window antenna question

[EdsCruisin]

OK, I was just perusing the FSM, looking for a dash lighting circuit and found the radio troubleshooting page. My radio has horrible reception and I have about forgotten it exists except as an amplifier for the iPod.

Long story short - the FSM refers to a right rear quarter window defogger circuit that doubles as an antenna. This is the second antenna wire coming out of the radio. However, I don't have a defogger circuit in either quarter window. Is that normal? Is my 100 missing a standard part, or was that an option?

Oh and by the way, what is the part number for the "D" indicator bulb in the combo meter?

 

[SINCITY100]

Oh, great.. you decide to ask for a part# after I`ve already gotten home and am drinking a cold beer !

Well, if nobody answers your question by tomorrow... I`ll chime in.

As far as the antenna question goes, I`m pretty sure that some year 100`s have a "diversity antenna" in the 1/4 glass, but I would have to check on that as well.


I`m going back to my beer now

 

[EdsCruisin]

I hope it is a quality beer! Have one for me too.

Is that bulb difficult to replace, or just a task of patience?

 

[ginericLC]

I wouldn't replace it. It will make your night driving experience so much nicer! Mine is out now and I was going to replace it and everyone I've talked with suggested I rethink it. After driving tonight with it out I think they are right. Even the bright green Cruise light is sort of detracting at night.

 

[1loudLX]

i had the dealership replace my bulb.......i regret they did. Oh well....

 

[mudlover]

I dont understand why bother with the in window antenna if they were going to put a mast antena on anyway.

 

[SINCITY100]

I dont understand why bother with the in window antenna if they were going to put a mast antena on anyway.

The diversity antenna in the 1/4 window helps keep a radio station "locked in" when the vehicle is changing directions while driving ( well, at least in theory ) and thus reduces "fade" in signal strength under certain conditions.


Sounds kinda hokey to me... Of course, besides... who actually listens to radio stations anymore ?


BTW... In a quick search I couldn`t find any solid evidence of which ( if any, or all ) 100 series have a DA in the 1/4 glass.. But, If this is really important to anyone in here, I will look further into it .

 

[NMuzj100]

Just change your Signature line and relax following Sin's example.

'00 LC still pretty much stock, D-light mod,but with Revo's looking for something other than pavement

My Camry with a similar radio gets at least twice the reception of the LC using a windshield antenna. Have you checked the antenna ground?

My 100 does not have the 3/4 window defroster. I looked while trying to troubleshoot poor reception.

 

[gmusic]

Satellite radio......................

Best upgrade a guy can have

 

[EdsCruisin]

Satellite radio......................

Best upgrade a guy can have

Most of the add-on satellite radio systems require "tuning in" to a frequency on your built in stereo. I have tried that and it still has horrible reception, hence the iPod.

 

[ZJ2UZJ100]

The 2000 TLC in my garage has the diversity antenna in the right rear quarter glass. It's not a defogger. It LOOKS like the typical rear window defogger material. You know, those thin lines of reddish brown iron material silk screened onto the glass? It's connected to wire leads close to the hinge.

The factory radio has two coaxial antenna inputs. One comes from the main power antenna in the right front fender, and the other (a much thinner gauge cable and Coax connector, by the way) comes from the diversity antenna.

There are many radio designs that use multi-antenna solutions to increase "spacial" diversity, that is to sample the differences in the signal at different points in space. The purpose of the DA is to feed an extra signal into the radio receiver. Yes, it's typically a fairly close match to the primary signal. If the broadcaster's signal has bounced off a building, there will be a slight echo going into a single antenna radio, and the radio circuit has to try pretty hard to cancel out that "echo". If the radio has a second diversity antenna input, it has the benefit of comparing the primary to the secondary antenna signal, and it can tell which version of the signal to pay closer attention to while the car changes positions in time.

Just look at the typical 802.11 Wireless LAN Access Point/Router that has two antennas sticking up out of the back. Or look at a new 802.11n APs that have 3 or more antennas. Though 802.11n actually takes advantages of separate messages sent out over the different antennas too...ackkkk....Never mind. That's getting a little too complicated.

2 antennas can be better than one if the radio receiver is designed to take advantage of it.

That being said, the AVIC-Z1 I installed in place of the Toyota OE radio/CD changer did not have an extra input for the DA. I just taped it off and used the primary from the fender. To tell you the truth, I have not noticed any adverse affects from losing the DA.

 

[EdsCruisin]

The 2000 TLC in my garage has the diversity antenna in the right rear quarter glass. It's not a defogger. It LOOKS like the typical rear window defogger material. You know, those thin lines of reddish brown iron material silk screened onto the glass? It's connected to wire leads close to the hinge.

I always thought the same thing, but in the Toyota FSM the circuit is identified and detailed as a defogger. It is not detailed in the section with the audio system. I somehow think the absence of this antenna is not the real problem.

 

[mudlover]

Truth is whatever it is the radio reception sucks. The antenna setup is probably the culprit OR is it just mine? My chevy 01 pickup get reception from a couple of hundred miles away regularly. The 04 cruisers radio range is 20-30 miles at best.
Yeah i can put sat in, but I think AM-FM is very important and is a safety issue. I live in the mountains where I am out of immediate radio range 85% of the time and need to be able to hear semi-distant stations .