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captain slow



Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: Herts
Posts: 355

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 CSW Corris Grey
Advice needed: which aerial?
Hi All,
I wonder if you can help?

I have recently upgraded to a double din DAB head unit and am having trouble with reception in FM/MW and DAB. the aerial has been changed to a shorter rubberised aerial which has had good reviews but I am still struggling with reception especially with MW. I am aware that DAB provision is patchy in the UK but I should be able to pick stations like BBC Radio 5 Live all over the country on 909mhz or 693mhz.

If you have done this conversion how have you found it and what aerial would you recommend?

cheers in advance 2.2 Tdci 110 XS CSW Corris Grey
Prince Harry's D3 (gone but not forgotten)
300 Tdi 110 CSW (gone but not forgotten)
Post #461275 7th Oct 2015 11:49am
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dave18



Member Since: 11 Jul 2015
Location: Gorleston, Great Yarmouth
Posts: 497

United Kingdom 1984 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Portofino Red
Do you not need a dedicated aerial for DAB not a stock one ???
Post #461286 7th Oct 2015 12:50pm
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captain slow



Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: Herts
Posts: 355

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 CSW Corris Grey
I am led to believe that the aerial fitted could do both jobs...? 2.2 Tdci 110 XS CSW Corris Grey
Prince Harry's D3 (gone but not forgotten)
300 Tdi 110 CSW (gone but not forgotten)
Post #461291 7th Oct 2015 12:59pm
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Barney12



Member Since: 09 Jun 2015
Location: South West
Posts: 744

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Corris Grey
Hi, I feel your pain.

I upgraded my HU to an Alpine double din unit (ilx-700) and also upgraded my aerial to the Nakatenenga rubber aerial which is generally well reviewed. I beleive it may be all but identical to the Entreq aerial.

I now have appauling FM reception (my HU doesn't have DAB).

Brendan at 4x4overlander who supplied the aerial has been excellent and even sourced a newly produced ground cable for me but alas now fitted it has made no difference. Brendan, if you're reading this sorry I've not had chance to get back to you with the results of the ground cable.

Unfortunately for me I made a number of changes almost simultaneously and now can't be 100% certain of the exact cause. I I feel fairly confident that the reception with the hu was ok for the matter of days the OEM aerial was fitted but of course you start to doubt yourself. I now have no choice than to reverse each upgrade (starting with the aerial) to troubleshoot the issue.
Post #461355 7th Oct 2015 5:33pm
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captain slow



Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: Herts
Posts: 355

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 CSW Corris Grey
Hi

blimey, that does not sound good! I was wondering if that aerial would be an alternative..

I am wondering if, as suggested by Dave18 above, that we would be better off returning to the stock aerial for analogue reception (FM/MW) and fit a secondary aerial for the DAB reception? have you explored that option? 2.2 Tdci 110 XS CSW Corris Grey
Prince Harry's D3 (gone but not forgotten)
300 Tdi 110 CSW (gone but not forgotten)
Post #461370 7th Oct 2015 6:29pm
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8581

United Kingdom 
I am no way an expert on this subject matter.

We have DAB radios fitted to two of our Defenders and they are both fitted with separate DAB aerials mounted to the windscreen. Both also have Hirschmann aerials fitted as well.

Radio reception is quite reasonable until you go into areas of poor reception. Last weekend we were in an area of no mobile signal, no internet and zero radio reception.

There are several possible reasons for poor sound quality. A poor earth, poor connections or radio interference from things like USB ports. USB charging ports can vary widely in price. Some will come with a CE mark which basically should mean they are 'filtered/proof' against radio interference.

HTH


Brendan
Post #461384 7th Oct 2015 7:11pm
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captain slow



Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: Herts
Posts: 355

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 CSW Corris Grey
Thanks, Brendan. which DAB aerial do you use? 2.2 Tdci 110 XS CSW Corris Grey
Prince Harry's D3 (gone but not forgotten)
300 Tdi 110 CSW (gone but not forgotten)
Post #462098 10th Oct 2015 5:12pm
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Anthony70



Member Since: 28 Jun 2015
Location: Oxford
Posts: 3

2005 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Alveston Red
I understand that the original aerial can be used but you will need to divide the signal in two. One for analogue frequencies and the other for digital. There are a number of splitters to do this from dabonline.

I'm partway through this and fitting a new LR aerial which is better quality than many others.

Ant.
Post #467781 30th Oct 2015 10:18am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17372

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
If you use the original aerial, or indeed a new single aerial, you are always making a compromise on one or other or both receivers. You will get better results with separate aerials where each can be optimised to its receiver.

When I fitted a Pioneer DAB radio to my Defender I used a magnetic DAB aerial stuck onto a steel plate which is bolted to the Patriot rack. With the rack as a ground plane the aerial worked very well, however at that time (perhaps 2 years ago) the DAB coverage in Dorset and the Wet Country was rubbish.

Then the Pioneer system develped a fault in its DAB aerial circuit, apparently a very well-known problem with this unit, but you only find that out after you've bought the thing (of course). It was out of warranty and bearing in mind the uselessness of the signal coverage and the fundamental design flaw with the unit that allows this particular fault, I simply stopped attempting to use the DAB.

(The fault is a cracker - there is apparently an internal fuse which is not user-replaceable in the circuitry used to power a powered DAB aerial. I don't have a powered aerial, it isn't necessary, but the fuse is prone to failing anyway. it doesn't make the slightest difference to reception with the fuse blown, but the control software of the unit is programmed to display a message "Antenna Fault" and inhibit the user controls if the fuse blows. So you can't change channel or any other setting unless you ship the unit back to Pioneer to have the unnecessary fuse replaced!)

I won't - ever - be buying another Pioneer unit.
Post #467786 30th Oct 2015 10:36am
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I Like Old Skool



Member Since: 23 Feb 2015
Location: Manchester
Posts: 808

United Kingdom 1994 Defender 110 300 Tdi ST Coniston Green
Hi Blackwolf

Last night I just ordered the Pioneer MVH-270DAB mechless radio and a Sonichi magnetic mount aerial. Can you tell me what Pioneer unit you had a problem with and link me to some info about the issue. The head unit was a bargain reduced to £40 as I don't need the CD player in the 110 but now worried I may have made a mistake after many years of trouble free Pioneer head unit ownership.
Post #479569 6th Dec 2015 10:14am
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Bataur



Member Since: 08 Dec 2015
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 5

United States 1996 Defender 90 V8 Petrol HT Alpine White
It is better to solve the problem, contact a professional service center and there just is prompt, because there are specialists and not just a man in the street cars. For Sale: Parachute. Only used once, never opened
Post #480213 8th Dec 2015 10:36am
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I Like Old Skool



Member Since: 23 Feb 2015
Location: Manchester
Posts: 808

United Kingdom 1994 Defender 110 300 Tdi ST Coniston Green
Finished fitting the Pioneer DAB+ mechless head unit in my 110 today. Ordered the MVH-270DAB from Halfords for £40 but was given the newer (and higher cost) 280 unit for the same price when I went to collect. The passive Sonichi DAB antenna seems to work really well. The head unit has a setting to run powered or passive antenna so it seems happy enough not to supply power to the aerial and signal appears good so far with only limited testing. The antenna is currently mag mounted onto the body cappings inside the rag top in the rear corner so nobody will even know it is there Smile
Post #482494 15th Dec 2015 5:44pm
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jimbob7



Member Since: 06 Jul 2013
Location: uk
Posts: 2055

Re;Pioneer "issue".It is documented,I seem to remember it being a fatal "Powered DAB aerial" issue and Pioneer giving advice as to which spec aerial you should fit,can't find the linksy tho,lol.I have a pioneer DAB HU,not fitted a DAB aerial yet tho,mostly coz of the expense and still inconsistent reception,fwiw,FM is also pretty poor in my Defender. Pov.spec,ftw. 2006, 110,TD5.
Post #483072 17th Dec 2015 12:24pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17372

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
I Like Old Skool wrote:
Hi Blackwolf

Last night I just ordered the Pioneer MVH-270DAB mechless radio and a Sonichi magnetic mount aerial. Can you tell me what Pioneer unit you had a problem with and link me to some info about the issue. The head unit was a bargain reduced to £40 as I don't need the CD player in the 110 but now worried I may have made a mistake after many years of trouble free Pioneer head unit ownership.


Mine was a DEH-X8500DAB head unit, which has now been withdrawn from sale.

If you Google this model number with the words "antenna error" you will find many references to this particular "feature". The rest of the unit is great, the DAB however is not.
Post #483096 17th Dec 2015 1:50pm
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