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couchsachraga
Member Since: 04 Jun 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 12
  
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Before I trace the antenna coax back from the center console to the antenna on the roof, does anyone know where the phone box is (likely a Nokia unit I believe)? This would be the unit that the antenna wire comes in to, then exits as the cable that goes to the center console....
Likewise, is there a good resource for popping different panels off? I've had good luck figuring them out so far, but it would be easier and less nerve racking if I know how to uncover all the bits....
Thank you in advance.
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 18th Jun 2008 5:33 pm |
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Ken
Member Since: 20 Feb 2006
Location: Here
Posts: 10865
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in the rear cargo area ISTR in the UK on the RHS ie same side as our steering wheel 
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| 18th Jun 2008 7:30 pm |
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couchsachraga
Member Since: 04 Jun 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 12
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Thank you! I found the unit easy enough...but the setup I'm still trying to get my mind around....it appears the Cell Phone uses the antenna for the Sirius radio? (the antenna cable goes to the Sirius box, then two orange encased wires go to the Nokia unit that are separate from the rest of the harness). I don't see any other antenna inputs on the Nokia box, which confuses me a bit (unless this is the Bluetooth unit, and it's separate from the built in PTI unit?)...or is there another box, or no box and the antenna wire runs straight to the console?
I'm guessing at this point my best bet is to cut (and put in a new connector type I can use) the antenna wire that's behind the cigarette lighter / Aux stereo input in the center console. My only concern is if this is not the correct connection, or is reverse polarity, it may fry the phone. Any insights would be appreciated!
Thanks again for the heads up on where the unit is. Any info as per the antenna set up would be greatly appreciated!
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| 19th Jun 2008 1:58 am |
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wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
  
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Dont cut the orange wires  these are the fiber optic wires ...
What are you actually trying to do ?
Send me as pm with an email address and i will send you some documentation on how its set up G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
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| 19th Jun 2008 6:00 am |
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couchsachraga
Member Since: 04 Jun 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 12
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PM sent! Thank you for your kind offer of assistance. In short I'm trying to connect a non-nokia phone to ONLY the external antenna (I'll continue using bluetooth to interface with the vehicle). Much more detail in the PM.
THank you!
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| 19th Jun 2008 1:13 pm |
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PaulP
Member Since: 04 May 2007
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 4317
  
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couchsachraga wrote:In short I'm trying to connect a non-nokia phone to ONLY the external antenna (I'll continue using bluetooth to interface with the vehicle).
I hope this isn't a stupid question because you've obviously got a reason for wanting the hack into the external antenna, but why not just use your phone's internal antenna and save yourself a lot of messing about?
The use of the external antenna is a nice 'extra' when you plug the phone into the cradle for charging etc, but I don't think it makes that much difference to the signal strength 
I'm not critiscising in any way, but you seem to be going to a lot of trouble for what could be very little benefit....or am I missing something? 2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto Buckingham Blue
2007 Golf GT DSG
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| 19th Jun 2008 1:53 pm |
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couchsachraga
Member Since: 04 Jun 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 12
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Excellent question!
In "normal" areas your right...an external antenna doesn't add much...the signal is already strong enough.
In "marginal" or "marginal at best" areas, it adds quite a bit. I have an antenna on my other rover (a '68 SIIa), and it can make a HUGE difference (as in not enough signal strength / no signal to a solid enough signal for a conversation). I also know that in terms of other frequencies (lower - Ham radio) the signal strength outside the vehicle is generally 10-20 times better than inside the vehicle.
I also know of folks who have been able to use the cradle and test the antenna...and have been able to receive and send calls on a cradles phone...but not on an identical phone on the same network in the same vehicle at the same time that was not connected to the antenna.
For the curious the cradle doesn't have an antenna connection to the phone - the cradle itself is an inductive coupler (something that was new to me).
A bit more tracing of the lines, and I think I'll have a good idea of what's going on....special thanks to Wiggs for the help 8)
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| 19th Jun 2008 11:17 pm |
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couchsachraga
Member Since: 04 Jun 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 12
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Well, I'm back from my tour to the western US...GREAT trip, and only 1 problem with the Rover (loose roof rails).
The phone setup worked GREAT!
For those that are wondering, there is an antenna connection behind the rear/ center passengers cigarette lighter / aux. input for the stereo (Fakra SMB, a european coax "standard" apparently - most satellite radio places in the US are aware of them at least). This pulls right out (the lighter unit), and you can easily access the connection. I picked up a pigtail for a Volvo with a Fakra SMB that will work (Metra/Antennaworks part 40-VL20 for Volvo) and cut the end off I didn't need and had a local place crimp on a female FME connection (similar to most cell phone antennas in the US)- now I can use any of my pigtail adapters to go from the FME connection to my phone (alternativewireless has a good selection in the US).
What did this mean for reception? Well, my wife and I both have Verizon Wireless (for better or worse...), and there were many places I could make a call where she could not, or where I had "Good" reception (enough to make a call) and she did not. Just to check the phones I unplugged the antenna from my phone, and my reception dropped to her phone's level.
I don't know if this voids any of the warranty's or not, so if you try it it's at your own risk...but it's worked for me.
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| 9th Aug 2008 1:07 pm |
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