RE: Fubas and flames (short or long)

["Jeffrey J. Hoover" <jjh@nowhere.Net>]

Thus Spake Omar Jama:

>So what is the verdict?
>
>What voltage does the fuba run on...
>
>What adapter do you need with an aftermarket head...
>
>Lets keep the flames down and report facts :+
>
>Omar
>97 GTI Clarion with clarion changer
>--
>For info on: how to subscribe & unsubscribe, the list's mailing errors,
>    list archive, etc.  see:   http://www.panix.com/~aqn/gti_vr6_list/

- --Short version--

As I understand it from a discussion with both Joe at ND and the head
service honcho checking their manuals, the Fuba changed in mid '96 model
cars. Late '96 and all '97 Fuba equipted VWs *do* have the 12 volt
requirement. Since I have  '97 GLX, I have not investigated Fuba
requirements for previous model year cars.

- --Long version--
When I got my Alpine installed, the installer had two different adaptors.
One for $7 and one for $11. We tried both and neither one had much AM
reception. (I could manually tune in KGO, but it's 50,000 watts and right
down the street, so it can probably be picked up by a kid with braces.)

Puzzled, we hooked up a standard POS straight antenna and it worked great.
Then we hooked up the Clarion deck again and *it* worked great. Then we
check the voltage and it read 11.5v coming from the middle of the Clarion
deck. I said I'd check some sources, so I drove away.

I posted a question to this list and got differing answers and several
pointers to Crutchfield and the Water Cooled FAQ. I called my dealer and
they said they had the correct adaptor, so I went down and got it. Plugged
it in in their parking lot and got _marginally_ better AM reception. I went
back in and that's when they determined that the antenna had changed. (I
have an early '97 and they had just then gotten the new manuals). Since I
work pretty close to ND, I gave them a call and talked to Joe. He said we
wasn't sure and said they were getting in some of the *new* Din-12 adaptors
and would check.

I called later in the week and Joe said they got them in, but were
concerned that the 12-volt lead might harm either the antenna or the deck
and wanted to test it first. He said that he thought he could get a car to
test it on and to call him back in a while. When I called back a week
later, he said he hadn't gotten to it. I said that I'd check around on the
net again (it had been a few weeks at this point and wanted to revisit it
with the new information that I had learned.)

Once again I got pointed to Crutchfield (and I still didn't listen. I guess
I'm just trying to give ND chance out of local loyalty.) I got rather busy
(new addtion to the family *it's another boy*, new fence, stress at work,
new grille for the Jetta, etc.) So I've been driving around listening to
CDs & NPR and missing the much needed traffic reports on KGO & KCBS.

Now that this thread is dying, I called Joe back again. He figured that I
was alright by now (I can't blame him for that) and checked only to find
out that they were out of stock again and didn't expect any in for 3-4
weeks.

Oh well, I guess I'll put my loyalty on hold and get one from Crrutchfield
or Antennaworld.



Thank you for asking.


_________________________________________________________________________
Jeffrey J. Hoover                                <mailto:jjh@macdude.com>
<http://www.macdude.com>                        Candy White '97 Jetta GLX
VR6oooom!                      	                       CA plate [MAN+CPU]