Mast Antennas

Mast Antenna System:

Unplug antenna lead-in connector from radio receiver and plug a test antenna into radio. Make sure antenna base is grounded to the vehicle chassis and keep hands off the mast.

Check radio reception in an area away from electrical interferences. Tune to several weak and strong AM and FM stations. If the radio reception improved, the problem exists with the antenna and/or lead-in cable. If the reception is still poor, refer to Audio System Troubleshooting Hints. Component Tests and General Diagnostics

IMPORTANT: Always zero out the DMM before taking a resistance measurement in order to ensure an accurate reading.

Refer to the table when testing the antenna and/or lead-in cable.

Radio Poor Reception:

Radio Poor Reception
1. Measure the resistance from the coax center conductor to antenna mast. (Ohmmeter probes at points 2 and 7)
2. Total resistance from end to end of center conductor (Ohmmeter probes at points 2 and 5):
^ RG-58/RG-59 type cable - less than 20 Ohm
^ RG-62/RG-62M type cable - less than 3.5 Ohm
3. When checking the resistance, cautiously wiggle the lead-in tip and cable. Refer to Testing for Intermittent and Poor Connections in diagrams.
4. Replace the antenna and/or lead-in cable when the above readings are not obtained. Refer to Antenna Extension Cable Replacement for service procedure.