FM/DAB radio Areial

[jay]

My old "conventional" car radio that was installed on the boat used a VHF/FM aerial splitter. It picked up FM fine though every min or so would start searching for stations even though reception sounded clear.
I have now installed a DAB/FM unit that needs 1 aerial input for both signals. I've used the same FM/VHF splitter to connect to the whip on top of the mast. Result is little or no signal (either FM or DAB) when in harbour - (same harbour as the old one used to work) but perfect reception when 1-2 miles offshore.
I'm confused!!! but am contemplating just binning the splitter and wiring the stereo to a seperate aerial. Can I use TV type coax for this? Will it work if I just connect to the base of the backstay? Any other ideas for an unobtrusive DAB/FM aerial installation that doesnt involve running miles of cable?
Any suggestions please?

 

[Superstrath]

I recently fitted a car CD/radio in the boat. After much contemplation, I went to a car accessory shop, bought a little car aerial, a rubber job about a foot long, plugged it in, then hung it up behind a panel. It seems to work perfectly, the cheapo aerial is not exposed to the elements, and there was no cable to run, since the panel is adjacent to the one housing the radio. DAB radios work fine indoors without fancy aerials, so why not inside a boat?
Worth a try for the nine quid you'll pay for the aerial!

 

[jay]

Makes perfect sense to me - unless i get any additional wise words I'll try this. Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

First things first....it sounds as though your VHF feeder, connectors or aerial might be in trouble. I would never put a splitter in the boat's VHF feeder - why have anything extra to go wrong with your VHF, the primary safety signalling device? I would sort out a suitable aerial for the car radio and have the VHF checked properly, unless you are familiar with testing VHF transmitter systems yourself.

 

[rwoofer]

I have a FM/DAB tuner. I run the standard FM aerial thru a splitter with the TV to the TV antennae and run a separate coaxial cable to a dedicated household DAB aerial (a dipole one) that cost about £10. I keep the dipole inside one of my lazerettes.

The hardest bit was finding the adaptor to the DAB connector on the back of the radio. Had to order one from Bosch in Germany in the end.

RB

 

[oldgit]

Have DAB at home,at work in the car and on the boat.The coverage of DAB at around 220 mhz is very patchy.My 20 mile drive home is 99% OK until a certain 100 yard stretch of road where it disappears totally.Suspect the location of the transmitters are not the same for both FM and DAB,so because you have coverage on FM (88-108mhz)does nor mean you will have digital.My car is using the normal rear screen aerial and a home made diople is adequate for my workshop.On the boat normally the telescopic rod aerial on the radio (Pure Evoke 1) works well.
For anybody interested Farnell Electronics were doing a basic car AM/FM/DAB radio with single play CD for around 120.00 pounds.