PorscheAddiction, Good info. The 360 antenna from the drawing seems to have a snap-in plug but I will later confirm this. I have a feeling the antenna is wire tied to the wire bundle but will know for sure later. The factory pictoral for the 430 antenna shows the wire coiled near the receiver! So, according to what you stated, this is a no no! Let's hope there is an easy resolution to this to facilitate the remote action. Chris Lee stated test results showed 315 Mhz, but Ferrari lists this as 433 Mhz. So, there is some confusion here, and then the question becomes as to what is the correct additional length for the correct frequency?
you need to find your transmit freq. using a some sort of freq. counter that will run scan through the VHF/UHF freq. bands.Get access to a counter and hold one of the keys on the remote and hit scan in a couple of seconds it will lock on and that is your transmit frequency. To verify this let go of the remote button the freq counter will start scanning again. Push and hold a remote button and the counter should lock on to the same exact freq you had a minute ago. you may not even have to make a new antenna...just uncoiling and getting the original in the clear would do some good too, If that dont work then I would mesure the original ant and see how long it is before making any adustments too it. Chris
I would assume that Chris Lee did use a frequency counter. So, his frequency statement must be accurate. I have no idea where to find a frequency counter here. Will advise this PM after I get it opened. Thanks for all the great info. So, what's a Porsche guy doing on a Ferrari website? What Porsche do you have? I am strting to look at a 997 Carrera Cabrio as a play toy. What's your take on the 997's?
I like all the Porsches minus the SUV lol. I dont have anything fancy and in Porsche circles some dont even consider it a true P-Car. I have a 1981 924 NA it handles well drives exceptional and I enjoy it. What am I doing on a Ferrari board..The same as everyone else love the Marque have great respect for it and would some day like to own a F-car I think I could handle the maintainance on an old tempermental 308 as I spend a lot of "quality time" under the hood of the 924 lol,and of course everyone one on here is great lots of knowledge to soak up and enjoy. The 997 what is there to say but WOW will have to go for a test drive when available at the local dealers, I have read lot of reviews on it, looks like a winner. Frequency counter purchase hmmm try radio shack they used to sell a handheld one that would work for this purpose. Chris.
I have driven the 997 Carrera Coupe with a 6 speed and was very impressed. It pulls almost like the Ferrari but just does not have the sound of my 360. It's a nice car, though. Test drive one and you'll be spoiled.
I would be spoiled and grinning ear to ear in any exotic. I have yet to have the F-Car experience I might someday soon. Chris.
An F car experience is one that grows. It matures with each drive. The sound is absolutely intoxicating.
Sorry but did not have the chance to get to testing the alarm antenna today. Have to wait for this Sunday. Stand by.
Greg, Chris, I opened mine but the alarm unit is not behind the siren unit. It might be located under the dashboard…. I ran out of time to look for it. I used a frequency spectrum analyzer to measure the actual transmitted signal of the remote. My 360 is 99 model, and I am not sure if that has anything to do with the different TX frequency. The length of the ANT does not have to be exact for receiving (it can be off somewhat – in fact the system might have a loading coil on the circuit board to reduce the length of the ANT), but how the ANT is situated (routed) is more important to the over all performance. I guess I need to locate the alarm system first… ;-)
John, it's kinda fun thing for me to work on this stuff - I just wish I had more time to work on it. See you at SR on this Saturday.
Your right there might be a loading coil on it but lets hope not. true your ant. does not have to be exact however your looking to increase distance that the remote operates at so the logical way is it increase the true electrical wavelength for the frequency your using. The easiest and most effeicent way is to alter the receiver ant. Perhaps someone can find out if there is a loading coil in the alarm system and its value if there is one. But before anyone experiments with antennas try to get the original uncoiled and as clear as possible from other wires etc. Chris.
Chris, What you say is interesting. On the drawing I posted, #'s 10 & #12 are mounted to a metal panel as you can see. #10 is the module interface. I am now thinking that they are in the removable panel to the right in the trunk closest to the alarm module. When I get a chance I'll take that panel out again to check. The P/N for the antenna module is 168508. They are not under the dash as I looked extensively there yesterday, and could not find. There is a green module under the dash on the extreme left covered by a removeable plastic sheet. I thought that was it, but the top leads are mush too great a wire gauge to be an antenna. What I did today find out as an experiment is that standing 30+ feet from the left rear side of the car and with the remote under my chin, the system armed! I was surprised. So, the body is acting as an antenna. So, for sure the antenna assembly must be on the left side. I'll look for it in the trunk as well.
These modules are located behind the driver's seat under the bench cover with 5 screws. Once the bench cover is removed, the modules are located under a steel bracket (circled in picture below) that is used to fasten the fuse boxes. P.S Is there a sensitivity adjustment for the factory alarm? Thanks John Image Unavailable, Please Login
John, That's very good info. However, I don't understand why my drawings do not detail the location of this. Are you certain of this location? Strange that it would be when you indicate with the alarm horn so far forward! I will check this soon and advise. As a further aside, I have been experimenting with the remote. I find that if one holds the remote under one's chin with the FCC label towards your body, it will affect the alarm from as far as 50 feet on the driver's side! Very strange indeed, but it works. The body acts as an antenna.
Your getting facinated by radio I see. Here is another interesting trick that can be done with radio antennas. An external antenna not connected to anything but cut to the proper length of a frequency of a transmitter near by, will act like a repeater. An old example of that is using a handheld two way radio in a car with no means of hooking an external antenna to the radio itself. Cut and mount an ant. to the frequency you are using on the outside of the car and suddenly your transmission has been improved. Radio is similar to electicity ..it will follow the path of least resistance unless we interfere with it in someway. Has anyone located the antenna and some how rerouted it in the clear yet? Chris.
Hi Greg Check pages 7.60 & 7.61 of your owners manual Item #7 labelled as your anti theft system. I unscrewed the panel in my car and sure enough, there it was. Thanks John
No kidding? Can't believe I missed that in the manual. Have you played with the antenna positioning yet?
You will be just as shocked how different the adjustment of the antenna affects the range as you were the 'chin' thing.
John T, I can't believe that I had the manual out the other day to pages 7.60-7.61 that you stated, and I over looked the alarm placement #7! Dah! The unit I saw under the dash that was covered with a removeable plastic sheet is the power window/door relay #8. So, I am now going to open the panel behind the driver's seat to play with the antenna. Will advise.
Ok, So I took off the fabric panel behind the driver's seat, and low and behold the alarm module and antenna module is on the engine side (back side) of the metal plate. In addition there are substantial battery power lines that join in a block mounted to the passenger side of that panel. SOOO, I have to wait until this W/E when I have more time, can power off the electrical at the battery switch, and can then delve into this. I can't see enough in there to know what's what. Thus, more to come. I'll take pictures for sure.
OK, so I finally had some time to work on this issue to see if I can get any improvement. From my test few months ago, I knew the remote transmitter has plenty of output power. So I figure either the alarm ECU has a low receive sensitivity or the ANT is not situated in the most optimum way. I took the panel off and located the alarm ECU. The ANT has the proper length but was placed in the worst location. The ANT was tacked on to the bottom side of the metal plate that has the alarm ECU bolted on. Since the plate is bolted onto the frame, the ANT is sandwiched between two metal plates acting as a RF shield. I simply pulled the ANT wire off the plate and rerouted to point the center isle so that the ANT is out of the shield box. A simple modification yet gives me over 50 ft of range
