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| Cheshire110 Member Since: 26 Jul 2013 Location: Cheshire/London Posts: 2760  
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i had a stick-on windscreen one which i put in the alpine window, didn't work very well. But then I'm a DAB sceptic and cheshire isn't great signal wise if you don't have a great setup.
Dads D4 has one on the roof i think and works very well I have to say. Cheers, David Land Rovers of all shapes S3 onwards… Daily is a 110 V8. |
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28th Apr 2014 10:12pm |
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| lukev01 Member Since: 24 Mar 2012 Location: Bedfordshire Posts: 412  
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At the moment, I am cheating.
I just hook my DAB radio via the AUX socket. It is only the size of a mobile phone so sits in one of the cupholders. The AUX cable acts as the aerial so the car's external aerial is fully down and not used. Reception is as good as the standard LR stereo on FM and I usually listen to either Planet Rock or Radio 5. I already had the radio so it was a no-cost option to fit.  1970 Series 2A 88" |
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28th Apr 2014 10:30pm |
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| martinfiattech Member Since: 13 Nov 2013 Location: leicester Posts: 422
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Thank god some one else is wondering about this one,
I`ve gone a bit mad and brought the kenwood sub thingy, some alpine speakers, and a alpine cde136-bt dab head unit. Which I hope to fit at the weekend. Work and the other half permitting ( I spent all last Saturday with a hangover fixing the landys brakes and mending my compressor in the garage, making olives on the lathe, god bless the lathe) I got a kenwood a1 dab windscreen aerial but it`s a bit big to put in the windscreen area lets face it, it`s not the biggest windscreen area in the world. I was wondering about the alpine windows in the rear for a mounting point the leads long enough to reach it`s also out of sight too not only for me but for folk who may put two and two together and pinch my radio. Has anyone else fitted one anywhere apart from the wind screen Martin... Excuse the spelling I`am better with spanners and wires. |
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29th Apr 2014 10:34am |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20477
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I guess for better reception if you can get the right connections and split it you could have two aerials each side of the LR.
I personally don't bother with DAB, I know FM is going to be shut of sometime if it isn't already but I'm not a radio fan. Prefer to listen to what I want not any old rubbish that comes on and a load of yapping. |
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29th Apr 2014 11:26am |
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| Cheshire110 Member Since: 26 Jul 2013 Location: Cheshire/London Posts: 2760
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Yeah I was advised to have 2 aerials, one each side, but just didn't see the need and in the end got rid of the DAB as the FM was working fine.
In the future when FM disappears (will this actually ever happen?) I will get 2 aerials and some sort of USB addon for my parrot asteroid smart Cheers, David Land Rovers of all shapes S3 onwards… Daily is a 110 V8. |
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29th Apr 2014 11:34am |
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| jav-uk Member Since: 29 Mar 2010 Location: Shropshire Posts: 112 
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Have a look here, neat solution.
http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/fm-am_to_fm-a...erter.html It worked okay for me, I found for best DAB reception push in your aerial to about 40 cm exposed. Kenwood DAB unit fitted, works fantastic and switches to FM if the DAB signal drops. Paul Pondering a New 90 Commercial 2020 Evoque * 2014 110 SW JE Stage 2. *2010 110 Utility. JE Stage 2. *2007 110 SW *2003 90 JE Stage 2. *2000 90 SW If its not leaking it ain't full. |
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29th Apr 2014 12:02pm |
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| martinfiattech Member Since: 13 Nov 2013 Location: leicester Posts: 422
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jav - uk you`ve lost me here,
I found for best DAB reception push in your aerial to about 40 cm exposed. What did you expose ? and is that against the law 
I might be being a bit thick here but I don't understand, I`am new to all this, the last wireless had a tape deck. So I thought if I`am getting a new one better make it a good one and try and get 15 years out of this one as well, the old kenwood`s lasted longer than any girl I`ve been out with and a lot less trouble than some of them  .
As for the yapping on the radio I`ve found women`s hour is a fantastic insight into the fairer sexes mind there`s a lot going on we know nothing about, it`s got me a whole new understanding of them, I`ve even started to get somethings wright Excuse the spelling I`am better with spanners and wires. |
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29th Apr 2014 10:05pm |
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| jav-uk Member Since: 29 Mar 2010 Location: Shropshire Posts: 112
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Yep, maybe not the best description
The web link is for an adapter that boost the the DAB signal on a standard AM/FM aerial, no need to stick a DAB aerial on your windscreen or add another external one. The std LR telescopic aerial is approx 80cm, for best DAB reception a shorter aerial, 30-40 cm is preferred. It's all to do with radio signal wavelengths and optimal tuning of your aerial
I find the DAB clarity of Radio 4 amazing, brings a whole new listening pleasure to womans hour, even SWMBO was impressed Paul
Pondering a New 90 Commercial 2020 Evoque * 2014 110 SW JE Stage 2. *2010 110 Utility. JE Stage 2. *2007 110 SW *2003 90 JE Stage 2. *2000 90 SW If its not leaking it ain't full. |
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29th Apr 2014 10:56pm |
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| martinfiattech Member Since: 13 Nov 2013 Location: leicester Posts: 422
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Ah right I see thank you now it all makes sense. Excuse the spelling I`am better with spanners and wires.
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30th Apr 2014 9:06pm |
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| Dasher Member Since: 12 Nov 2012 Location: Nottingham Posts: 30 
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I've fitted the Pioneer 8500 DAB unit and a screen aerial. The screen aerial is mounted high on the nearside. The 8500 has a rear USB and I have that fed to a MUD Glovebox which in turn holds the iPod. The whole thing works really well - much better than the unit supplied with the vehicle. Yes, there are problems with signal drop out in some places but generally I see (or hear) few problems. I can really recommend the change - it works best with a sound proofing package too!!
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19th May 2014 2:53pm |
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| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5111  
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Ha!
DAB radios or should that be Disappointing Audio Broadcasts as the signal from any DAB transmitter is nowhere near as strong as Analogue FM and never will be. The other anomaly with DAB signals and receivers (radios) especially in cars it’s a bit like the reception you get with a 3g mobile phone! Plus the metal of the car acts like as a Faraday cage, an electrical phenomenon which blocks the ultra-high frequency radio signals DAB uses. So you have to carefully position your antenna and even then there is no guarantee it will pick up all signals as your car moves, you really need to be on the move while you position your aerial. As for signal coverage there are alarming blank spots even in the most populated areas. As for listening to the radio in the car a consistent signal is essential. But that is not guaranteed with DAB. As for quality of DAB services most of us are being misinformed because the way digital information is compressed into ‘files’ of sound for broadcast also affects quality. High and low frequencies of sound are lost in this compression process, and subtle harmonics obliterated Also this is terrible technology in this country we use wave Band 111 which was last used for the television 405 line services and that was also terrible. This country for some reason will not adopt Band 11 which would be much better. Consequently the switch off of Analogue will not now take place in 2015, and it is debated when indeed it will ever be, analyst are quoting 2030 because certain criteria has to be met which at the moment is stalling such as National digital radio coverage to match FM coverage (then won’t happen for at least a decade) Local digital radio to reach 90% of the population (very doubtful if that will ever happen) 50% of radio listening to be on digital radio platforms, (most people are not going out and buying DAB radios.) So those who are converting to DAB wait as FM is so much better and those who have invested in new DAB radios you may have wasted your money |
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19th May 2014 3:46pm |
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| couplands Member Since: 31 Aug 2011 Location: Peak District & Cornwall Posts: 1826 
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I'm a big fan of DAB, it's pretty much all I listen to in the car (my D4). As you can't get Radio 5 on FM, I was mightily relived when I got a decent DAB enabled car. It works for me all over the country, I live in Peaks and it's fine here too. So the service is great, the quality is great and it just works for me..
Just wish I could get a decent DAB radio for my Defender, but cant find one that will also do a video screen (for reversing camera), Bluetooth and fit in a single DIN without a flip out screen. Cheers Simon |
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19th May 2014 4:03pm |
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| muddybaldboy Member Since: 09 Apr 2012 Location: Ruthin Posts: 395 
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[quote="gilarion"
Local digital radio to reach 90% of the population (very doubtful if that will ever happen) 50% of radio listening to be on digital radio platforms, (most people are not going out and buying DAB radios.) So those who are converting to DAB wait as FM is so much better and those who have invested in new DAB radios you may have wasted your money[/quote] x2. He who dies with the most toys...wins! |
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19th May 2014 5:32pm |
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| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5111
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Just a recap on the misconceptions that some owners of DAB and Radio 5 are having.
You do not need a DAB radio to pick up Radio 5 and if any retailer says different they are not telling the truth, Radio 5 is available on Long Wave at 198 and always has been, it is also available through most local transmitting masts on Medium Wave. Nearly all analogue radio whether car or home models will have at least one of these bands as well as FM If your radio Ariel is of good condition the signal and quality of the broadcast on both LW and MW for Radio 5 is excellent. |
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19th May 2014 5:44pm |
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