Re: 1990 Q Coupe radio

[John Greenstreet <jgreenst@motown.ge.com>]

> From quattro-owner@swiss.ans.net Tue Nov  1 08:08:58 1994
> Date: Tue, 1 Nov 94 07:52:00 EST
> From: glen%hera@mail.smc.com (Glen Powell)
 > 
> The ur-Quattros, and I guess the Coupe GT as well, use the amplified radio
> antenna becuase there is not enough clearance with the spare tire to fit
> an up/down-type electric antenna. If you replace the stock radio and do not
> implement something to provide power to the amplified antenna your reception
> will be somewhere between miserable and non-existant. I replaced the up/down
> type antenna in my '84 4000Q with a manual SS unit for like $12 US. It works
> better vs the stock too-short unit. AM reception with a replacement Radio-
> Shack radio is better vs the stock Audi radio. I have a theory that these
> stock Audi radios simply have inferior AM receivers, as FM is where all the
> consumer demand is these days no real priority is placed on the AM quality,
> it's just a "check-off" on the sticker.
> 

It's doubtful that Audi radios, which are generally made by Blaupunkt,
have AM sections inferior to those made by Radio Shack.  More likely
than not, they are the same, since most use the same single-chip
solution for the AM section, making it a real no-brainer for any
manufacturer to implement.

But yes, reception could very easily be better on one radio than
another, and that is because--unlike FM--the radio must be "tuned" to
the antenna for best results.  This is accomplished via a variable
"trimmer" capacitor on the radio's antenna input, which needs to be
tweaked for best reception; this used to be an installation step for
most any auto radio.  However, for all I know, this item may have been
replaced in the Audi radios with a fixed capacitor since the antenna is
a known quantity on a factory-installed radio.  Therefore, AM reception
would certainly suffer with any change to the antenna setup.

But what you say about AM taking a back seat is true--a few years back
a lot of effort was put into AM stereo, and the Becker radios in the
first two Mercedes I owned had excellent AM stereo (and mono)
reception.  The Blaupunkt in the Audi did not decode AM stereo, and
alas, the Becker in my new Benz does not either--I guess that got
ditched when they added weather band reception.

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John Greenstreet, Senior Engineer           (jgreenst@motown.ge.com)
Martin Marietta Government Electronic Systems    Moorestown NJ 08057
WPI Class of '75, Temple Class of '94

My new car history:
  1975    1978    1982       1986        1989      1992      1995
   VW ->  Audi -> Audi  -> Mercedes -> Mercedes -> Audi -> Mercedes
Scirocco Fox GTI  4000S    190E 2.3    190E 2.6    100CS     S320

POSSLQ's* new car history:
         1978       1981       1985      1988        1990     1993
       Triumph ->  Toyota ->  Toyota  ->  VW    ->   Audi  -> Audi
       Spitfire    Tercel     Corolla   Jetta GL      80      90S

*POSSLQ = Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters
Note: All Audis and Mercedes above were sold to friends or family.
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