radio

[flower man]

I just had a new radio fitted to my van and when I picked it up it works for the local stations, the next morning when I wanted different ones I could not get anything. took it back and there talking about an amplifier on the aerial, do they have amplified aerial cos the new aerial is not. very puzzled it is not a dab but an FM but the old one is an FM but works the new one is Bluetooth. Advice, please.

[MattD]

Slightly confused by your post, the old aerial should be compatible with the new radio, I assume they haven't put in a complete new aerial have they?

[flower man]

yes new everything only it's not dab

[MattD]

Not sure why they've done that to be honest. The standard Ford aerial is more than capable of being used with an aftermarket radio, I have a Sony one in mine that is connected without issue. I can only assume they've fitted a crap aerial or haven't connected it up properly.

[Steve192]

I’m sure I’ve read in the past that the standard ford Ariel is crap. At least mine is. Struggles to pick up any radio station. I use a radio app on my phone and bluetooth it to my head unit.

[MattD]

Maybe I'm just lucky as mine seems excellent. I changed the aerial (just the bit that unwinds on the roof, not the base) when I bought the van as it was all split and looked like a chimney sweep's brush. Despite that it still worked well though.

[flower man]

the radio reception was rubbish so I had a new aerial fitted, and a blue tooth radio so it could with my phone. I did some googling about car aerials and they said that some aerials will need an amplifier, so I was wondering If transits needed the same, it may not.

[MattD]

I understand. The transit doesn't necessarily need an amplified aerial, but if you've had a new one fitted, including new cabling from aerial to radio, and hasn't improved, then there's nothing to lose. Should be easy to fit too as your new radio will more than likely have a +12v output wire which can be used to power the amplifier when the radio is on.