DAB antenna placement

**furfurfur** · 03-12-2012,01:32 PM

I have just purchased a DAB unit to retrofit to my A6 Saloon. It comes with an aftermarket film antenna and booster module. Seems to be manufactured by JVC.

I planned to fit it to the rear side panel window (small window) which is above the all the MMI Nav equipment where the radio will go. The instructions specifically say not to install on a side window though. This seems strange to me!

Has anyone else done this? Were the results from the side window OK? See pics of antenna and instructions below...

**johnsimcox** · 03-12-2012,02:44 PM

Could be that their instructions not to fit to the side are simply to avoid the wire breaking with the door being opened and closed rather than for any reception reason. On the A6 Avant the DAB aerial is on the LH glass in the load area so having an aerial on the side should not be a problem. On the saloon it is part of the rear window wiring. An alternative would be place it low down on the rear window where it would be out of sight of driver, being hidden by the rear headrest.

**apole** · 05-12-2012,12:23 AM

Hi,

Got exactly the same DAB aerial as you. Did some experiments on best position before sticking aerial down properly. I found best place wasn't quarter light glass at all. Looking from rear of car forwards (ie standing behind boot looking to front of car) best place was upper left hand side of rear screen so black tab goes towards LHS of car into C pillar. Easy also to route cable. The black tab is actually an earth according to instructions. I used a spring loaded insulated connector from maplins to connect this to an earth although to be fair the earth didn't appear to make a difference so suspect this comes from DAB tuner anyway.

Mount it vertically so elements go up and down not side to side.

This gave best reception.

Hope this helps.

Andy

**furfurfur** · 07-12-2012,06:42 PM

All done - I actually did end up placing it on the read quarter panel on the passenger side. I was worried about the heated window elements on the main screen getting in the way.

Very happy with DAB and have been on planet ROCK all week

**neilos100** · 08-12-2012,03:01 AM

Originally Posted by johnsimcox

Could be that their instructions not to fit to the side are simply to avoid the wire breaking with the door being opened and closed rather than for any reception reason. On the A6 Avant the DAB aerial is on the LH glass in the load area so having an aerial on the side should not be a problem. On the saloon it is part of the rear window wiring. An alternative would be place it low down on the rear window where it would be out of sight of driver, being hidden by the rear headrest.

Been researching this after my radio unit got wet and died

and the DAB aerial in the Avant is factory fitted regardless of whether the DAB radio is actually specified. Its also located n the right-hand window glass in the boot as you look from the rear of the car....its opposite the analogue aerial which is in the left glass. On the saloon, it's not fitted as standard and its location is the rear RHS quarter lightt. In the Avant you can see the three electrical connections needed for the wiring to the DAB amplifier.

Neil
NB....please note correction....saloon aerial location for DAB is rear RHS quarter light.
Sorry...was late when I was typing last night!

**Guest 2** · 08-12-2012,08:04 AM

Originally Posted by neilos100

Been researching this after my radio unit got wet and died

and the DAB aerial in the Avant is factory fitted regardless of whether the DAB radio is actually specified. Its also located n the right-hand window glass in the boot as you look from the rear of the car....its opposite the analogue aerial which is in the left glass. On the saloon, it's not fitted as standard and its location is the rear LHS quarter light. In the Avant you can see the three electrical connections needed for the wiring to the DAB amplifier.

Neil

Correct!

Does anyone know how easy (ha!) it is to remove the rear quarter window on a saloon? Tempted to do the dab upgrade again, this time properly.

**neilos100** · 08-12-2012,11:41 AM

Chris....there is a thread on here somewhere where somebody did the same thing as you want to do.....they got autoglass or someone to remove old one and fit new. I'll try and find it when I can get on the PC.

Neil

Sent from my phone...

**Guest 2** · 08-12-2012,10:01 PM

Thanks Neil - if I could get the window changed, I'd keep DAB whereas I removed it because of poor reception in my town but hoping the proper aerial will boost it!

**ragebe** · 14-12-2012,11:02 AM

I'm just reading through the replies and it seems that there is DAB aerial factory fitted already, would this be correct for a 2006 55 plate A6? I've got a Pure Highway and the signal in the West Hants/East Dorset area (think New Forest) is poor and the supplied window fit antenna isn't up to the job, so I've bought a magnetic, external aerial which does a magnificent job but of course entails wires through doors and across the cabin, not ideal. If the factory-fitted antenna is a superior quality, then I'd like to swap to using that.

Also, the magnetic aerial will scratch your paintwork, mine has a business card under tha base now.

**furfurfur** · 14-12-2012,11:10 AM

There is a sticky thread up top which details the addition of DAB to an Avant. The Avant DOES have the window antenna built in, but as far as I'm aware not the signal booster or cabling to actually use it, so you would still need a few things.

How does the Pure integrate to your car system out of interest?

If you're going to go down that route you may as well retrofit the proper Audi DAB unit for full MMI integration...