2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

stumped on stock radio replacement

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 01:32 PM
  #1  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
stumped on stock radio replacement

hey all so i wanted to put back in my stock radio, i took the entire radio apart to just have the FM/AM radio section because i wanted to put other stuff in there.
According this this site:

http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/Mazda-Wiring.pdf

i have wired the (+) volt battery and the (+) 12v ignition wire to the correct locations and grounded the radio with a screw and wire with it attached to the car ground.

problem is that i can't get any radio reception. I actually here some radio stations VERY faintly but when i crank it up the static just increases...

Do i have a problem with my deck or antenna or something? i'm very confused..............

can anyone help?
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 01:54 PM
  #2  
Jpk3200's Avatar
Jpk3200
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 824
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, TX
Have you checked the Body Electrical section of the FSM?
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 01:56 PM
  #3  
misterstyx69's Avatar
Retired Moderator, RIP
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (142)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 25,581
Likes: 136
From: Smiths Falls.(near Ottawa!.Mapquest IT!)
did you put on the Antenna Wire?
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 01:57 PM
  #4  
MazdaMike02's Avatar
Mazda Tech
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,589
Likes: 1
From: Tottenham, ON
Plug in the antenna wire properly. Or if you have a power antenna make sure its extended.
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 02:24 PM
  #5  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
i only have 1 antenna, a solid mast antenna and i did plug it in(the thick black cable right?), still not a very strong radio reception...

sorry what's a FSM?
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 03:22 PM
  #6  
JCurry's Avatar
Shpee
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,948
Likes: 0
From: Tx
FSM=Factory Service Manual
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 03:25 PM
  #7  
freemanrx7's Avatar
^Hold On
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,331
Likes: 1
From: eureka
There should be 2 plug-ins for the Antenna. Anybody know what the other one is for?
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 05:39 PM
  #8  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
no i didn't check the FSM, I thought it would be a quite straight forward install just can't get a clear reception =(
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 06:26 PM
  #9  
mike_merryguy's Avatar
suck me beautiful
Tenured Member 05 Years
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,243
Likes: 0
From: San Clemente
the second ant wire is the stock wire in the windshield for AM on the stock head unit, did you have good reception with the stock head unit?
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 07:05 PM
  #10  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
huh? there was no stock unit, and i just want fm radio.... so i don't know if there was good reception before or not
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 07:06 PM
  #11  
RAWRX7's Avatar
Full Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix AZ
1st do you have a power antenna? if you do the power antenna wire will not work from a after market deck. the power antenna works off a negative pulse as to the after market deck sends a pos pulse. that might be why you cant pick up any stations. worst case you have to jump the power antenna wire to a ground and then unplug it so its always up.
the best thing to do is get a relay to switch the output.
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 07:10 PM
  #12  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
RAWRX7 - thanks for the reply.. when i said i was replacing the stock deck i meant i'm replacing the stock deck with a stock deck.... and i have a solid mast antenna.. i don't think it applies if i have the power antenna connected on the stock deck or not... right?
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 07:52 PM
  #13  
Icemark's Avatar
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
 
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 24
From: Rohnert Park CA
Originally Posted by mike_merryguy
the second ant wire is the stock wire in the windshield for AM on the stock head unit, did you have good reception with the stock head unit?
No, that is not correct.

The windshield antenna only works with the Factory radio's that had FM diversity tuning and the dual antennas was only found on mid level and up models (not strippy base models).

FM diversity was basically a FM radio that used two inputs, and (in very simple layman's terms) "switched" between antennas (comparing signals) to provide less reception drift and better overall FM and HD reception. Almost all new car FM radios and antennas for the last 5 years have been diversity systems, yet the FC had it 22+ years ago.

The windshield diversity antenna had nothing to do with AM at all. Only the Mast at the back of the car picked up AM (hence the total lack of AM reception if your power antenna is not up or busted).

And for those that don't know for the best possible AM reception, you want the tallest antenna you can get, but for the best FM reception you want 31.5 inches of mast and the height does not matter as much as the length does.
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:03 PM
  #14  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
so does that mean my stock radio is shot? nothing else i can do to make it work? i really like this half din radio. saves alot of space =)
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 09:15 PM
  #15  
mike_merryguy's Avatar
suck me beautiful
Tenured Member 05 Years
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,243
Likes: 0
From: San Clemente
No, that is not correct.

The windshield antenna only works with the Factory radio's that had FM diversity tuning and the dual antennas was only found on mid level and up models (not strippy base models).

FM diversity was basically a FM radio that used two inputs, and (in very simple layman's terms) "switched" between antennas (comparing signals) to provide less reception drift and better overall FM and HD reception. Almost all new car FM radios and antennas for the last 5 years have been diversity systems, yet the FC had it 22+ years ago.

The windshield diversity antenna had nothing to do with AM at all. Only the Mast at the back of the car picked up AM (hence the total lack of AM reception if your power antenna is not up or busted).

And for those that don't know for the best possible AM reception, you want the tallest antenna you can get, but for the best FM reception you want 31.5 inches of mast and the height does not matter as much as the length does.
my bad didn't mean to pass mis information, just what i was told.. learn something new everyday... thanks for the intel..

so you have confused me.. you had a radio.. took it out.. put other 'stuff' in there, and now you want the FM tuner back so you took off the lower section of the radio???

i'm lost...
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 09:17 PM
  #16  
bboyclo's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 15 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 409
Likes: 2
From: Redmond, WA
the archive has the wire info
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 09:34 PM
  #17  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
mike_merryguy

When i got the car it had nothing in there, I got a hold of the stock radio and took it apart because i just wanted the FM/AM radio. I wanted to put other stuff in there meaning that i wanted to put in a pocket in there and i have some other electronic gadget's i want to fill in the remaining space with. Hence why i wanted a half din radio as a bare minimum for my music.. And yes i took off the lower section EQ and TAPE deck are gone...

thanks for your patience =)
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 09:49 PM
  #18  
mike_merryguy's Avatar
suck me beautiful
Tenured Member 05 Years
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,243
Likes: 0
From: San Clemente
ok makes sense, like Icemark said not all 7's came with the dual ant, maybe the head unit you found requires the two ant's and is not functioning due to this fact, did the new head unit have two ant inputs?
Reply
Old Apr 24, 2008 | 10:06 PM
  #19  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
yes actually my new stock unit has 2 radio connectors, but according to iceman, it doesn't matter which antenna i connect to, because they will flip between the 2 and choose the strongest right? and i don't think there's anything wrong with my solid mast antenna...
Reply
Old Apr 25, 2008 | 01:03 AM
  #20  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
i'll borrow my friends longer antenna and see if that helps.

Also i just read somewhere that some cars have antenna boosters from the window part, does my car have that?
Reply
Old Apr 25, 2008 | 11:28 AM
  #21  
freemanrx7's Avatar
^Hold On
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,331
Likes: 1
From: eureka
Originally Posted by geromichi
mike_merryguy

When i got the car it had nothing in there, I got a hold of the stock radio and took it apart because i just wanted the FM/AM radio. I wanted to put other stuff in there meaning that i wanted to put in a pocket in there and i have some other electronic gadget's i want to fill in the remaining space with. Hence why i wanted a half din radio as a bare minimum for my music.. And yes i took off the lower section EQ and TAPE deck are gone...

thanks for your patience =)


I think this is your problem. Try putting it all back together and see if it works. This factory radio must be all connected in some way.
Reply
Old Apr 25, 2008 | 01:11 PM
  #22  
RAWRX7's Avatar
Full Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix AZ
If you need another fact radio let me know i have one i can sell you.
Reply
Old Apr 25, 2008 | 01:20 PM
  #23  
geromichi's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: canada
hey guys i actually got it to work thanks to freeman! thanks man

but i'm not gonna use it i'm gonna throw it away... when i got it to work there was a enormous amount of static i just couldn't bear!

i think i'm going to just hook up my ipod for the time being till i figure out something else i want to do.

thanks for all the help guys.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Th0m4s
Build Threads
25
Feb 26, 2019 02:04 AM
sYnth.
Build Threads
0
Aug 19, 2015 06:27 PM
Joe428
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
16
Aug 19, 2015 06:24 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:04 AM.