Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Don_Zalmrol · 28th May 2009, 8:24 pm

Hello everybody!

I have 2 questions about my Becker Europa II Stereo with the external Stereo amplifier.

When I drive into the city of Ghent, my radio gives static, when I change the channel the sound is clear again but I've lost the post where I whas listening to (StuBru, national radio). Other stations are clear, but this one StuBru is pure static with some sound of StuBru.

What I have connected to the aerial is an amplifier (12dB FM and 8dB AM) to try and solve this problem, but no. Only the sound is a little bit better. The aerial is an electric aerial (motor powered).

I've checked the electric circuit and have some power fluctuations between 10 and 14Volts. (In the summer I'm going to renew all of the wires).

The ground of the aerial and the components are good. And the engine isn't giving any HF noise away to the radio.

I can adjust the frequency setting of the radio (internal). But I'm a little afraid of it to worsen it!

Does anybody know a solution?

My second question is about the aux input of my radio.
It's a 7pin DIN female plug (stereo, not mono).

I want to make or buy a cable with a 7pin DIN male to a 3.5mm stereo jack to connect to my iPhone (or an other external device).

This aux input was ment to connect an external cassette player.

Does anybody know a shop or have a schematic to build one?

Thank you all!

Picture 1: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DG%26um%3D1
Picture 2: http://www.beckerautosound.com/Class...g_diagram.html
Picture 3: http://www.beckerautosound.com/Class...g_diagram.html

Pic 3 is better because that's the backpanel identical to mine (the site has 2 becker pictures of the I and the II, but there switched XD ).

Steve_P · 28th May 2009, 8:41 pm

Is the noise only in one place. i.e. is it external to the set or internal. Maybe in the city there's a different frequency. Certainly do renew the wiring though.

Cheers,

Steve P.

Don_Zalmrol · 28th May 2009, 9:32 pm

What do you mean with the noise in one place (internal or external)?
The frequency is normaly the same. The frequency changes when you drive to the city of Sint Niklaas (about 30kilometers the other way of Ghent).

In other words, the frequency of the post StuBru is the same at my home as in Ghent. But I get static when I drive in the city itself (at the suburb I still get StuBru) but when in the center of Ghent … static …

Steve_P · 28th May 2009, 10:00 pm

Oh, right. Try it with the engine off.

Cheers,

Steve P.

michamoo · 28th May 2009, 10:09 pm

You do not state if this station is an AM or FM station. Its maybe a weak station whilst driving through a built up area.

Steve_P · 28th May 2009, 11:21 pm

Don't try making a connection to the radio. Get an MP3 transmitter and use that. Simple and effective.

Cheers,

Steve P.

Herald1360 · 28th May 2009, 11:48 pm

Just a comment about voltage fluctuations- car electrics are well known for this- 10-14V variation doesn't sound unreasonable for on charge / off charge voltage especially on an older car with dynamo electrics. If the problem is not present on all stations (posts?) it's unlikely to be related to the radio supply.

It does sound like the station you mention is simply weaker in town and drops below the quieting threshold for your radio. Do you know if other people have the same problem with a different car / radio?

Chris

davidw · 29th May 2009, 7:41 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don_Zalmrol

(at the suburb I still get StuBru) but when in the center of Ghent … static …

Sounds like the classic symptoms of signal strength being dramatically reduced in built up areas. I suspect the StuBru transmitter is outside the city.

'LIVEWIRE?' · 29th May 2009, 8:28 pm

Somewhere on this forum-I can't find it in this section- there is a diagram showing the connections to the 7-pin DIN Socket as fitted to your Becker, Don. Basically Pins 1(RH)4(LH) are the audio output from the radio tuner, pins 3(RH)5(LH) are the inputs to the audio amplifier, with the common negative(screening) going to pin 2*. In normal use these are connected to each other by links in the socket cover. To connect an MP3 Player, Ipod, etc., a lead consisting of a 5 or 7 pin DIN plug with a two-wire screened lead connected to pins 3, 5 & 2 plugged into the radio, with a 3.5mm stereo jack plug at the other end, is neede. Resistors of ca. 4k7 should be fitted in series with the LH & RH leads. Note, however that the RADIO will be muted when this plug is inserted, unless either a DPDT(changeover switch) or a SWITCHED stereo jack socket is included so that the links mentioned above are remade when the Iphone is disconnected.
(*On the diagrams it states pin 6 is the common negative, but all Blaupunky radios I've ever worked with use pin 2 for this, so AFAIK does Becker)

'LIVEWIRE?' · 29th May 2009, 9:31 pm

The diagrams to which I refer are in a thread posted by NickVyse on 22 February 2009 in this section-I tried TWICE to upload them for inclusion here, but because I had accidentally reposted them on the page they originated from(although I deleted that thread!) the system wouldn't allow me to attach them here. In addition I do not know how to insert the 'this thread' link other members sometimes use

AlanBeckett · 29th May 2009, 9:35 pm

This one?
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=37599

Station X · 29th May 2009, 10:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIVEWIRE?

In addition I do not know how to insert the 'this thread' link other members sometimes use

Find the thread you want to link to and copy the address from you browser's address bar. Then paste it into your reply. If you're using "Post Quick Reply" click on the "Go Advanced Button" then click on "Preview post". You'll see your post exactly as it will appear and you can test the link by clicking on it. If all is OK click "Submit Reply" which is what I'll be doing shortly.

If you want to post the same image more than once just crop it slightly.

'LIVEWIRE?' · 30th May 2009, 8:05 am

That's the one, Alan, thanks-those diagrams(with the provisos I noted in my post#9 above) should apply to any stereo or mono car radio fitted with DIN 'tape recorder' sockets or leads by the makers(mostly Blaupunkt, Becker & Philips). Hope this clarifies things for Don Zalmrol and others.
Thanks for the info, Graham. For future reference could the relevant parts of all the threads about connecting CD Players, etc., to car radios be collated at put in a 'read only' section, as there is obviously a lot of interest in this subject

Don_Zalmrol · 30th May 2009, 9:23 am

Thank you all!

I've taken the car of my father and driven it to Ghent, no problems what so ever with the radio, so prehaps it's my aerial or my antenna input on my radio.

StuBru is an FM station, on the 94.5 FM bandwidth and yes the aerial of StuBru is right outside the city.

With my father radio (a JVC) there is no problem (it's from around the year 2005).
I've also asked around if some of my friends have problems with it. And no they have none of these problems.

And thank you all for the shematics :p
There is no possibility that this could damage my radio (all wires properly connected of course)?

So i must connect pin 4 and 5 together also the same with pin 1 and 3.
Pin 6 is the ground. and connect them with two 4,7kOhm resistors and the ground to a 3,5mm stereo jack.

Thank you all very much!

'LIVEWIRE?' · 30th May 2009, 10:34 am

Don, there is no way that connecting an Iphone, Ipod, or other audio device to the 7 pole DIN socket can damage your radio. The points I mentioned in my post#9 are worth noting, especially that in the diagram the signal ground(masse audio) and masse chassis are opposite to those in all the car radios i've ever dealt with, and that, with pin4 connected to pin 5, & pin 1 to pin 3, as shown, the Radio audio will still be present when the Iphone, etc. is connected. I guess you could always tune the radio to a quiet spot on the dial-if you can find one!!, when listening to the Iphone.

Don_Zalmrol · 30th May 2009, 11:36 am

Ah, great!

So I don't need a switch for selecting aux input on or off!
I can always put it on the AM band or look for a quiet spot like you say.

About the radio audio.
Can I make a switch to set the aux input on or off?
Then I don't need to change the stations to a blank spot.

'LIVEWIRE?' · 30th May 2009, 8:03 pm

A double pole changeover switch wired so that the connections between pins 4 & 5, and 1 & 3 arejoined when Radio is selected, and broken(disconnected) when your Iphone, etc is needed(i.e. a 'Radio/Aux' switch) will achieve this. Make sure that in the 'Aux' position the two 4k7 resistors are connected to pins 3 & 5 so that the sound from the Iphone, etc. is fed to the Radios Amplifier in this mode

Don_Zalmrol · 30th May 2009, 10:44 pm

Then this would be the new schematic with the switch.
Final question about one of these pins.

Pin 7 is an on/ off switch probably from within the radio itself (to shut down the external device like a cassette player). Am I right?

Pin 2 is not so important because I'm using pin 6 for the ground and have no chassis for usage.

The other pins are shown on the diagram and would be connected to the DIN-plug as you can see on the schematic I've made.

Sorry for the bad schematic, I'm still looking for a free Electrical & electronic drawing program for Mac, but no luck so far :p

Thank you!

'LIVEWIRE?' · 31st May 2009, 7:59 am

Pin 7 is a sitched + 12volt output intended to power the external device(originally a Cassette Player or recorder made for in-car use) It could be used to power an Ipod or Iphone, etc.,via ANY NECCESARY CONVERTER to reduce the 12v to whatever is needed-e.g. 6 or 9v. Otherwise make no connection to pin 7, ensuring that this pin is completely isolated from any other wiring

Don_Zalmrol · 31st May 2009, 2:54 pm

I'm doubting about using pin 7 as (like you say to power an external device like iPhone, iPod, … with a 12V convertor to 5V) because most of these convertors use something around 500mA to 1A ampage supply.

Wouldn't it overload the radio?

If not, I have a car USB loader that directly changes the voltage to 5V 500mA.
Then I can modify it to connect directly to pin 7 (for 12V+) en pin 2 (ground chassis) as the ground (-)

And thus power any USB compatible device from my radio.

28th May 2009, 8:24 pm	#1
Don_Zalmrol Hexode Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ghent, Belgium Posts: 273	Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Hello everybody! I have 2 questions about my Becker Europa II Stereo with the external Stereo amplifier. When I drive into the city of Ghent, my radio gives static, when I change the channel the sound is clear again but I've lost the post where I whas listening to (StuBru, national radio). Other stations are clear, but this one StuBru is pure static with some sound of StuBru. What I have connected to the aerial is an amplifier (12dB FM and 8dB AM) to try and solve this problem, but no. Only the sound is a little bit better. The aerial is an electric aerial (motor powered). I've checked the electric circuit and have some power fluctuations between 10 and 14Volts. (In the summer I'm going to renew all of the wires). The ground of the aerial and the components are good. And the engine isn't giving any HF noise away to the radio. I can adjust the frequency setting of the radio (internal). But I'm a little afraid of it to worsen it! Does anybody know a solution? My second question is about the aux input of my radio. It's a 7pin DIN female plug (stereo, not mono). I want to make or buy a cable with a 7pin DIN male to a 3.5mm stereo jack to connect to my iPhone (or an other external device). This aux input was ment to connect an external cassette player. Does anybody know a shop or have a schematic to build one? Thank you all! Picture 1: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DG%26um%3D1 Picture 2: http://www.beckerautosound.com/Class...g_diagram.html Picture 3: http://www.beckerautosound.com/Class...g_diagram.html Pic 3 is better because that's the backpanel identical to mine (the site has 2 becker pictures of the I and the II, but there switched XD ). Last edited by Don_Zalmrol; 28th May 2009 at 8:37 pm.

28th May 2009, 8:41 pm	#2
Steve_P Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 6,644	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Is the noise only in one place. i.e. is it external to the set or internal. Maybe in the city there's a different frequency. Certainly do renew the wiring though. Cheers, Steve P. __________________ If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...?

28th May 2009, 9:32 pm	#3
Don_Zalmrol Hexode Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ghent, Belgium Posts: 273	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio What do you mean with the noise in one place (internal or external)? The frequency is normaly the same. The frequency changes when you drive to the city of Sint Niklaas (about 30kilometers the other way of Ghent). In other words, the frequency of the post StuBru is the same at my home as in Ghent. But I get static when I drive in the city itself (at the suburb I still get StuBru) but when in the center of Ghent … static …

28th May 2009, 10:00 pm	#4
Steve_P Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 6,644	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Oh, right. Try it with the engine off. Cheers, Steve P. __________________ If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...?

28th May 2009, 10:09 pm	#5
michamoo Hexode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK. Posts: 469	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio You do not state if this station is an AM or FM station. Its maybe a weak station whilst driving through a built up area.

28th May 2009, 11:21 pm	#6
Steve_P Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 6,644	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Don't try making a connection to the radio. Get an MP3 transmitter and use that. Simple and effective. Cheers, Steve P. __________________ If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...?

28th May 2009, 11:48 pm	#7
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,536	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Just a comment about voltage fluctuations- car electrics are well known for this- 10-14V variation doesn't sound unreasonable for on charge / off charge voltage especially on an older car with dynamo electrics. If the problem is not present on all stations (posts?) it's unlikely to be related to the radio supply. It does sound like the station you mention is simply weaker in town and drops below the quieting threshold for your radio. Do you know if other people have the same problem with a different car / radio? Chris

29th May 2009, 8:28 pm	#9
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Somewhere on this forum-I can't find it in this section- there is a diagram showing the connections to the 7-pin DIN Socket as fitted to your Becker, Don. Basically Pins 1(RH)4(LH) are the audio output from the radio tuner, pins 3(RH)5(LH) are the inputs to the audio amplifier, with the common negative(screening) going to pin 2. In normal use these are connected to each other by links in the socket cover. To connect an MP3 Player, Ipod, etc., a lead consisting of a 5 or 7 pin DIN plug with a two-wire screened lead connected to pins 3, 5 & 2 plugged into the radio, with a 3.5mm stereo jack plug at the other end, is neede. Resistors of ca. 4k7 should be fitted in series with the LH & RH leads. Note, however that the RADIO will be muted when this plug is inserted, unless either a DPDT(changeover switch) or a SWITCHED stereo jack socket is included so that the links mentioned above are remade when the Iphone is disconnected. (On the diagrams it states pin 6 is the common negative, but all Blaupunky radios I've ever worked with use pin 2 for this, so AFAIK does Becker)

29th May 2009, 9:31 pm	#10
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio The diagrams to which I refer are in a thread posted by NickVyse on 22 February 2009 in this section-I tried TWICE to upload them for inclusion here, but because I had accidentally reposted them on the page they originated from(although I deleted that thread!) the system wouldn't allow me to attach them here. In addition I do not know how to insert the 'this thread' link other members sometimes use

29th May 2009, 9:35 pm	#11
AlanBeckett Rest in Peace Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Burton upon Trent, East Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 1,686	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio This one? https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=37599

30th May 2009, 8:05 am	#13
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio That's the one, Alan, thanks-those diagrams(with the provisos I noted in my post#9 above) should apply to any stereo or mono car radio fitted with DIN 'tape recorder' sockets or leads by the makers(mostly Blaupunkt, Becker & Philips). Hope this clarifies things for Don Zalmrol and others. Thanks for the info, Graham. For future reference could the relevant parts of all the threads about connecting CD Players, etc., to car radios be collated at put in a 'read only' section, as there is obviously a lot of interest in this subject

30th May 2009, 9:23 am	#14
Don_Zalmrol Hexode Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ghent, Belgium Posts: 273	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Thank you all! I've taken the car of my father and driven it to Ghent, no problems what so ever with the radio, so prehaps it's my aerial or my antenna input on my radio. StuBru is an FM station, on the 94.5 FM bandwidth and yes the aerial of StuBru is right outside the city. With my father radio (a JVC) there is no problem (it's from around the year 2005). I've also asked around if some of my friends have problems with it. And no they have none of these problems. And thank you all for the shematics :p There is no possibility that this could damage my radio (all wires properly connected of course)? So i must connect pin 4 and 5 together also the same with pin 1 and 3. Pin 6 is the ground. and connect them with two 4,7kOhm resistors and the ground to a 3,5mm stereo jack. Thank you all very much! Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Darren-UK; 30th May 2009 at 9:37 am. Reason: Huge embedded image converted to thumbnail.

30th May 2009, 10:34 am	#15
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Don, there is no way that connecting an Iphone, Ipod, or other audio device to the 7 pole DIN socket can damage your radio. The points I mentioned in my post#9 are worth noting, especially that in the diagram the signal ground(masse audio) and masse chassis are opposite to those in all the car radios i've ever dealt with, and that, with pin4 connected to pin 5, & pin 1 to pin 3, as shown, the Radio audio will still be present when the Iphone, etc. is connected. I guess you could always tune the radio to a quiet spot on the dial-if you can find one!!, when listening to the Iphone.

30th May 2009, 11:36 am	#16
Don_Zalmrol Hexode Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ghent, Belgium Posts: 273	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Ah, great! So I don't need a switch for selecting aux input on or off! I can always put it on the AM band or look for a quiet spot like you say. About the radio audio. Can I make a switch to set the aux input on or off? Then I don't need to change the stations to a blank spot.

30th May 2009, 8:03 pm	#17
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio A double pole changeover switch wired so that the connections between pins 4 & 5, and 1 & 3 arejoined when Radio is selected, and broken(disconnected) when your Iphone, etc is needed(i.e. a 'Radio/Aux' switch) will achieve this. Make sure that in the 'Aux' position the two 4k7 resistors are connected to pins 3 & 5 so that the sound from the Iphone, etc. is fed to the Radios Amplifier in this mode

31st May 2009, 7:59 am	#19
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio Pin 7 is a sitched + 12volt output intended to power the external device(originally a Cassette Player or recorder made for in-car use) It could be used to power an Ipod or Iphone, etc.,via ANY NECCESARY CONVERTER to reduce the 12v to whatever is needed-e.g. 6 or 9v. Otherwise make no connection to pin 7, ensuring that this pin is completely isolated from any other wiring

31st May 2009, 2:54 pm	#20
Don_Zalmrol Hexode Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ghent, Belgium Posts: 273	Re: Questions about my Becker Europa II car radio I'm doubting about using pin 7 as (like you say to power an external device like iPhone, iPod, … with a 12V convertor to 5V) because most of these convertors use something around 500mA to 1A ampage supply. Wouldn't it overload the radio? If not, I have a car USB loader that directly changes the voltage to 5V 500mA. Then I can modify it to connect directly to pin 7 (for 12V+) en pin 2 (ground chassis) as the ground (-) And thus power any USB compatible device from my radio.