I just got my tuner module today, and I installed it. I also upgraded the software. There was one thing I was suprised about, the antenna does not go down when listening to the player (mp3). It is so cool to be listening to great music, and people trying to figure out what station you are listening to. I have had many different aftermarket radios installed in my car, and most of them lowered the antenna when listening to cds or minidiscs. There should be an option for this in a settings menu somewhere.

Is this going to be implemented? Or is there not enough of a need for it?

12gig blue MKII w/tuner

Is your antenna connected to the blue antenna control wire on the tuner harness, or to the blue wire on the main empeg harness? It needs to be connected to the blue wire on the tuner extension harness.

If it is connected correctly, then this is likely to be a bug. There are some modes in which the antenna will stay up when listening to mp3s (eg, RDS traffic announce mode) but these aren't implemented yet...

Hugo

Yes, indeed it is connected to the blue wire on the tuner module. This is an annoying bug. I hope this gets fixed soon. Im sure that I will end up snapping my power antenna off in the car wash, while listening to some mp3s. I do beleive that this should be an option, to have it automatically go down while listening to mp3s. Some people change between radio and player a lot, and this may be a nuisance.

12gig blue MKII w/tuner

Im sure that I will end up snapping my power antenna off in the car wash, while listening to some mp3s.

To that problem I recommend my solution: never wash the car. When the layer of dirt become thick enough, it will fall of by itself, and those rotating brushes are bad for paint, anyway...

Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
Q#5196, MkII#80000376, 18GB green

Works for me..

Has anyone else had a problem with the antenna not retracting in MP3 mode?

Rob

In reply to:

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Has anyone else had a problem with the antenna not retracting in MP3 mode?

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Yes, but that's because I have the antenna attached to the blue wire on the empeg sled. I recently started to get problems with my aerial and after investigation found that there was a serated nylon strip inside the aerial unit that was bent and broken which stopped proper operation of my aerial. I've been looking to replace it with a combination unit that will allow me to also attach the aerial for my mobile phone car kit. Nobody seems to stock these in the West Midlands, UK. Anyone got any recommendations/suggestions?

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Steve - 18GB Mk II Sssmokey

Mine doesn't retract, either.

The serated nylon strip is the drive for the aerial - a cog drives it and it pushes the aerial up. You can sometimes buy the telescoping aerial and this drive "cable" separately (handy when some scumbag breaks off your aerial as it is a lot cheaper than the complete unit).

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 26GB blue)

Doing some testing, I've noticed that unless your antenna has a decent current draw (eg, if it has a mosfet input for the control instead of the more usual relay) the voltage may not decay enough to cause the antenna to go down.

If you can, try attaching a 1k resistor between the antenna control line and ground & see if that makes any difference?

Hugo

I've heard from two clients with this problem - the 1k resistor fix has worked in both cases.

--
David
// I'm probably not speaking on behalf of empeg/SONICblue here...

Darn!! Have just thought to look, and mine doesn't retract either!! ('94 Nissan Primera). Oh well, will have a play with the reisister tomorrow I guess.

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 26GB blue)

An other solution is to mount the antenna inside the car.
(on the passenger seat for ex.)

More seriously, when I mounted & tested my tuner, I remember that the diod (red light) on the tuner module was staying always on, either the tuner was activated or not. This could explain your antenna problem. maybe next version...


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David Clesse
Belgium/Luxembourg
Mk2-36g(full)-red-tuner-stick

No, the LED on the tuner should be on whether the unit is in tuner mode or not; it is turned on by the player software when it detects the tuner.

This has nothing to do with the power antenna control, it is a tuner initialised light.

Hugo

OK I understand now...

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David Clesse
Belgium/Luxembourg
Mk2-36g(full)-red-tuner-stick

Can someone eleaborate on the fix? I just installed my MK II (which kicks some serious ass!) and tuner module and my antenna stays up in MP3 mode. Where exactly do I connect the resistor? Also what type of resistor? I am not an electronics guru. Please give as explict instructions as possbile. Thanks in advance.

Steve

It would be a good idea to contact [email protected] for official instructions on how to do it.

my antenna stays up in MP3 mode

You have connected the power antenna wire to the blue wire on the empeg, rather than the blue wire on the tuner extension cable. Connect it to the blue wire on the tuner extension cable and all will be well.

That is not it. The blue wire from the EMPEG is going to my AMP and the blue wire from the tuner harness is going to the stock harness for the power antenna. I think I have the same problem as mentioned above.

Steve

I seem to remember this is the "correct" behaqviour in
Version 1.03. And that it got better in 2.0b3 and even better in 2.0b7...

Marius (Escort Cab + Mark II)

Then why does Hugo mention above that the fix has something to do with installing a 1K resistor? I don't think it is bug but a hardware problem. Help!

Steve

As far as I can tell from Hugos posting, a 1kOhm 1/4W resistor between the antenna control line and ground should do it. Exactly where it is placed is irrelevant as long as it goes between those two things. I'd put it where it's the most convenient; either by the motorized antenna or by the plug that plugs into the tuner module.

Havent looked too close at the plug, but most likely the actual contacts can be removed from the plug, the resistor legs solderd to the appropriate contacts (the crimp area - don't overdo the heat) and the contacts put back into the plug.

The contacts usually (as I said, haven't looked to closely at this specific thing) have a small tongue that needs to be depressed with a really tiny screwdriver (jewelers type) or needle or somesuch to be able to be pulled out of the plug...

You could also put it in somewhere where you connect these wires anyway - like where you connect the blue tuner wire to the cars wiring - just make sure it's goes between antenna control and ground.

Probably a good idea to isolate the legs of the resistor with heatshrink tubing.

/Michael

Update. I installed the resistor (1K .25W) this weekend and my power antenna now does down in MP3 mode. Maybe one for the FAQ? Thanks everyone for the help and especially David from support.

Steve

Maybe one for the FAQ?

Yes. Done. Thank you.