Aftermarket Wx Band Headunit?

[Perdue]

I'm looking for a headunit that has capability for the NOAA Weather Band frequencies, as I'm almost always outdoors during the spring, summer, and fall, and usually don't have cell service to check weather forecasts on camping/fishing trips. Jensen makes a couple that are also "heavy duty" rated, but they start at around $300 with a CD Player and Aux Input. I already have a CB radio with Wx Band that fits in a DIN slot, but I don't want to drill a hole for another antenna on the car. I'm not finding much anymore, although I remember seeing some of these in the past, so I'm considering getting a used OEM unit on ebay, but then I lose my sound quality and Aux Input. Any ideas?

[Wiscon_Mark]

You could always find an OEM HU that has the changer input and do the DIY aux input + an aftermarket amp with speaker leads for inputs to retain/improve sound quality over an aftermarket unit.

[Perdue]

Yeah. I was reading about using a device (I forgot what it's called already) that goes between the FM Antenna and the stock headunit. You apparently wire a switch in for 12v power and flip it to switch between the FM signal or Aux In signal...the ashtray would be a good spot to mount that stuff. I already have an aftermarket amp to power front speakers and a sub, so I might go this route.

[Cooper197]

I may have one of these OEM ones with weather band in it...pulled it out of my brother's Outback. Anyway if it's around, you can have it for whatever shipping is. I know it works well, although it does have a dead bulb or two in the buttons, we pulled it for bluetooth, USB, nav...yada yada yada

As far as the AUX goes, there's a DIY somewhere as far as adding an input directly to the unit as a "CD", but you could also use something like the iSimple IS77 to give you all sorts of input options. Will even charge an iPod/iPhone and play through the dock connector if that's what you use, if not it has standard AUX too. I put one in my friend's G35, it works great and can also be found cheap, like under $50 if you look around a bit.

^Pretty sure that's what you were talking about.


If your amp does speaker level inputs, then this should be a pretty darn easy swap out, and probably for even less than $100 if you shop around.

[Perdue]

Cooper, if you still have it and aren't going to use it, I would definately appreciate it. The amps are older and do have the speaker level inputs, but I'm not sure if they have the connections with them still...I will have to look. If not, I have see adapters that will convert the signal to RCA, and I will go that route if necessary.

[Muse]

I may have one of these OEM ones with weather band in it...
As far as the AUX goes, there's a DIY somewhere as far as adding an input directly to the unit as a "CD"
This is exactly what I was thinking.

[thesavo]

What's your budget, and feature requirements? Cd, aux, sound quality
Jvc makes two.
KDX-40
KDG-140

Try a search on Crutchfield. Their mobile site isn't great though.

I was at the yard today. I saw one or two Oem units. Their big.

[Perdue]

I would honestly go with an OEM unit over Jensen, JVC, Dual, or Pyle. Not to sound snobbish, but I have never held those brands in high regard.

[Muse]

I was at the yard today. I saw one or two Oem units. Their big.
IIRC, they're all double-din in-dash 6-CD changers. and other hyphenated statements as well.

Also, when I put mine in, the sound quality increased dramatically, over just the stock BK radio. it's really a great upgrade, for cheap. If you pull one from the yard, and still have your stock door speakers, check and see if the car you're pulling it from has the plastic cone front door speakers. Between the '04 radio, stock '04 speakers and OEM tweeters, my sound is twenty times better than stock, and all of that is OEM Subaru parts.

[rkrenicki]

There are a few single DIN WX-capable radios, I have seen them in Foresters and whatnot.

[Perdue]

I will admit, the idea of simply having an underseat sub and mostly OEM setup would work for me nowadays. I could keep all of my cargo space too.