boosting fm reception
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=97434
Printed Date: April 19, 2024 at 7:20 PM
Topic: boosting fm reception
Posted By: lancelot
Subject: boosting fm reception
Date Posted: September 25, 2007 at 5:54 PM
I get clear reception about 80kms away from the local cities here in Alberta. I would like to boost that to 150+ kms, anything over that is just a bonus. How do I figure out what type of booster/antenna combo that I need to accomplish this feat? Will a booster like this do it? https://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441889551&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672459&bmUID=1190760262012
Replies:
Posted By: lancelot
Date Posted: September 25, 2007 at 5:55 PM
It says in the ad. that it's a 20dB gain, but it says on the packaging (if you zoom in) 15dB.
Posted By: jmelton86
Date Posted: September 25, 2007 at 6:32 PM
the link doesn't go straight to the product.
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2013 Kia Rio -90a alternator
DDX470HD GTO14001 GTO1014D (x3)
Big3 in 1/0G
1/0G to GTO14001
Posted By: lancelot
Date Posted: September 25, 2007 at 8:03 PM
okay, well, it's a canadian tire special, it's $16.99: it says: Features - Amplifies weak radio signals
- Makes distant stations sound loud and clear
- Strong 20dB. Signal gain
- Installation instructions included
Posted By: jmelton86
Date Posted: September 25, 2007 at 8:18 PM
Do these add noise at all? If not, I wouldn't mind adding one to 1. get better reception 2. get more stations. ------------- 2013 Kia Rio -90a alternator
DDX470HD GTO14001 GTO1014D (x3)
Big3 in 1/0G
1/0G to GTO14001
Posted By: lancelot
Date Posted: September 25, 2007 at 9:07 PM
I would like to know about that too...
Posted By: sectorz
Date Posted: September 26, 2007 at 9:17 AM
I bought one of those a few years ago, plugged it in and ripped it out immediately. I couldn't care less about increased reception for the noise it caused on the stations I was getting clearly already. Maybe I was doing something wrong, but I think you could compare it to the idea of using gain to try and solve a volume problem. You just don't.
Posted By: lancelot
Date Posted: September 26, 2007 at 9:24 AM
so maybe the $16.99 price tag is saying something about that? Maybe there's more to it than just boosting reception?
Posted By: dwarren
Date Posted: September 26, 2007 at 4:22 PM
I generally haven't had much luck with those boosters in past, I find that reception is more based on tuner, the antenna (solid mast, motorized, stubby, etc), location of antenna on the car, and even the car itself.
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Posted By: jmelton86
Date Posted: September 26, 2007 at 6:53 PM
sectorz; great analogy to a gain knob. I think that is most appropriate. You're probably right. dwarren has a great point, too. ------------- 2013 Kia Rio -90a alternator
DDX470HD GTO14001 GTO1014D (x3)
Big3 in 1/0G
1/0G to GTO14001
Posted By: sparkie
Date Posted: September 26, 2007 at 9:31 PM
FM boosters do nothing but boost the signal and noise along with them. FM reception has to do with line of sight from the transmission antenna. To get the best possible FM reception, make sure that you have a good antenna and that it has a good ground (less than 0.5 ohms resistance to ground. If your radio has a good tuner then you have done all you can do. If you think of FM in terms of a light located on the top of the transmission tower - if you can see the light, you will get the full signal. If the light is faint, reflected off something, or partially obscured, your FM reception will suffer. Don't expect a cheap booster to give better FM. They aren't worth the money as they boost everything including the static and noise. You can always switch to satellite radio, but understand that it to is limited by your antenna receiving the signal. Overhead obstructions will limit the receiver from receiving a clear signal. When all else fails, switch to CD's.
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sparky
Posted By: lancelot
Date Posted: September 27, 2007 at 8:09 AM
Cool gang, that explains a lot, sounds like a better antenna, and a better receiver is a good place to start in my case. I'm still using the factory stuff.
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