Radio reception issues with double din

[RichB]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

QUOTE=RichB

On another note, I found another intersting quirk with the radio. When I was tuned into a radio station, I saved the channel into one of the presets. It then retuned itself using the RDS/AF function, but it saved the new frequency in the preset channel rather than keeping the original frequency I wanted. Is this right???

Probably, the radio in my VW reacts the same. The RDS will look for the strongest/ best signal to match the one set anyway, so I don't think it maters really.

Cheers,
Rich

It didn't do that on my Kenwood. I regularly spend time in two different areas with different frequecies for the national radio channels. I used to have the 6 presets on FM1 tuned to certain frequencies, and 6 presets on FM2 tuned to others for that particular area. I don't necessarily want the RDS changing the frequencies I locked in.

Maybe if my radio reception was better then RDS would work better. But sometimes I sit and listed to the crackle and the 'pulsing' noise it makes as it tries to search for a better signal for what seems ages and it doesn't find anything. I then do a quick manual sweep and find a much stronger signal????

Do even get me started on the TA function. If I switch this on it just seems to retune the radio to Classic FM!

Cheers,
Rich

[e668ecp]

It did this on my old Rover 414i's Philips head unit... most useful

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by Mr Edd

Can't agree with that... Fair enough if you disconnect the battery you have to reset all the channels again but if you change modes it should go back to the station you were listening to originally. IMHO


Edd

I was replying to it storing a new channel in a preset, if the RDS finds a stronger/better signal than the one you have tuned in the preset. My VW reacts that way too.

I agree that when you change the mode, then go back to listening to the radio, that it should return to the same station as you were listening to before.

[Mr Edd]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

I was replying to it storing a new channel in a preset, if the RDS finds a stronger/better signal than the one you have tuned in the preset. My VW reacts that way too.

I agree that when you change the mode, then go back to listening to the radio, that it should return to the same station as you were listening to before.

Yep sorry I misread that.

Edd

[MARKUK]

All,

Drove up to Scotland today via the North East and even with the little in line amp in place, the radio reception in some areas borders on the non existent.

I think I will build one of the units that I mentioned in earlier posts and see what happens...I will update as soon as I have assembled the parts from their various sources and built it !.

One thing is sure, some of us are still having issues !

[HarryM1BYT]

My FM reception seems to only have three states - perfect, a rapid regular flutter with digital noise thrown in the gaps, or none at all - just noise. Not the white noise you usually get, but digital interferrence type noise. That same noise is even more prominent on AM, which is why I'm suggesting that the receiver might be being wiped out by the interference generated internally by the DD's digital circuits.

One of these days I'll spend a bit of time checking out the inside of the DD, check the screening and maybe isolation of supplies etc..

[MARKUK]

Originally Posted by MARKUK

I could build this no problem...

Been researching the bits required and it would probably come in at around £15.55.with an enclosure and Aerial cable . plugs etc..
+ the time to build it of course !

This is buying the bits from quaser :

038KT: AM / FM Aerial Amplifier Kit
And
CAB459M: 2 core, 2 x 24/0.2mm, 6.0A, Red/Black ( 1M ) £10.08

Ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT - £2.45

Maplin

Mini ABS 50x50x20 Bk - £1.69

Might have to see if I can put one together

This is what I am talking about....might order the parts so they are hopefully at my house when I get back from Scotland on Friday !!

If it works and that's a big IF, I will build them to order if anyone wants one, but I will have to work out a price for parts, labour and postage though.

[RichB]

My reception is still not right either, I have the OEM amp working now, one of those in line amps and a splitter. I regularly drive from south to north and back and trying to keep a decent radio reception is driving me nuts.

Next thing I want to try is disconnect the input to the TMC to see what it sounds like without having the signal split two ways. But at the moment I've been needing the TMC function and it has been very useful.

I might then try the supplied TMC aerial along with the inline amp and see if that works.

Harry, I think the flutter you describe is the AF kicking in trying to find a stronger frequency. Turn AF off and that goes away. I must admit the AF function is quite frustrating, I've found it sometimes retunes to weaker (or non existant signals) than the frequency I had it set to. I hope that goes away when a decent reception solution is found.

Rich

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by RichB

Harry, I think the flutter you describe is the AF kicking in trying to find a stronger frequency. Turn AF off and that goes away. I must admit the AF function is quite frustrating, I've found it sometimes retunes to weaker (or non existant signals) than the frequency I had it set to. I hope that goes away when a decent reception solution is found.

Yes, I think you are right - I'll try that, thanks.

I had assumed the AF was AFC, in other words that it auto-fined tuned - rather than trying to find a separate stronger signal.

[MARKUK]

Have started a new thread with a poll in relation to issues...