Vaquero radio reception sucks

[Scootergptx]

There was no antenna on my bike when I bought it. Just got a short replacement from AutoZone. Granted there are a ton of stations in DFW, but I never had any reception problems with the shorter antenna.

[Kap]

Originally Posted by Bean20547

I saw that but I'm kind of confused as to how it should look

Those photos are of a Voyager, so it might be confusing. I suspect the design or the way it's wired on the back side is going to be about the same. Perhaps someone has photos of the way a Vaquero antenna is wired at the mast, but I think the main point from the link's info is that the thick antenna cable coming from the radio has two wires in it. The ground section can't be connected to the same location as the section that connects to the mast. They have to remain separated.

Originally Posted by Scootergptx

There was no antenna on my bike when I bought it. Just got a short replacement from AutoZone. Granted there are a ton of stations in DFW, but I never had any reception problems with the shorter antenna.

Scootergptx, I love the way that antenna looks. Nice pick. I've removed the trunk on my Voyager and used a hidden antenna in the fairing for a while. When I did that I lost the use of the weather section of the radio. Perhaps you can confirm if that is the same with a shorter antenna. When you replaced the mast did you loose the weather band reception? Note, this is not really a deal breaker as I don't think many people use that feature anymore, but just wondering.

[Scootergptx]

Originally Posted by Kap

Scootergptx, I love the way that antenna looks. Nice pick. I've removed the trunk on my Voyager and used a hidden antenna in the fairing for a while. When I did that I lost the use of the weather section of the radio. Perhaps you can confirm if that is the same with a shorter antenna. When you replaced the mast did you loose the weather band reception? Note, this is not really a deal breaker as I don't think many people use that feature anymore, but just wondering.

Thanks. Ok, I have to admit I didn't even know I had access to a weather band. I'll have to check that out to see. And I guess read the instructions for the radio.

[JD Hog]

I have a question about the ground wire. I opened the bottom of my antenna and there is a ground wire hooked to the nut on the bottom of the antenna and goes inside the trunk and is hooked to one of the main bolts that attaches the trunk to the bike. If I take the ground wire off the antenna the reception degrades in quality.

Is this right, the way my ground wire is connected to the antenna and inside the trunk? Mine is just a short ground wire that goes from under the antenna to inside the trunk at the mounting bolt.

[Kap]

JD did you take it off the center bolt of the antenna, then reconnect it to one of the three bolts on the bracket that holds the entire antenna (from inside the trunk)?

Do that and see what happens to reception.

[JD Hog]

Originally Posted by Kap

JD did you take it off the center bolt of the antenna, then reconnect it to one of the three bolts on the bracket that holds the entire antenna (from inside the trunk)?

Do that and see what happens to reception.

OK, I will try that right now and see what happens.

Changed it and it seems to be a little better but will now better tomorrow when it is outside of my steel garage. I don't get good reception in the garage.

[Bean20547]

Well problem solved, went to our local advanced auto and bought a 30 inch universal antenna for 14.99 and bingo. Columbus Ohio is 60+ miles from my house and I'm picking up all the stations. So best thing you can do for the vaquero radio is a $15 advanced auto parts antenna

[Boscoe]

Originally Posted by Kap

For those that have discarded the use of the radio because of reception, be sure you check the link that colt shared near the bottom of the page. It makes sense.

You have two sides to the end hole of the antenna wire (one spiked that connects to the antenna mount (top of the wire in the photo below) and the other smaller and smooth that goes on the outside where the nut holds it to the mast post (bottom side of the antenna wire shown below). The smooth bottom one uses the nut to connect to up the antenna mast and it CANNOT touch ground, the other is grounded thru the mount (not directly to the ground wire).

What would "look" correct is to connect the ground wire to the post that holds the antenna, but that ends up grounding the mast and kills reception. I suspect dealer's do that when the assemble the bike.

The ground wire does not connect to that center post, but actually connects inside the trunk to one of the bolts that holds on the entire antenna mount to the trunk.

My bike had the ground wire hooked to the center terminal. I undid it and put it under the bottom mounting bolt in the trunk, and my radio's reception improved 100%. Check your ground wire and the Part "A" in the above picture.