16V beesting aerial amplifier?

[VWDino]

I recently bought a VW 16V beesting aerial off ebay, is in a bit of a sorry state but thats another story. My main issue is that it comes in 2 pieces, one attached to the aerial and another that appears to be an extention cable. On the extention cable there is a thin wire which is cut at one end and contains a plug on the other. There isnt any small wire on the cable attached to the aerial.... Whats this thin wire for? Is it some sort of amp wire? Where does it plug in? Why did some scumbag pikey break my wing aerial.... so many questions! 

[rubjonny]

yup will be an amplifier for the besting, connect it to the amp wire on the headunit, or an ignition live feed.

[VWDino]

So one end goes into the amp wire on the head unit and the other to 12V? How does this amplify the radio signal?  I'm a bit confussed how this works. Just seems like a separate wire, independent of the aerial cable.

[mk2_singh]

the electric aerials use the amp wire to erect the aerial when the system goes on. It sends a small 12v down that to activate stuff.

this 12v is know been pushed into the beesting. I dnt no how it helps, but i would not really bother because most likely when you indicate and stuff you will here it through your speakers as interference will creep thru this into the sound system.

best just leaving it thats what i did still works a treat.

[rubjonny]

The base has signal amplifier built in, which is powered by a 12v feed. Don't ask me how it works though, it just does 

[Chaswin74]

So this would explain why I get crap reception on radio?? I have plugged in the arieal but didn't do anything more - is the amp. standard on all beestings? Therefore I should have another wire hanging about in the dash?

Cheers

[VWDino]

Right, I get what you mean.... thing is the cable I have doesn't have the wire going from the base of the aerial to the plug at the end of the cable. The cable I have comes in 2 pieces, one from the aerial to a plug and the other, an extension cable. on the extention cable there is a wire running along side it starting with a 2 pin plug and ending with a cut. I think maybe the seller just threw the extention in with the actual aerial not knowing where it came from. Do all beestings have amps and if so where on the base of the aerial is the amp wire supposed to go? I can't see where its supposed to go 

[rubjonny]

You can get both amplified & non-amplified ones.  Also some have crap reception either way
Only way to check is to drop the trim along the top of the tailgate opening and pull the headlining down a little CAREFULLY and see if it has a main aerial cable and an extra wire for the aplifier

Yours may have snapped off at the base?