DAB Problem

[aj2703]

Not really sure if this is the correct place to post this?

If not and you know somewhere please let me know.

 

I had a new Head Unit Z920DAB fitted a while ago which at the time was in my newly purchased car. All seemed fine at first driving round town etc when listening to the radio through DAB. However it soon became apparent when traveling to a nearby city that it was not working how it should or when comparing to my JVC Unit in my old car. The signal kept cutting out in places where the old one didn't.

 

I put up with it for a week or so and then drove from Norfolk To Blackpool. It was dropping out numerous times again in places where my old one didn't.

 

By chance I managed to get my car looked at in a local fitting shop up there. He said the radio works fine when the key is set to power on ignition 1 setting. When he switched it to position 2 and started the car the dab signal plummeted. He said it was something to do with the focus electricals causing it to drop.

 

He advised one of two things. Trying a splitter through the normal aerial or fitting a shark fin. He said he could not guarantee either would work, but he said it was worth trying. As the splitter was the cheaper option I went with that. The reception is now much better but it still drops in places my old one didn't.

 

I am wondering if any of you have come across similar and know what changes when you switch the car fully on to cause the signal to drop?

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

 

[unofix]

Do you have a dashcam ?

[Jimpster]

the ariel splitter can be installed by patching into a live feed from your headunit, i did that with mine, tho i did buy a £30.00 unit from a reputable company not one of the cheap chinese eBay ones, works well. I was advised to regularly retune.

[aj2703]

18 hours ago, unofix said:

Do you have a dashcam ?

No I don't actually have one fitted, although the parts for it came with the unit.

[aj2703]

5 hours ago, Jimpster said:

the ariel splitter can be installed by patching into a live feed from your headunit, i did that with mine, tho i did buy a £30.00 unit from a reputable company not one of the cheap chinese ebay ones, works well. I was advised to regularly retune.

Yeah the splitter to be fair works well. It's just in some places the signal still drops where the old one did not. It's one of those annoying niggles I am trying to get to the bottom of 🙂

[VFR800]

You could get one of these, not sure if the heated screen elements would cause issues?

https://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/pioneer-an-dab1-glass-mount-dab-digital-car-radio-aerial-antenna.html

 

[StephenFord]

20 hours ago, VFR800 said:

You could get one of these, not sure if the heated screen elements would cause issues?

https://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/pioneer-an-dab1-glass-mount-dab-digital-car-radio-aerial-antenna.html

 

I have experience of 2 x different windscreen mounted DAB aerials. Both have been simply awful. My issue was solved by a £10 Halfords DAB MagMount aerial. Not the prettiest, but I'd have functionality as a priority any day...