Improving Car Reception - Antenna Talk - Page 2

man i was under the impression from your previous postings that the amplifier solved your problems. so i ordered an amplifier as well... i guess that didn't do the trick?

haha, i know that area. i don't know if there is anything you can do outside of getting one of those huge ass antennas i see truckers get on their cars. one that is like 12 feet tall.

right now i have an AM station that on some days comes in fairly well, on others it goes in and out and is hard to lock. my favorite sports talk shows are on that station so since i can always get a small HD signal but sometimes can't get it to lock i'm hoping the amplifier does the trick. i just have the JVC hd head unit with my standard car antenna. i got the same amplifier that you linked earlier in this thread.

Tydal-

The Firestik products you found are exactly what I had in mind when I made the comment above. I did not know such an antenna existed, and I am glad to hear that it is working well so far.

Wow now you're getting serious! How did you run the cable into your car so it doesn't leak?

I found one more inside antenna that might work: http://www.tmtuning.com/HOME/catalog...lt_product=873

Otherwise I'm going to do with the drill a 1/2 hole in new looking car's roof. I'm over it, I just want reception.

A standard feature of mounts like the one Tydalforce used is that they route the coax cable in an S-shaped path over the lip of the trunk to avoid creating a leak spot.

The spring is a good idea, partly because it will reduce stress on the mount when driving and/or opening and closing the trunk. However, it may increase, not decrease, the "boing-boing" of the antenna hitting the car's roof, unless you get in the habit of holding the trunk lid and raising it slowly.

Excellent. Yes, the extra length could improve reception, especially on FM.

Yesterday I tried an eight foot long boat am/fm antenna I just picked up for my sister-in-laws Searay. I could not drive around but did find that it picked up 5 more FM and 2 more AM stations than the PT Cruiser's OEM antenna. Too bad you can't drive around with one of those bad boys mounted to the trunk.

Richard

Thank you for the update. Although I have had my Radiosophy for a number of weeks now, I am still getting a feel for mobile HD since I have only had that for a few days now. I do have an OEM cowl mount antenna on my Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. I have not had good experiences in the past with amplifiers, so I will probably avoid those. I thought about this until I realized it has been discontinued http://www.ccrane.com/antennas/auto-...o-antenna.aspx

My car is this way. In fact it did it in my old car too.. I have an amp and speakers but have the sub cut off when listening to sports radio.. Does anyone know a way to get it to actually work right? Right now I can only listen to FM because when the car is running the AM is completely trash.

Were you telling me? If so please let me know and I'll buy both just incase..

Automobile AM radio interference is usually caused by poor shielding of the spark in the ignition system. Check to see that your engine block is grounded properly to the car body, and that the hood is also grounded well. Dirt on the ground terminals, causing a poor connection, may be part of the problem.

Also check to see if the radio itself is properly grounded as is the antenna coax shield.

I have a 2007 Honda Hybrid, it has the stock radio and stock "power antenna" mounted above the rear window, when I connected my Directed "car connect" http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Cq8qfWf...650&I=60744000 it had lousy reception even for local stations that were transmitting 5 miles away, long story short. I did the "I think I need a better antenna" so I went ahead and drilled in my fender and mounted a 31" stick, great reception. I worked with Ibiquity and Honda on trying to resolve my antenna issue before drilling. and that was my solution I wish I would have done the trunk mount instead. I live in Wheeling WV and work in Pittsburgh PA, thats a 62 mile one-way drive. So I have lots of fringe reception to deal with and the fender mounted antenna was the only option (at that time), I even tried to replace the factory antenna/mast and leave the factory mount with one of those "cellular look-a-likes" it did improve reception, not enough so I drilled and left the cellular look-a-like installed, it looks better, even though it does nothing

Sorry for hijacking but I'm in the same boat

My stock rec. was perfect for AM but not after aftermarket radio.. It's been like this the last 2 cars I've replaced the stock radio. I have it done at CC so....... When I have the key turned to ACC or whatever it is before the next position, the AM is still bad but understandable at times.. But when the car is turned to the next position (sorry I don't know the technical term, but the electric windows work) the AM is complete static and stays the same way when the car is running only a hum is there but it doesn't get louder the faster I go..

Danieloneil01, Sounds like the problem is in your spark plugs, depending on the make, model & year, you ,might have non-resistor plugs, you need resistor plugs. But you also need a better ground for your radio’s antenna. run 16 gauge single conductor medium to heavy jacketed wire to the back of your radio and attach it to the chassis, that’s why you have a constant hum. "ground loop" on your AM radio stations. The antenna isn't fully grounded and this will cause the Hum. In short positive power is not fully discharging to the ground circuit and since it has no place to go it disperses through all the circuits in your radio, including speakers.
TydalForce I though it was the antenna connection as well, but the “car connect” needed a special adapter plug for the Honda, because Honda and Toyota radios have a 3-wire 18 gauge single con that runs to the radio. “No round gauge” and this wire carries voltage to the antenna very low voltage and returns, this is supposed to carry the RF from the antenna to the radio. Nobody has “officially” told me this but when you have a volt meter and a little experience…This scenario works perfect with factory installed radios but not after markets including the JVC-KDHDR1 and the ‘Direct Connect” my reception was dismal at best because I believe that this configuration my actual antenna was the wire itself RF never made from antenna mast to the radio. Honda told me that nobody else complained about radio reception, and I can believe that this is true. Because most people are interested in satellite radio or their MP3 portables connecting the aux.
So I went to the local Auto Zone and purchased a GM type 31” mast fender mount
Metra Electronics Corp. - 44-GM93 http://www.metraonline.com/products.aspx after I purchased this antenna I laid it on my dashboard and connected it to the “direct connect” immediately there was a drastic improvement I was even picking up stations 30 miles away on my factory radio as well. So I drove to Pittsburgh with this antenna sticking up between my driver and passenger seat inside the car and I was really impressed with the reception, My 2 HD stations locked in 45 miles from the transmitter site. So I went ahead and made the commitment and drilled in the driver side fender and ran the “RG” cable to the radio, there is no easy way to penetrate through the Honda’s firewall so its better to come around it. There is a access way that the cable fits perfect to the dashboard. And I have been satisfied ever since with my radio reception