Radio not locking on pre-sets! What could it be??

[ahh-cool]

My radio used to lock on all 18 presets. It stopped doing that and I tried to troubleshoot the problem. I removed the fairing around the antenna and removed the antenna and the copper piece. The radio worked great. I replaced the fairing without the antenna and it stopped locking on channels.
I installed a shorty antenna and it is better but not right. I now get 3 or 4 channels.
I'm in Orlando where there are plenty of stations.
What could it be?

[Peter Aawen]

If your radio antenna is not pulling in a strong enough signal, it won't tune to & stop on any of the pre-sets..... so I'd guess that weak signal strength via your antenna is the culprit.

[ahh-cool]

I thought it was the antenna, but I changed it. There are probably 50+ stations where I am

[Peter Aawen]

I thought it was the antenna, but I changed it. There are probably 50+ stations where I am

So if you're not pulling too many of those 50+ channels in, the 'most likely' issue is STILL going to be the antenna &/or its connection/grounding to the frame/radio case. Sorry, but just cos you've replaced one antenna with another, unless you've tested all its cabling & connections AND the way the antenna fubpnctions, it doesn't necessarily mean you've now got anything better!

Given what you've already done, with a scenario that showed it WAS working and then stopped; the radio itself is working OK; it doesn't work well without any antenna; and the shorty antenna has it working a little better but still not right.... I'd be looking very carefully at the antenna lead & all it's joints, connections, and grounding! BRP are renowned for putting heaps of Locktite on every thread they can find, including the thread that holds the antenna to its base block & the base bl oick to the frame, and Locktite isn't a great conductor, so it might be worthwhile cleaning those joints (both the male & female threads) of as much Locktite as you can; but I'd also be carefully inspecting the entire length of the antenna cable from antenna to the radio, AND any ground points for the radio & the antenna! Maybe even consider r eeplacing that antenna lead with a 'confirmed sound & shielded properly' antenna lead?!

Good Luck!

[ahh-cool]

Why would it work better without the antenna and the copper block connected?

[ahh-cool]

5150 710005506 Antenna Cable Assembly
Has anyone heard of that going bad? Is it common to go bad?