tuner module not working

I've had my tuner for a little over a year. i had it installed and occasionally it just didn't work. it was installed so i couldn't see if it was getting power but just assumed that a wire was loose somewhere. eventually i had it pulled out and now i just installed it myself. it worked right away but mysteriously stopped working a day or two later. i pulled everything out (without unplugging anything) and turned it on. it worked so i put everything back in and it didn't work. i again assumed some wire was lose or getting pulled out. i pulled everything out again and now it still doesn't work. the red light is on and the dial is set to 0.
3 questions:
what is the dial for?
what is the little hole (looks like a dc power plug) between the cable pack coming out and the antenna lead
what else can i do to troubleshoot the tuner?
thanks!

3 questions:
what is the dial for?
what is the little hole (looks like a dc power plug) between the cable pack coming out and the antenna lead
what else can i do to troubleshoot the tuner?

You could, oh,
Read
the
FAQ

i pulled everything out (without unplugging anything) and turned it on. it worked so i put everything back in and it didn't work.

This sounds like a loose wire on the docking connector. Click here for more information.

all the connections seem fine. in fact, i quite clearly hear static, so i'm wondering if it's an audi specfic problem. i swear it worked at first, for about 1 day.
anyway, i now know that audi uses a 'diversity' antenna system - there are 2 plugs on the back of the original unit and apparently one goes to the front of the car and one goes to the back...so i'm researching where to go from here.
any advice would be appreciated!

i now know that audi uses a 'diversity' antenna system - there are 2 plugs on the back of the original unit and apparently one goes to the front of the car and one goes to the back...so i'm researching where to go from here.

It might possibly be related to that, not sure.

When you said "didn't work", I thought you meant it really flat out didn't work. The fact that you hear static means the tuner is working but there's something wrong with the antenna connection. It might be something as simple as a frayed antenna wire, intermittent at best, and would tend to start and stop functioning as you changed the angles and stresses on the connector.

well the volume was so low that i didn't hear 'anything' until i plugged in the 12v for the antenna amp.

as far as the tuner 'working' ... as long as there is any static, does that necessarily mean that the tuner is working 100%? couldn't it just not tune anything in, despite having a great antenna? the reason i bring it up is because in the last car i had, it sometimes just didn't work...

well i found that the audi requires an antenna adapter that incorporates 12v for the 'antenna amplifier'. i hooked that up and now the static is louder and i can sort of make out the station but it's very very fuzzy and can barely hear anything. next i guess i'll try plugging the old radio back in and see if it works...

Have you made sure that your tuner region is set appropriately in Emplode?

well i found that the audi requires an antenna adapter that incorporates 12v for the 'antenna amplifier'. i hooked that up and now the static is louder and i can sort of make out the station but it's very very fuzzy and can barely hear anything.

I continue to vote for the frayed antenna wire connection theory.

yes - the tuner is set right. here is the latest:

because the audi has a diversity antenna system, i went to the local stereo shop to get a converter from the small connector to the large. this should not be necessary because the empeg should be able to get adequate signal from the larger connector alone. nonetheless, i wanted to cover my bases. when i got to the stereo shop, i plugged it all in, turned it on and voila - it worked! i unplugged the antenna altogether and even without the antenna, the station was pretty clear. i plugged in the adapter i just bought, since it includes the power connection, and the signal was still there. after a few moments, the signal went off again and never came back, no matter how much i wiggled things and unplugged/replugged things.

so, i don't think an antenna is the issue. the tuner just doesn't seem to be tuning anything in. at this point, i wouldn't mind mailing my tuner somewhere to have it checked out if possible. i wanted to buy the clear buttons, led's and the optical output, so if there's anyone that would be willing to do all that labor for me, and diagnose/repair the tuner problem, please let me know!

Does the tuner work when you first plug the empeg in on a cold morning? Maybe it stops working after it warms up.

that is actually something i considered. both times it worked were after it wasn't used for a long time. i thought about putting it in the refridgerator for a few minutes. i have actually made dead hard drives work (albeit temporarily) with this method. because i live in texas where it's usually 90+ degrees, a 'cold morning' doesn't really happen.