Poor radio reception with new stereo

[moose1]

Hello,

I have a 2005 Toyota Tacoma, and I had the stock radio replaced with a JVC kd-r200 because I wanted an AUX jack for my iPod. The JVC stereo works great, but the radio reception is awful, whereas with the stock radio the reception was excellent. I've called around to a few car audio places, including the one that installed the JVC, and so far I've heard the following:

1. Replace stock antennae with a windshield antennae

2. DON'T replace stock antennae with a windshield antennae because they're usually worse

3. match the JVC with an OEM antennae

4. we can't find an OEM antennae for the 2005 Tacoma

5. check for issues in the wiring, etc, but the poor reception coincided with the new stereo, so...

Aside from having the stock radio re-installed and finding another way to play the iPod, is there much else I can do?

Thanks a lot.

Moose

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[Dirtrider4eva 10+ year member]

Same with my pioneer mvh p8200 in my toyota celica gt

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Maybe the shop failed to hook the antenna up to the new deck. As in, forgot to plug it in. Usually aftermarket decks have superior reception to stock ones.

You can rule out the suggestions that you require a new antenna. Its true that antennas do wear out (vibration at the telescoping joints wears out the connections) and replacing them is sometimes necessary, but reception was fine until the new h/u was installed.

 

[Wingman0121 10+ year member]

I've never experienced worse radio reception when going from stock to aftermarket radio. My cousin has the last-gen of the JVC desk like the one you have in a 2000 Mercury Cougar and she can pick up FM stations from more than 100 miles away.

My guess is they either didn't use the correct plug adapter or they forgot to hook it up.

 

[moose1]

My guess is they either didn't use the correct plug adapter or they forgot to hook it up.

I suggested to one place I called that maybe it's not hooked up. The guy said that if it wasn't hooked up, I'd get no radio reception at all. Is that correct?

Thanks.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

I suggested to one place I called that maybe it's not hooked up. The guy said that if it wasn't hooked up, I'd get no radio reception at all. Is that correct?
Thanks.

If its not hooked up at all, radio reception would be very poor, but usually not completely non existent.

 

[moose1]

Thanks for the info. I think I'll have them look to make sure the radio is hooked up right.

Also, a guy at a local Radio Shack said that the stock unit might have a slot for an aux adapter in the back of it, but I can't tell since I don't know much about radios. But, here's a pic of the back of my stock unit.

Is there an aux slot there?

View attachment 26525799

Thanks again for the feedback, and my apologies for being totally ignorant of this stuff.

EDIT: I think I just found my solution: