Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
So I finally got around to installing the aftermarket head unit in my 2007 4runner. It's something I'd wanted to do for a while, since the factory unit is pretty basic (while it does have an audio input for an iPod, it does not have Bluetooth, nor a USB port, nor does it have RDS - Radio Data System - which most modern stereos have.)
I chose the Kenwood DPX500BT. I was going to get a unit with a touch screen and a backup camera, but ultimately I decided that wasn't something I 'needed' and the expense was too much.
I ordered it from Crutchfield, even though I have not installed a stereo in a car in years, because I'd heard so many good comments about how helpful they are in assisting people in installing their own stereos. Sure enough, I ran into a few difficulties but their excellent customer service reps talked me through it. So the head unit is installed and seems to work fine.
Except for one thing: AM reception is terrible. And by terrible I mean virtually non-existent. Even in the middle of the city I can barely get a powerful station that I sometimes listen to.
Now, FM seems to work very well and the other features work fine, too.
I understand the 4th gen has two "in-glass" antennas in the rear side windows, one is for AM and one is for FM. But I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to improve my AM reception. I don't listen to AM a lot when I'm at home, but when I'm traveling I like to at least have the capability because it's not unusual in the great expanses of the West to be outside of FM range (FM is Line-of-Sight, while AM is not and at night AM will bounce off the upper layer of the atmosphere and back to earth, allowing you to listen to AM broadcasts from hundreds of miles away if the atmospheric conditions are right.)
Because weather and news are often on AM, I consider it important to be able to at least "stay informed" by having some access to AM.
I've seen discussion on other boards basically saying that manufacturers are cutting corners on the AM receiver portion of a head unit, but I find that a little hard to believe - after all, it's not like it's difficult. I'm just wondering if there's something I did when hooking up the unit to compromise my AM capability.
There were two wires with plugs that plugged into the back of my factory head unit. One of them went to the AUX plug that is in the center console, the other one was (presumably) the antenna. I tried plugging both of them in but one of them was way too small to "lock" in, and I presumed that was the AUX cable. The other one fit snugly and I pressed it in as far as it would go.
The fact that I have FM seems to indicate to me that I have a good antenna connection, so I'm stumped. Any ideas? Anyone else have AM RX problems with an aftermarket head unit?
Thanks in advance! :ylsmoke:
I chose the Kenwood DPX500BT. I was going to get a unit with a touch screen and a backup camera, but ultimately I decided that wasn't something I 'needed' and the expense was too much.
I ordered it from Crutchfield, even though I have not installed a stereo in a car in years, because I'd heard so many good comments about how helpful they are in assisting people in installing their own stereos. Sure enough, I ran into a few difficulties but their excellent customer service reps talked me through it. So the head unit is installed and seems to work fine.
Except for one thing: AM reception is terrible. And by terrible I mean virtually non-existent. Even in the middle of the city I can barely get a powerful station that I sometimes listen to.
Now, FM seems to work very well and the other features work fine, too.
I understand the 4th gen has two "in-glass" antennas in the rear side windows, one is for AM and one is for FM. But I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to improve my AM reception. I don't listen to AM a lot when I'm at home, but when I'm traveling I like to at least have the capability because it's not unusual in the great expanses of the West to be outside of FM range (FM is Line-of-Sight, while AM is not and at night AM will bounce off the upper layer of the atmosphere and back to earth, allowing you to listen to AM broadcasts from hundreds of miles away if the atmospheric conditions are right.)
Because weather and news are often on AM, I consider it important to be able to at least "stay informed" by having some access to AM.
I've seen discussion on other boards basically saying that manufacturers are cutting corners on the AM receiver portion of a head unit, but I find that a little hard to believe - after all, it's not like it's difficult. I'm just wondering if there's something I did when hooking up the unit to compromise my AM capability.
There were two wires with plugs that plugged into the back of my factory head unit. One of them went to the AUX plug that is in the center console, the other one was (presumably) the antenna. I tried plugging both of them in but one of them was way too small to "lock" in, and I presumed that was the AUX cable. The other one fit snugly and I pressed it in as far as it would go.
The fact that I have FM seems to indicate to me that I have a good antenna connection, so I'm stumped. Any ideas? Anyone else have AM RX problems with an aftermarket head unit?
Thanks in advance! :ylsmoke:
