified bee 
sting aerial commonly found in VAG hatch backs (e.g. a 2001 A3).

I've lost radio reception in mine and I suspect the amplifier in the aerial 
base is gone. So I unscrewed the aerial base and opened it up. Now all I can 
see going into the base is a single core black wire... no co-ax and no power 
wire. So could it be that the radio signal + power is carried by a single 
wire???


Before opening it up I picked up an amplified bee sting aerial (universal 
fit for VW/Vauxhall etc..) from GSF carparts, but this one contains a 
coaxial cable + a red power lead going into the amplified base.

Very confused?????
DT

In article <428e69c7$0$4095$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>, Don Turner 
says...

> Can someone tell me how many wires are supposed to go into the amplified bee 
> sting aerial commonly found in VAG hatch backs (e.g. a 2001 A3).
> 
> I've lost radio reception in mine and I suspect the amplifier in the aerial 
> base is gone. So I unscrewed the aerial base and opened it up. Now all I can 
> see going into the base is a single core black wire... no co-ax and no power 
> wire. So could it be that the radio signal + power is carried by a single 
> wire???
> 
Yes.

> Before opening it up I picked up an amplified bee sting aerial (universal 
> fit for VW/Vauxhall etc..) from GSF carparts, but this one contains a 
> coaxial cable + a red power lead going into the amplified base.
> 
> Very confused?????


Simply take the red wire to a +ve feed. It'll use the ground of the 
aerial to supply 0V.

Slightly related...you may want to check that the grounding area of the 
existing antenna isn't corroded.

-- 
Conor

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." O.Osbourne.

"Conor"  wrote in message 
news:MPG.1cf911586b416777989c01@news.individual.net...

> In article <428e69c7$0$4095$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>, Don Turner
> says...
>> Can someone tell me how many wires are supposed to go into the amplified 
>> bee
>> sting aerial commonly found in VAG hatch backs (e.g. a 2001 A3).
>>
>> I've lost radio reception in mine and I suspect the amplifier in the 
>> aerial
>> base is gone. So I unscrewed the aerial base and opened it up. Now all I 
>> can
>> see going into the base is a single core black wire... no co-ax and no 
>> power
>> wire. So could it be that the radio signal + power is carried by a single
>> wire???
>>
> Yes.
>
>> Before opening it up I picked up an amplified bee sting aerial (universal
>> fit for VW/Vauxhall etc..) from GSF carparts, but this one contains a
>> coaxial cable + a red power lead going into the amplified base.
>>
>> Very confused?????
>
> Simply take the red wire to a +ve feed. It'll use the ground of the
> aerial to supply 0V.
>
> Slightly related...you may want to check that the grounding area of the
> existing antenna isn't corroded.


The whole circuit board of the existing antenna looks coroded and is covered 
in white powdery residue. I might try and take it out and spray it liberally 
with contact cleaner and then re-solder all the dull joints. I just wanted 
to make sure that there were no other wires going into the base, because its 
possible that a corroded wire may have come loose and disapeared into the 
headlining of the car.

Cheers

In article <428f2b77$0$24452$da0feed9@news.zen.co.uk>, Don Turner 
says...

> 
> "Conor"  wrote in message 
> news:MPG.1cf911586b416777989c01@news.individual.net...
> > In article <428e69c7$0$4095$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>, Don Turner
> > says...
> >> Can someone tell me how many wires are supposed to go into the amplified 
> >> bee
> >> sting aerial commonly found in VAG hatch backs (e.g. a 2001 A3).
> >>
> >> I've lost radio reception in mine and I suspect the amplifier in the 
> >> aerial
> >> base is gone. So I unscrewed the aerial base and opened it up. Now all I 
> >> can
> >> see going into the base is a single core black wire... no co-ax and no 
> >> power
> >> wire. So could it be that the radio signal + power is carried by a single
> >> wire???
> >>
> > Yes.
> >
> >> Before opening it up I picked up an amplified bee sting aerial (universal
> >> fit for VW/Vauxhall etc..) from GSF carparts, but this one contains a
> >> coaxial cable + a red power lead going into the amplified base.
> >>
> >> Very confused?????
> >
> > Simply take the red wire to a +ve feed. It'll use the ground of the
> > aerial to supply 0V.
> >
> > Slightly related...you may want to check that the grounding area of the
> > existing antenna isn't corroded.
> 
> The whole circuit board of the existing antenna looks coroded and is covered 
> in white powdery residue.


That's water getting in.


> I might try and take it out and spray it liberally 
> with contact cleaner and then re-solder all the dull joints.


Give it a good scrub with a toothbrush. Shouldn't need soldering. Water 
got into my cars remote central locking unit and it was similar to your 
description. 10 minutes scraping the powder off cured it.


-- 
Conor

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." O.Osbourne.