Wire in the trunk?
03-02-2005, 01:55 PM
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My Ride: On order: 2007 550i, silver gray, black leather, anth. maple trim, active cruise, heated steering wheel, sport, night vision, vent seats, heat rears, active steering, rear air bags, folding seats, comfort access, navigation , HUD, black head liner, steptronic, premium sound, sirius and HD radio.
In the trunk on the drivers side behind the panel where Sirius is installed there are several wiring looms. On of the looms has an antenna lead and a 12 volt power lead. The antenna is for the phone but the power lead I can not figureout what it is for. I have Sirius, Logic 7 and Nav so it is not for any of those things. The reason I ask is that it is in the same loom as the antenna leads that you have to put together to make the bluetooth cradle use the sharkfin is where the power cable is. My bluetooth cradle is using the antenna but is not charging. I can only assume that maybe the power lead has something to do with the phone. Any ideas.
03-02-2005, 06:30 PM
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My Ride: '06 530i -6speed - Comfort Seats - Premium Package - Premium Sound Package - Cold Weather Package - Ventilated Seats - Xenon -HUD - PDC - Nav
take a picture pointing out what you're talking about & post it ... would make it easier 
good luck.
good luck.
03-03-2005, 05:09 AM
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I will take a picture and post it later this week when I get back in town.
03-13-2005, 06:13 PM
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Sorry about not posting the pic but I did figure out what the wire is. There is a phone part called a Compensator that is used to boost the phone signal. People have wondered why they have to connect the two antenna leads in the trunk to make the center console antenna lead work with the sharkfin.....well here is why. If you install the Compensator to boost cell signal you connect one lead of the antenna wire to the IN on the Compensator box and the other lead that goes to the sharkfin to the OUT of the box. You then plug the mystery 12v lead, that is included in the antenna wiring bundle, to the box. When the key is in position 1 or higher, 12v is supplied to the compensator box and boom!!!!!!!!!! a full 2 watts of signal power at the sharkfin. I am going to verify but I think the boost only works for GSM. I am not well versed in the "electrical" differences of GSM vs. TDMA, CDMA etc. so I do not know if adding the Compensator will do anything for non-GSM phones. Mystery wire SOLVED!!!
03-13-2005, 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by ledbettm' date='Mar 13 2005, 10:13 PM
Sorry about not posting the pic but I did figure out what the wire is. There is a phone part called a Compensator that is used to boost the phone signal. People have wondered why they have to connect the two antenna leads in the trunk to make the center console antenna lead work with the sharkfin.....well here is why. If you install the Compensator to boost cell signal you connect one lead of the antenna wire to the IN on the Compensator box and the other lead that goes to the sharkfin to the OUT of the box. You then plug the mystery 12v lead, that is included in the antenna wiring bundle, to the box. When the key is in position 1 or higher, 12v is supplied to the compensator box and boom!!!!!!!!!! a full 2 watts of signal power at the sharkfin. I am going to verify but I think the boost only works for GSM. I am not well versed in the "electrical" differences of GSM vs. TDMA, CDMA etc. so I do not know if adding the Compensator will do anything for non-GSM phones. Mystery wire SOLVED!!!
[snapback]101065[/snapback]
Can I offer to save you some more time? The compensator works on the CPT-9000 phone (Moto V60) CDMA version for sure and it might also work with the TDMA phone as well. In other words, I don't think the compensator is technology specific when it comes to the type of phone network.
Hope that helps you out...
03-14-2005, 03:56 AM
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My Ride: On order: 2007 550i, silver gray, black leather, anth. maple trim, active cruise, heated steering wheel, sport, night vision, vent seats, heat rears, active steering, rear air bags, folding seats, comfort access, navigation , HUD, black head liner, steptronic, premium sound, sirius and HD radio.
Does anyone have the compensator? If so what are your impressions of it? Does it really help with signal reception? I live in Pittsburgh and travel to Indianapolis every weekend. Once I get a little west of Pitt my signal goes in and out due to hills and poor cell tower coverage. Does this help with that?
Thanks
Thanks
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