Newbie ... helping a friend who owns a 1995 850 GLS.

It appears from what I've read on this forum that the 1995 850 has a non-standard fiber optic radio antenna connection. Are there adaptors available anywhere that would allow direct FM modulation for an XM radio hook-up?

My car (a Subaru) doesn't have an AUX input, and rather than using standard ("over the air") FM modulation for my XM receiver, I bought a little gadget that taps right into the radio's antenna. When the XM receiver is on, it cuts out the radio antenna in favor of the XM signal. No chance of interference from a broadcast station. I was hoping to do the same for my friend's 850 because it also apparently doesn't have an AUX input, but if it also doesn't have a standard antenna connection, I'd need an adaptor (if one is even available).

Any help?

 

Hi stlfan62,

Welcome to the forum. I think your problem is similar to that
of Ipod owners that would like an aux input on the volvo radio.
There is a post somewhere that explains how to tap into the
volvo radio to add an Ipod. I think it is using the channel for
the tape player so the FM receiver is disabled. Sorry, my
memory on this is fuzzy. If you don't find it on this forum
try volvospeed or mathewsvolvosite, it was on one of them.
I am not familiar with fibre optic antenna connections. I do
think some of the volvo radios have an RF amplifier at the
antenna location, but on my car the antenna connector on
the back of the radio looks just like a standard Motorola
plug with coax, nothing that would indicate a fibre optic link.
Maybe someone else on the forum has further information.

Good luck, John

Edit> It is on mathewsvolvosite, under "repair forum" for the
850.

 

Thanks. Interesting approach. Since it seems pretty easy to pop out the radio, I may do that anyway just to check the antenna connection. If it's a standard plug, I'll use the direct FM modulator. If not, I'll see if my friend would mind me doing the more delicate operation described on matthewsvolvosite.