AM/FM/CD Radio/ Player Question

[Aussie Ford]

Here's the deal as some of you may have read I installed a power antenna only to find that my Alpine unit isn't putting out power to control it.... Alpine says "you can send it to our service center and for $95 we'll fix it and send it back" Ok so I'd like you opinion since I don't know much about audio stuff. I'm an old guy who doesn't need fancy stuff, or appreciate blast'n sounds..... so I look at the fact I can get another unit that does the same thing as this Alpine 7839 for less than the cost to have this repaired. Is the Alpine so much better that I should have it fixed? It doesn't play copied CD's and I usually make a copy of mine and use it, so that is a bit of a pain....

I looked at:
Pioneer
Sony
Jensen
and several others that I don't remember, all models that play CDR / RW's and $125 or less.

In your opinion for my conditions what's best?

[CarpePoon]

Are you sure its not producing power? have you checked the inline fuse? (its one of those hair thin 5amp fuses). Off of the list you gave the only ones I would touch would be the Pioneers.

[Aussie Ford]

Thanks for the reply..... as sure as I can be.... First I checked the wire for continunity then plugged in the radio and checked at the splice with a probe nothing on the antenna wire or the out put wire for an amp. This testing was done right at the plug from the back of the radio.
There is no inline fuse, other than no 12v on those two wires the radio /cd player works just fine.

I just found out today that Panasonic was picked as best by consumer reports for the 2nd year in a row. After doing some looking today I have narrowed the search (I think) to either a Kenwood, or Sony.

[CarpePoon]

Kenwood, Alpine, Clarion, Pioneer, JVC or Panasonic Are all good brands.. Sony kinda had a falling out a few years ago which hurt their brand loyalty with alot of audio heads.. But I think their back up to par now.

[FavoriteMystaque]

It doesn't play copied CD's and I usually make a copy of mine and use it, so that is a bit of a pain....

I figured out by accident I had to use 650MB CD-R discs for my sister's similar Alpine to play CDRs. The 700 MB ones would not read. I had to get 650 MB discs on Ebay, (Maxell.) You might have to check ebay a few times, that listing is for a lot of 900 50 packs Maybe someone in the past shorted the outputs (antenna and amp turn on) or overloaded them. At least you got the radio out!

[Aussie Ford]

Thank you my friend, I'll have to give that a try , but first I need to see if I can get this thing putting power out for the power antenna.... I was just checking stuff again the other day and found that occasionally it did put out power. All I did was turn it on and off when I had a light hooked up to it and sometimes I got power. I tried wiggeling the the connector it didn't seem to make a difference as to when it worked or didn't. The conclusion I came to was that it is an internal problem. Shaking didn't change it either. Seems to have a mind of it's own as to when it will work. When it did work there was power to both leads as it should be, and stayed on until it was turned off. Being a HAM tech perhaps I'll just open it up and see if I can find something loose causing intermittant operation of the power out. WHAT's the worst that can happen? now there's a question....
These leads were never used before and the ends were protected before I tried to use them, this unit was bought new by the previous owner and installed by the shop . Perhaps they had this one that had these bad leads and installed it in this car since it didn't have any use for either of them? Would a stereo shop do that?

[FavoriteMystaque]

Some might, unfortunately. I would expect some bad solder joints inside the radio, or a plug connector on a ribbon cable is loose. You could check www.pacparts.com for a service manual if needed.

[Aussie Ford]

Your probably correct, I'm just naturally suspicious ..... It was just a bit odd that in doing nothing it would work sometimes. I agree something is just a bit off. Thanks for the web site, they do have a service manual, but I just couldn't order one before I took a look inside LOL.......

[FavoriteMystaque]

If you are lucky, you won't need the manual!

[Aussie Ford]

If you are lucky, you won't need the manual!

I submit that IF I'm unlucky I wont need it either ... I'll be needing to send it to my techy Marine to see if his radio repair shop can save it

So, what the heck do they have those manuals for anyways? who needs em?