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What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need?
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vwwestyman
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PostPosted: Wed May 05, 2021 11:04 am    Post subject: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

I finally got around to ordering this antenna:
https://www.amazon.com/AntennaMastsRus-Retractable-Compatible-Volkswagen-1992-2003/dp/B00KC70K3I

As pictured in the ad, the cable that comes with it has a screw end at the radio side.

My original antenna has a flat push-on style. It is easy to find adaptors to adapt the flat push on style to the "standard" aftermarket radio plug.

And the original antenna wire would attach to the new antenna, and not use the included cable.

My problem is, the antenna end of the original cable broke off!

SO I need to either find a source of the original style cable with a screw-on plug on the antenna side and flat end on the radio side

OR

I need to find an adapter that will screw onto the end of the new cable.

Does anyone have a lead on either?

Thanks
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MrPulldown
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PostPosted: Wed May 05, 2021 11:48 am    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

I just went through this and couldn't find the right cable so I reused the old one, which looks like this:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

What does everyone else do?


I think the threaded portion is called a DAB.

Looks like something like this would work. This adaptor is not very common though. This is the only one I have found.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162787759791?hash=item25e6e816af:g:D5oAAOSwyYFaAqRc

Then you would need one of these.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/271158769160?hash=item3f22527608:g:PHUAAOxy9bxRzL6z

Then an extension somewhere in there.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/281190243204?hash=item41783e9b84:g:RSIAAMXQdGJRy3vE
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vwwestyman
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PostPosted: Wed May 05, 2021 3:10 pm    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

I'm not sure the first adapter you show would work. It looks like a coax cable connector like for TVs and internet. The diameter seems to be nearly the same, but the threads are different.

Did you happen to find a source for the original cable? I couldn't even find that with my searching.

After stopping at three car stereo shops today looking for some kind of adapter, I ended up buying a more standard adapter simply to get a pigtail with the end to match my new(er) radio.

I then chopped the weird end off the wire that came with the antenna (since the antenna end of my original wire was roasted) and chopped the end off the pigtail, and splicing the two together. Now the new wire plugs directly into the radio.

Reception is improved for sure, but not quite as good as I'd hoped.

If I could find a good replacement for the original cable, I'd prefer that.
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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 11:31 am    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

Eureka
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/202958167000?_trkparms=ai...%7Ciid%3A1
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vwwestyman
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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 1:54 pm    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

Nope. The end has male threads. As does the radio end of the wire I originally bought.

Meanwhile, my cobbling ends together seems to be working pretty fine. The reception isn't quite what I was hoping for. I'm not sure if that is some flaw with my soldering, or if it is maybe the fact that the stereo cost $17...

I may, at some point, find a replacement factory Eurovan cable with the female threaded antenna side and push on radio connector, and use the little adapter I originally bought.

But for now, what I have works fine.
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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 2:22 pm    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

vwwestyman wrote:
Nope. The end has male threads. As does the radio end of the wire I originally bought.

Meanwhile, my cobbling ends together seems to be working pretty fine. The reception isn't quite what I was hoping for. I'm not sure if that is some flaw with my soldering, or if it is maybe the fact that the stereo cost $17...

I may, at some point, find a replacement factory Eurovan cable with the female threaded antenna side and push on radio connector, and use the little adapter I originally bought.

But for now, what I have works fine.


Dang. Thought I had it.

On a similar note I just installed a powered FM signal booster in line with my antenna and and it really helped the cheap aftermarket stereo I installed get decent reception.
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vwwestyman
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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 2:28 pm    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

Good to know it was helpful for you! I thought about getting one.

Though honestly, I mostly listen to podcasts via the bluetooth nowadays. But on occasion I want the radio too! (Especially listening to sports.)
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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 3:42 pm    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

I can't let this go. Found it, but it is a used Porsche connector. $95!!!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114794411485?_trkparms=is...%3A2334524

Dang this should not be that hard.
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vwwestyman
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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 8:42 pm    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

That would do it.

But not for $95!

It would be easy if the antenna seller just included a proper wire.
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VanGeek
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 3:10 pm    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

Encountered this same issue and didn't see a solution here -- so sharing how I handled it. Hope this may help others... My original antenna was working but very wobbly and tired. I found all the available new antenna replacements have the odd coax connector which seems incompatible with nearly everything. I acquired my weekender with a single-din alpine radio installed and the PO (or his installer) cluged the fitment of a standard auto antenna connector -- seemed to work ok and I could get decent although not stellar radio reception.

I found some standard automotive audio antenna connectors available online https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQFX4TCG, clipped the original connector off the new antenna, and mounted the new connector. No special tools required. Tested the new antenna and connection and it works great -- reception is strong! See photos below for more info.

The approach used by my weekender's PO. They twisted and soldered the center wire, twisted the outer sheath conductor, wrapped it with electrical tape and a zip tie. Not pretty, but it worked ok...
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Original connector that came with my new antenna
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Carefully removed outer plastic, peeled back the outer conductor/sheath, trimmed the plastic surrounding the inner wire, and test-fit into the connector until the sheath was aligned with the connector crimp and the wire barely extended thru the hole in the connector tip
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Inserted into connector, crimped to the outer conductor. slid the protective cover over the crimped end, and soldered the wire to the tip of the connector
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


For good measure, applied shrink tubing to the back half of the connector and the antenna cable and gave it a gentle ~90 degree bend while heating and cooling the shrink tube. All-done!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
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vwwestyman
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:22 pm    Post subject: Re: What the Hell Kinda Antenna Adapter do I Need? Reply with quote

That looks nice, thanks for sharing!

In my old post, I speculated that my poor radio reception was possibly due to either my connection, or that the radio I was using cost me $17.

Turns out, it was the crappy radio!

Last fall, shortly before the transmission crapped out, I swapped in a nice, new VDO radio. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78427

And it had much much better radio reception! Moved that radio to the replacement Eurovan just before it was crashed into. Now waiting for the body shop to get it fixed up.
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