Does anyone know about DAB arials?

[stonesie]

As title really, i bought a sony CDX-DAB 6650 and it came with this ariel that i stuck verticle in the passanger side of the windscreen as the instructions said..... No signal.

I thought it was just my area but eaven in bigger areas like rotherham/sheffield it finds nothing.

[benjy]

When I had my DAB setup, I used a proper type ariel. Those stick-on ones arnt worth diddley imo. I even got a decent reception/signal with it mounted upside down inside the boot! HTH

[StuBeeDoo]

You need the proper body (roof) mounted DAB-specific aerial - or at the very least the glass mounted one.

[roley]

have you earthed out the aerialor just put it on the windscreen? how many stations are you picking up . i fit those type of aerials in work and dont have any reception probs

[stonesie]

It has no earth on it so i assumed it earthed through the headunit, it picks up normal FM perfectly through the existing roof ariel but not a sausage on DAB, screen shows 'Checking' for about 3 seconds then 'Not Found'

[roley]

go into the menu and you can change the channel that you are searching for the channels start 8a and through 14n then lm and so on then when you pick up a group of channels you can do a fine search for the sub stations

[roley]

just re read your post keep pressing your search function and the main bands will come up . It takes a bit of time

[roley]

go into the menu and you can change the channel that you are searching for the channels start 8a and through 14n then lm and so on then when you pick up a group of channels you can do a fine search for the sub stations

[stonesie]

Ok will try that tomorrow and let you know how i get on

[StuBeeDoo]

i bought a sony CDX-DAB 6650

I thought about getting one. When you sort the reception issue, let us know what you think of it please.

[baur320]

One of Sony's DAB head units was wrongly listed as having multi-changer controls. Was it this one as I really fancy DAB, but want to keep my multi-changers?

Cheers.

[stonesie]

I don't think it has multi-changer controle but i will get the instructions found tomorrow.


I went through the menu's and found a DAB signal.. its not half shit though, will try it again tomorrow when im away from buildings ect (which apparantly don't affect digital... yeah right)

Might have to rip this arial out and get a glass mount one and get it high up, probably on the middle of the windscreen, out the way if local idiots.


Anyone had any experiance with the signal splitter things on Ebay?

[DanThe]

Anyone had any experiance with the signal splitter things on Ebay?

Yes, I had one on my E30 with a dealer supplied Hirschman electric aerial, it was the first time id had DAB in a car, I wasnt impressed as my favourite stations kept loosing signal (out of range) due to the distances I was travelling.
I have now taken the DAB radio out and fitted it into my E34 touring with a pukka roof mounted 'bee sting' Philips DAB aerial that set me back over £50.
I was a bit gutted to find reception quality was the same, maybe only slightly better.
Ive since found a reception 'map' of various channels in the UK, the problem is the transmission, not the reception. I could receive my favourite stations on a much longer range with my standard FM radio and aerial, so if you think you will be able to hold onto your stations for longer then think again.
Only benefit of DAB is the amount of stations available, not the reception ability.

[stonesie]

Good thing the FM/rds works well then

Starting to think i should have saved some money and left the DAB alone.

[DanThe]

Its not what I was expecting either, signals should get better in time though.
I have a splitter if you need one

[stonesie]

Mine is actually picking up a clear if weak signal now, but only recieves BBC stations, the world service lost its novalty value after about 3 seconds and it was back to local FM stations

[roley]

when you pick the bbc stations switch over to auto tuning and you should pick up the rest of the bbc programmes