On Mon, 01 Sep 2003 00:14:53 GMT, Nick wrote:
What is best way to increase sensitivity on car radios. I am thinking
of getting the Blaupunkt model which has a rating of 6db which I
believe is the lowest of all aftermarket models. However is antenna
placement currently on wheel wheel cowl a factor and also the cabling.
Would a ampliefied antenna work best? Currently a 21 inch coated wire
wrapped single rod is in place.
Wire wrapped??? A rod of some material with a coil of wire on it?
That sounds like it is designed for a longer wavelength than FM radio
(88-108 MHZ). Are you sure it is an entertainment radio antenna and
not some other communications type? Car FM/AM radios are usually a
single vertical element 18-30 inches in length.
The cable used is very specific to this application - very low
internal capacitance coax. Usually a very thin single conductor of
copper or steel with a copper plating, inside a polyethylene tube
surrounded by a braided shield, and plastic covered.
There is quite often a tuning adjustment on the radio to adjust the
receiver to the length of the cable and antenna - screw driver
adjustment somewhere on the radio (often only accessible from the
back). Tuning is usually more for A.M. band reception (550-1600 KHZ)
My reception is terrible while on all
other previous models it was great in same area driven.
I had units
replaced as well as new antenna and cable.
That pretty much takes care of everything that can go wrong to cause
poor sensitivity. My guess is something was not changed as you
believe, or done incorrectly. Or your perception is faulty?
Can something else be
causing this problem to reduce sensitivity. I have noticed that like
an electric shock released from the body on nylon carpets that
sometimes operating the electric windows have cleard up the problem
and improved temp the reception. Can there be a wiring harness
problem? I have added a fm booster which unnoticeably at best has not
cured the sensitivity issue. Any help. suggestions or what to look
for would help in this quest to increase listening power where there
are stations. Nick
FM booster won't do much for a bad antenna or broken cable.
The only thing in all of what you have written that gives a ray of
hope - working the windows, improves the sensitivity temporarily. The
antenna is in the front of the vehicle (?) so the antenna cable
doesn't run anywhere near the windows. That does suggest that there
may be a wiring problem. Can you slide the radio out of the dash and
try getting voltage to it without using the usual low voltage cable?
Ground must be there also and is as important or more important
(grounding is often provided by a metal mounting screw in back of the
radio and there's a ground on the antenna cable where the antenna
itself passes through the metal of the fender)
While it is out, try a makeshift antenna with a few feet of wire
directly to the antenna connector on the radio and see what the
sensitivity is like. If it improves- you know the antenna or cable is
bad. Remove the FM booster while checking since it is also subject to
the same problems that plague radios.
You are describing a problem- poor sensitivity where you once had
good sensitivity. Sensitivity improves when you work the windows,
antenna cabling and radio have been changed in an attempt to solve the
problem. The only thing left are the radio power and ground
connections.
Boosters don't usually correct problems.
Good luck . . .
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