96 850glt sedan, fm reception intermittent (solved)

jerryb1961 · Post by **jerryb1961** » 03 Feb 2019, 13:19

Not sure what's going on here. I'll be listening to an FM station and the SC-811 radio will suddenly lose reception as if the antenna had a bad connection. I checked the connector near the antenna and squirted some contact cleaner on it. Nothing looked corroded at all. I also pulled the radio out of the dash and did the same for the connector at that end. AM reception is fine and never drops out. Over the past couple of days it's staying dropped out more often thatn working, so whatever the problem is , it's getting worse.

I'm about to replace the SC-811 with a single-din Kenwood unit I've had for several years, installed into three different cars; it has served me well. While I'm gathering up the money to have that done ($150) I'm stuck with the current 811. I only today learned that the car may have an antenna amp, which might be the culprit, but where is it located?

TIA...!

Post by **wizechatmgr** » 03 Feb 2019, 20:26

Have you added any electronics accessories - such as a radar detector - recently?

jerryb1961 · Post by **jerryb1961** » 04 Feb 2019, 05:11

No. I've had the car only six days. I don't think the previous owner did either

LOB · Post by **LOB** » 04 Feb 2019, 08:02

Are you spending 150 $ to install a stereo? Why not buy a new SC815 from a junkyard for 50 $? All SC8XX stereos are plug and play.

jerryb1961 · Post by **jerryb1961** » 04 Feb 2019, 11:55

I need MP3 capability. The Kenwood unit I have does everything

LOB · Post by **LOB** » 04 Feb 2019, 13:51

jerryb1961 wrote: ↑04 Feb 2019, 11:55 I need MP3 capability. The Kenwood unit I have does everything

DOXINGYE,USB SD AUX Car MP3 Adapte CD Change For Volvo SC-series SC700 800 810 900 CR905 S80 C70 Interface
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cqdHM2dw

I think there's also a write up her on how to connect
a aux output to the casette tape recorder reader head .

jerryb1961 · Post by **jerryb1961** » 04 Feb 2019, 15:04

Hmmm. That's something to keep in mind. Thanks!

I got the radio to receive FM for a little while today but then it stopped again. I'm not sure the fault is in the antenna or the connectors as I originally thought. While running the car and the radio I again reseated all of the connectors (which was how I got it working before) in the freezing cold. I had to watch my hands to see what I was doing because I could barely feel them. I squirted plenty of contact cleaner on them. No joy. At this point I don't know what it could be. The way to test things would be to hook up another antenna-- I don't have one-- or another radio. I would not be averse to doing away with the mechanical antenna period and just having an ordinary manually-raised-lowered one. The only time I'd lower it would be to go through a carwash

The whole antenna assembly looks remarkably clean for a car that's 22 years old. There are no visible signs of corrosion that I can see. Again, AM reception works but is staticy on some weaker stations. Do '96 850 sedans have an antenna booster? I know the wagons do. That begs the question, can it be bypassed?

I'm stumped

Post by **June** » 04 Feb 2019, 19:21

Here is a picture of my car's antenna booster. Mine had no reception for years. So when the panel was off for tint replacement I jiggled each connector until I found the problem. It is the antenna wire from the radio to the amplifier. I pulled it out and brushed it with a small wire brush and reinstalled it. My reception has been great since. The Male end on the wire was dull with oxidation. June

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 05 Feb 2019, 00:34

jerryb1961 wrote: ↑04 Feb 2019, 15:04 Do '96 850 sedans have an antenna booster?

No. The amps were only used for hidden antennas like the
grids in the wagon side glass and back windows on S70s.
That box on your antenna is the relay for it’s mast motor.

jerryb1961 · Post by **jerryb1961** » 05 Feb 2019, 11:41

Well, it turned out to be the SC-811 radio. I had the Kenwood installed and it works perfectly.

Thanks to all who replied