C5 radio reception

michael maurice · Post by **michael maurice** » 08 Jul 2010, 16:02

The radio reception is very very poor on my C5 estate 52 plate. i suspect that the aerial that is mounted on the roof has an internal amplifier and that is whats gone wrong.

Can anyone verify please?

Michael

dnsey · Post by **dnsey** » 08 Jul 2010, 16:30

The aerial does indeed have an amplifier in its base, powered via the downlead. It's worth checking that there's 12V betewn the core and braid of the lead, but the fault's probably in the amp itself. I had the same problem, and had hoped to fix the amp, but it's all surface-mount stuff, which I detest working with, so I'll probably knock up my own amp in its place. If you have built-in GPS, the factory amp does these signals too, which makes a self-built amp a whole different matter...
BTW, the aerial is held on by a large nut, accessible through the aperture for teh rear interior light - easy to remove, but annoyingly fiddly to refit, as everything has to be aligned, and there's not enough room to get your hand in properly

michael maurice · Post by **michael maurice** » 08 Jul 2010, 17:43

Thank you very much for that info, I shall be buying one in the near future.

Julz · Post by **Julz** » 12 Jul 2010, 13:12

Mine has a similar problem, I'm getting a lot of cross channel interference when the signal tends to get a bit weak. I suspected a coroded joint, as I didn't realise there was an amp. Best get my meter out.

michael maurice · Post by **michael maurice** » 12 Jul 2010, 22:48

last week someone gave me the old base unit that they had replaced on a Peugeot, it was exactly the same as the Citroen s.

I opened it up to find the PCB was corroded, so I bought a new one from Citroen for about £45 inc VAT with the intention of fitting it myself later this week.

However what you could do it open yours up, and thoroughly clean the PCB's inside which is the amplifier with some solvent cleaner. I use this product: http://cpc.farnell.com/electrolube/flu2 ... /SAFLU200D to do this job.

After you've cleaned it up, use a magnifier to check if any tracks or components are still corroded or damaged. If so fit a new base unit. If not use some Dow Corning silicon sealant on the boards, but NOT where it connects to the aerial itself, let the sealant set and refit the base unit to the car.

it it still doesn't work then time to fit a new base unit.

michael maurice · Post by **michael maurice** » 18 Jul 2010, 12:45

A new base unit solved the problem.