[brine99]

I have a question. Is the little antenna on the roof for the car's radio? Someone said it's a satellite antenna. If it's for the car's radio; what's the best position to put it? Thanks for advise.

 

[AyaRei]

It's both. The part that sticks up is the antenna, and the base is the satellite antenna. Personally I'd say there is no perfect position to put an antenna. That would require too much testing, and most radio stations work just fine no matter what position you have it in.

 

[fotomoto]

I think the roof mounted antenna is sat. only and the black dots on the upper section of the front windshield behind the mirror are the am/fm radio antenna.

 

[AyaRei]

Check the owner's manual section 4 page 30. Based on this, I do not believe that the Cubes with the adjustable position antennas have the satellite antenna built in. I think think the sat antenna is only built into the fixed pattern antennas.

Please also refer to the FSM http://www.nissancubelife.com/forum/index.php?topic=824.0 section title av (Audio,Visual & Navigational System) page 142 & 143 (last two pages) referring to this as well.

 

[fotomoto]

Check the owner's manual section 4 page 30. Based on this, I do not believe that the Cubes with the adjustable position antennas have the satellite antenna built in. I think think the sat antenna is only built into the fixed pattern antennas.

That's the way I read it too.

I thought I had seen Cubes without the rear antenna but they all have it. It's only our site logo that has it removed.

 

[ChristineK]

Check the owner's manual section 4 page 30. Based on this, I do not believe that the Cubes with the adjustable position antennas have the satellite antenna built in. I think think the sat antenna is only built into the fixed pattern antennas.

You are 100% Correct. I have the SAT and when I got home noticed mine was fixed and read up on it. First I thought I got shorted or something.

 

[brine99]

The thing is, I am getting static on FM. Never had problem with my other vehicles with conventional antennas.
I live in hilly area, could that be a factor? BTW What ARE those black dots in windshield rear view mirror?around

 

[ChristineK]

Windshield glass contains a black enamel band (called the frit) around the periphery that is baked into the glass. This black band includes a border of dots. The band has an etched surface to enable adhesive to bond to the glass, When car manufacturers install the windshield, they bond the windshield to the vehicle with adhesive placed on the etched part of the black enamel glass area (inside surface). The outside of the enamel band shades the adhesive from the Sun and protects it from ultraviolet radiation. The band also serves a cosmetic purpose by covering up the adhesive and gives the windshield edge "a more finished look." Rather than a straight black edge, the dot border blends the solid band into the clear glass. Some windshields also use the dots as a third sun visor to block the Sun behind the rearview mirror where most visors don't reach.

 

[TrevorS]

The thing is, I am getting static on FM. Never had problem with my other vehicles with conventional antennas.
I live in hilly area, could that be a factor?

Radio reception is a function of the antenna (both gain and rejection), radio (sensitivity, selectivity, etc), and environment (line of sight to broadcast antennas Vs. reflections). Given the same environment, I'd say either the antenna or radio could be the problem. My personal experience is that well chosen aftermarket radios can readily improve upon vehicle manufacturer provided radios, so I would try upgrading the radio before the antenna. (For that matter, speaker replacement is usually a good move as well, but that obviously doesn't address your specified problem ).

 

[none]

Some windshields also use the dots as a third sun visor to block the Sun behind the rearview mirror where most visors don't reach.

Bingo.

 

[mswguitar]

I've been having static problems ever since I installed my aftermarket head unit. After reading through the FSM (av.pdf, page 11-12, 15), it looks like there's an amp that needs to be turned on, similar to a speaker amp I presume. I'm going to take out the head unit and see if I can tell which wire is the power on wire and try hooking it up to the amp-on wire. Maybe it just needs to be powered up whenever the head unit comes on. I'll report back if this fixes the issue.

 

[Square1]

I've been having static problems ever since I installed my aftermarket head unit. After reading through the FSM (av.pdf, page 11-12, 15), it looks like there's an amp that needs to be turned on, similar to a speaker amp I presume. I'm going to take out the head unit and see if I can tell which wire is the power on wire and try hooking it up to the amp-on wire. Maybe it just needs to be powered up whenever the head unit comes on. I'll report back if this fixes the issue.

When you hooked up the factory antenna to your new head unit I'm assuming you used the correct antenna adaptor. If so, did you hook up the new head unit's power antenna wire to the pig tail wire coming off the antenna adapter? if you didn't you will get real crappy reception. - Dan

 

[mswguitar]

I've been having static problems ever since I installed my aftermarket head unit. After reading through the FSM (av.pdf, page 11-12, 15), it looks like there's an amp that needs to be turned on, similar to a speaker amp I presume. I'm going to take out the head unit and see if I can tell which wire is the power on wire and try hooking it up to the amp-on wire. Maybe it just needs to be powered up whenever the head unit comes on. I'll report back if this fixes the issue.

When you hooked up the factory antenna to your new head unit I'm assuming you used the correct antenna adaptor. If so, did you hook up the new head unit's power antenna wire to the pig tail wire coming off the antenna adapter? if you didn't you will get real crappy reception. - Dan

Yes, I used an adapter but I don't remember hooking up anything to the power wire on the head unit. I don't think there were any instructions with the adapter (or I just threw them away). Anyway, I'm going to go check it now but I'm guessing that's the problem.

 

[Square1]

Yes, I used an adapter but I don't remember hooking up anything to the power wire on the head unit. I don't think there were any instructions with the adapter (or I just threw them away). Anyway, I'm going to go check it now but I'm guessing that's the problem.

If you used the correct adaptor there should have been two wires. The main wire that connects the antenna to the radio and a second smaller wire coming out of the connector on the antenna end of the adaptor. That second wire should connect to the radio's power antenna wire (usually used to raise / lower a power antenna). If your radio doesn't have a power antenna wire then I think you have to connect that second wire to a switched power source. The CUBE"s antenna is called a diversity antenna (dual antenna) and uses power on one side. Don't feel bad about missing this step in the installation. in all the adaptors I've seen, I haven't seen any with instructions on hooking up this second wire. I found out by searching the internet because I was getting crappy reception. - Dan

 

[mswguitar]

Yes, I used an adapter but I don't remember hooking up anything to the power wire on the head unit. I don't think there were any instructions with the adapter (or I just threw them away). Anyway, I'm going to go check it now but I'm guessing that's the problem.

If you used the correct adaptor there should have been two wires. The main wire that connects the antenna to the radio and a second smaller wire coming out of the connector on the antenna end of the adaptor. That second wire should connect to the radio's power antenna wire (usually used to raise / lower a power antenna). If your radio doesn't have a power antenna wire then I think you have to connect that second wire to a switched power source. The CUBE"s antenna is called a diversity antenna (dual antenna) and uses power on one side. Don't feel bad about missing this step in the installation. in all the adaptors I've seen, I haven't seen any with instructions on hooking up this second wire. I found out by searching the internet because I was getting crappy reception. - Dan

I took apart the dash and sure enough, there was a blue wire coming off the harness (in addition to the antenna wire itself). I probably didn't hook it up when I installed the head unit a couple months ago because these adapters are used for other Nissan models and I assumed it was for a car with a power antenna (I didn't realize the antenna on the Cube has an amp). I hooked it up to the blue amp/antenna wire coming off the head unit and the reception seems better. I won't really know until I drive into work, as the reception has been poor on my commute.

Thanks for your help!

UPDATE 12/3/2009: This definately fixed the problem. Crystal clear radio now.