In article , Don Turner
says...
Can someone tell me how many wires are supposed to go into the amplified bee
sting aerial commonly found in VAG hatch backs (e.g. a 2001 A3).

I've lost radio reception in mine and I suspect the amplifier in the aerial
base is gone. So I unscrewed the aerial base and opened it up. Now all I can
see going into the base is a single core black wire... no co-ax and no power
wire. So could it be that the radio signal + power is carried by a single
wire???

Yes.

Before opening it up I picked up an amplified bee sting aerial (universal
fit for VW/Vauxhall etc..) from GSF carparts, but this one contains a
coaxial cable + a red power lead going into the amplified base.

Very confused?????

Simply take the red wire to a +ve feed. It'll use the ground of the
aerial to supply 0V.

Slightly related...you may want to check that the grounding area of the
existing antenna isn't corroded.

--
Conor

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." O.Osbourne.