Community Forums

Snuggery · 07-02-2005, 10:14 AM

My 2005 Alpine has a Kenwood amplifier that handles the sound for the TV and satellite as well as playing DVD and CD. It also has AM/FM radio. I had trouble getting any radio stations to tune in on the Kenwood and discovered that it was not hooked up to the external antenna (or any antenna at all, for that matter). Is this normal?

It also has a dash CD/Radio with a separate set of speakers. I guess I could just turn on the key and listen to AM/FM radio on the dash unit. But I have a hard time seeing the teensy little buttons, it doesn't use the speakers in the kitchen, and doesn't have a plug-in for headphones.

I found AM and FM antennas in a drawer that apparently came with the unit. I plugged them in to the back of the Kenwood and ran them along the front of the visor. This sort of works but is not ideal since the reception is not great with the antennas inside the coach and there is a lot of interference from all the wires up in there and the windshield fans, etc.

Is this the best solution or am I missing something?

Snuggery · 07-02-2005, 10:14 AM

My 2005 Alpine has a Kenwood amplifier that handles the sound for the TV and satellite as well as playing DVD and CD. It also has AM/FM radio. I had trouble getting any radio stations to tune in on the Kenwood and discovered that it was not hooked up to the external antenna (or any antenna at all, for that matter). Is this normal?

It also has a dash CD/Radio with a separate set of speakers. I guess I could just turn on the key and listen to AM/FM radio on the dash unit. But I have a hard time seeing the teensy little buttons, it doesn't use the speakers in the kitchen, and doesn't have a plug-in for headphones.

I found AM and FM antennas in a drawer that apparently came with the unit. I plugged them in to the back of the Kenwood and ran them along the front of the visor. This sort of works but is not ideal since the reception is not great with the antennas inside the coach and there is a lot of interference from all the wires up in there and the windshield fans, etc.

Is this the best solution or am I missing something?

Dave Fernandez · 07-02-2005, 01:34 PM

Hello and Welcome Snuggery:

WRV should have installed a roof mount antenna for the AM/FM Dash Radio and the antenna cable should be under the dash behind the radio some where.

It was probably run down the channel between the front windshields. If they forgot to but put one on at the factory they should then install one under warranty.

You might want to look at the roof to see if the antenna was installed.

Dave

Snuggery · 07-02-2005, 04:27 PM

There is a roof antenna for the AM/FM Dash Radio but it isn't hooked up to the Kenwood amplifier up by the TV.

Is the roof antenna supposed to be hooked up to both the dash radio and the Kenwood amplifier radio? Or are you only just supposed to use the dash radio whenever you want to listen to AM/FM?

Dave Fernandez · 07-02-2005, 07:31 PM

Hello Snuggery:

I lost you some where in the discussion.

Is it a Kenwood Amplifier or is it a Receiver? I think it is a receiver not an Amplifier. A receiver can play radio stations, video out of the speakers etc. An amplifier only increases the sound that a radio or TV puts out. If it is a receiver you may be able to split the signal from the antenna cable and it could feed both the AM/FM dash radio and the Receiver. You should be able to get a splitter at Radio Shack or other electronic shop.

You can also install another roof antenna for the Receiver?

Dave

WRVACEMP · 07-02-2005, 09:14 PM

Sounds weird to me.

Not hooked up to any antenna.... If I recall the am antenna sits right on the deck behind the unit right between the reciever and the front cap. FM antenna should be there as well. When I did the front electronics I tested them myself before sending it down the line everything from am/fm to the dvd player to tuning in local television stations.

Yes and on the reciever down below the AM/FM wiring comes From the base where it is mounted on the roof along with airhorns and CB antenna down the center pilar and has a 6ft extension on it to make it all the way down to the dash area. your speaker wires (3 of them I believe) also come down the center pillar.
be sure if you do anything to get the right wire as the CB coax is also there and they look a heck of a lot alike

Snuggery · 07-03-2005, 10:36 AM

OK, you are right - it is a Kenwood "receiver" since it includes AM/FM radio, not an "amplifier".

Yeah, I found the AM antenna and the FM anntenna in a drawer under the stove and nothing was hooked up to the back of the Kenwood receiver. Since I couldn't find any loose antenna wires up there that looked like it went to the roof antenna, I took them out of the drawer and fastened them to the antenna screws on the back of the Kenwood. Put the AM antenna behind the front cap and ran the FM out through the vent and stretched it out across the front behind the windshield.

I guess that was the correct thing to do. Reception is fair. I just thought maybe I was missing something since I had a few other wiring problems - dash accessory plug wired backwards, temp triggers for auto-gen start not plugged in, speaker wires shorted out by screws behind panels, and trailer tow light plug wired all wierd (non-standard and not at all like the illustration in the manual). I guess nobody was testing them after WRVACEMP quit to become a farmer.

WRVACEMP · 07-03-2005, 10:42 AM

When was your unit built?
I know I never forgot stuff like that

And its "Field Consultant" not farmer lol.

Snuggery · 07-04-2005, 01:14 AM

I think I remember seeing that my unit was finished in December, 2004.

Thanks for the help. Do "Field Consultants" get to have their own John Deere stuff?

WRVACEMP · 07-04-2005, 10:05 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">
Thanks for the help. Do "Field Consultants" get to have their own John Deere stuff? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

LOL all I get is an ATV and a laptop.

Basically the company I work for now goes out into the field and we check pest, weed and fungus activity also take soil samples.
And we suggest to the grower what they should do to control the problem and get the most from their crops. We also supply chemicals for sprays and a little bit of liquid fertilizer.

htg3 · 07-04-2005, 01:06 PM

Yea, but do you get to wear a John Deere hat?

gator67 · 07-14-2005, 04:28 PM

I'm having a similar problem... the front Kenwood receiver does not pick up FM stations that the rear radio picks up with no problem. I don't know if there is an FM antenna connected to the tuner because I can't figure out how to get to the back of the tuner. How do I get to the back of the tuner so I can see if an FM antenna is even hooked up?

Snuggery · 07-30-2005, 12:56 PM

Take the screws out of the hinges and remove the doors. Take the screws out of the black wooden panel around the equipment. The Kenwood receiver will then slide out so you can see the rear and determine if any antennas are hooked up to it.

Ted III · 07-31-2005, 12:29 PM

htg3,
They only get the hat after one of the pesticides they spray silences a smart *** fungus with a WRV motorhome.

WRVACEMP, glad to have you aboard as I am sure a lot of us will have questions and look to for answers. Thanks for coming along and offering your help
Ted