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Excuse me posting to two groups as I do not know which is best for this.
My new (used) Citroen C3 has dreadful radio reception compared to my
last car.
Would a 'shark fin' aerial be likely to improve reception over the
standard 'stick' version?
If not then any suggestions?
Jim the Geordie wrote:But the car has to feed power up to the shark fin, which it is unlikely
My new (used) Citroen C3 has dreadful radio reception compared to my
last car.
Would a 'shark fin' aerial be likely to improve reception over the
standard 'stick' version?
If not then any suggestions?
-aThe shark fin aerials have a built in amplifier, so may well jbex better.
John Williamson wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:But the car has to feed power up to the shark fin, which it is unlikely
My new (used) Citroen C3 has dreadful radio reception compared to my
last car.
Would a 'shark fin' aerial be likely to improve reception over the
standard 'stick' version?
If not then any suggestions?
-a-aThe shark fin aerials have a built in amplifier, so may well jbex
better.
to do for the standard C3 aerial ... so it's not a straight swap.
On 09/10/2025 18:18, Andy Burns wrote:
John Williamson wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:But the car has to feed power up to the shark fin, which it is
My new (used) Citroen C3 has dreadful radio reception compared to my
last car.
Would a 'shark fin' aerial be likely to improve reception over the
standard 'stick' version?
If not then any suggestions?
-a-aThe shark fin aerials have a built in amplifier, so may well jbex
better.
unlikely to do for the standard C3 aerial ... so it's not a straight
swap.
Unless the radio has a phantom power facility, but even if it does, how would you enable it !
On 09/10/2025 19:26, Mark Carver wrote:
On 09/10/2025 18:18, Andy Burns wrote:Rather than everyone pontificating about what may work, why not do some
John Williamson wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:But the car has to feed power up to the shark fin, which it is
My new (used) Citroen C3 has dreadful radio reception compared to my >>>>> last car.
Would a 'shark fin' aerial be likely to improve reception over the
standard 'stick' version?
If not then any suggestions?
-a-aThe shark fin aerials have a built in amplifier, so may well jbex >>>> better.
unlikely to do for the standard C3 aerial ... so it's not a straight
swap.
Unless the radio has a phantom power facility, but even if it does,
how would you enable it !
DIY and check the cable from the antenna to the radio is actually, you
know, connected and not broken?
On 09/10/2025 19:26, Mark Carver wrote:
On 09/10/2025 18:18, Andy Burns wrote:Rather than everyone pontificating about what may work, why not do some
John Williamson wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:But the car has to feed power up to the shark fin, which it is
My new (used) Citroen C3 has dreadful radio reception compared to my >>>>> last car.
Would a 'shark fin' aerial be likely to improve reception over the
standard 'stick' version?
If not then any suggestions?
-a-aThe shark fin aerials have a built in amplifier, so may well jbex >>>> better.
unlikely to do for the standard C3 aerial ... so it's not a straight
swap.
Unless the radio has a phantom power facility, but even if it does,
how would you enable it !
DIY and check the cable from the antenna to the radio is actually, you
know, connected and not broken?
On 09/10/2025 20:18, mm0fmf wrote:
On 09/10/2025 19:26, Mark Carver wrote:
On 09/10/2025 18:18, Andy Burns wrote:Rather than everyone pontificating about what may work, why not do some DIY and check the cable from the antenna to the radio is actually, you know, connected and not broken?
John Williamson wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:But the car has to feed power up to the shark fin, which it is unlikely to do for the standard C3 aerial ... so it's not a straight swap.
My new (used) Citroen C3 has dreadful radio reception compared to my >>>>>> last car.
Would a 'shark fin' aerial be likely to improve reception over the >>>>>> standard 'stick' version?
If not then any suggestions?
-a-aThe shark fin aerials have a built in amplifier, so may well jbex better.
Unless the radio has a phantom power facility, but even if it does, how would you enable it !
The radio works, but as if the signal is weak in areas where my former car had no problem.
Removing the aerial removes any signal as you would expect.
The technology seems to be tolerant of "flooding with multiple transmitters".
Paul wrote:
The technology seems to be tolerant of "flooding with multiple
transmitters".
The O/P hasn't mentioned which technology is in use (DAB/FM/AM)
On 10/10/2025 07:48, Andy Burns wrote:
Paul wrote:
The technology seems to be tolerant of "flooding with multiple
transmitters".
The O/P hasn't mentioned which technology is in use (DAB/FM/AM)
I am mainly interested in FM, but would quite like AM for BBC 5 live football.
DAB is pretty useless round here. so no loss.
On 10/10/2025 09:56, Jim the Geordie wrote:
On 10/10/2025 07:48, Andy Burns wrote:
Paul wrote:
The technology seems to be tolerant of "flooding with multiple
transmitters".
The O/P hasn't mentioned which technology is in use (DAB/FM/AM)
I am mainly interested in FM, but would quite like AM for BBC 5 live
football.
DAB is pretty useless round here. so no loss.
Where is 'here' ?-a In my experience, unless you live literally in the middle of nowhere, the BBC National DAB mux coverage is very extensive.
Forget AM, the Beeb have said they expect to ditch R5L on AM in 2027
On 10/10/2025 13:44, Mark Carver wrote:
On 10/10/2025 09:56, Jim the Geordie wrote:
On 10/10/2025 07:48, Andy Burns wrote:
Paul wrote:
The technology seems to be tolerant of "flooding with multiple
transmitters".
The O/P hasn't mentioned which technology is in use (DAB/FM/AM)
I am mainly interested in FM, but would quite like AM for BBC 5 live
football.
DAB is pretty useless round here. so no loss.
Where is 'here' ? In my experience, unless you live literally in the
middle of nowhere, the BBC National DAB mux coverage is very extensive.
Forget AM, the Beeb have said they expect to ditch R5L on AM in 2027
Tyneside UK
If what you say is true, then my problem is worse than I thought as I
get no stations on Dab although, clearly, the previous owner did as
there are Dab stations programmed in that get no signal now.
Excuse me posting to two groups as I do not know which is best for this.
My new (used) Citroen C3 has dreadful radio reception compared to my
last car.
Would a 'shark fin' aerial be likely to improve reception over the
standard 'stick' version?
If not then any suggestions?
On 10 Oct 2025 at 13:49:01 BST, Jim the Geordie wrote:
On 10/10/2025 13:44, Mark Carver wrote:
On 10/10/2025 09:56, Jim the Geordie wrote:
On 10/10/2025 07:48, Andy Burns wrote:
Paul wrote:
The technology seems to be tolerant of "flooding with multiple
transmitters".
The O/P hasn't mentioned which technology is in use (DAB/FM/AM)
I am mainly interested in FM, but would quite like AM for BBC 5 live
football.
DAB is pretty useless round here. so no loss.
Where is 'here' ? In my experience, unless you live literally in the
middle of nowhere, the BBC National DAB mux coverage is very extensive.
Forget AM, the Beeb have said they expect to ditch R5L on AM in 2027
Tyneside UK
Have a look at a DAB map?
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/coverage-and-transmitters/small-scale-dab
If what you say is true, then my problem is worse than I thought as I
get no stations on Dab although, clearly, the previous owner did as
there are Dab stations programmed in that get no signal now.
Jim the Geordie wrote:
Excuse me posting to two groups as I do not know which is best for this.
My new (used) Citroen C3 has dreadful radio reception compared to my
last car.
Would a 'shark fin' aerial be likely to improve reception over the standard 'stick' version?
If not then any suggestions?
My suggestion would be to stream via bluetooth from your phone.
More choice of stations and if you listen to BBC you have catch up.
On 10/10/2025 07:48, Andy Burns wrote:
Paul wrote:
The technology seems to be tolerant of "flooding with multiple transmitters".
The O/P hasn't mentioned which technology is in use (DAB/FM/AM)
I am mainly interested in FM, but would quite like AM for BBC 5 live football.
DAB is pretty useless round here. so no loss.
On 10/10/2025 13:44, Mark Carver wrote:
On 10/10/2025 09:56, Jim the Geordie wrote:
On 10/10/2025 07:48, Andy Burns wrote:
Paul wrote:
The technology seems to be tolerant of "flooding with multiple transmitters".
The O/P hasn't mentioned which technology is in use (DAB/FM/AM)
I am mainly interested in FM, but would quite like AM for BBC 5 live football.
DAB is pretty useless round here. so no loss.
Where is 'here' ?-a In my experience, unless you live literally in the middle of nowhere, the BBC National DAB mux coverage is very extensive.
Forget AM, the Beeb have said they expect to ditch R5L on AM in 2027
Tyneside UK
If what you say is true, then my problem is worse than I thought as I get no stations on Dab although, clearly, the previous owner did as there are Dab stations programmed in that get no signal now.
DCF77 longwave time signal, can be picked up with a tuned LC,
where the L is a coil of wire around a Russian piece of ferrite core. Apparently, nobody else makes that particular ferrite which is
intended for longwave applications.
AM uses an LC coil (C can be a variable capacitor for tuning) and
a ferrite core. It does not necessarily require a "long wire"
antenna. The selectivity of AM receivers isn't all that good.
Also of note, AM radios do not work in BEVs due to electric
motor commutation noise polluting the reception EfOe Similarly,
maybe a hybrid would occasionally have problems like that.
At higher frequencies (~100MHz FM, ~200MHz DAB), I don't
think I've seen a ferrite core or a powdered iron core
for such things.
If anything, it might involve air cores
and "pieces of wire". A telescoping single antenna (as
used on cars in past decades), or even a TV rabbit ears,
can pick up 100MHz to 200MHz, if you adjust the
length of the telescoping bit. At lower frequencies,
the signal has better penetrating power through
buildings or through semi-faraday cages.
The AM/FM transmitter would be a single transmitter, and
you would not want a directional antenna (a yagi) on the
roof of the car, as that would almost never see a signal.
The antenna needs to be omnidirectional.
MY AV receiver, came with dangling bits of wire, some
of that 300 ohm twin conductor flat cable, and the antenna
part might be ~150 ohms and there would be a slight loss
from the standing wave ratio.
I don't know if patch antennas or fractal antennas would
be meaningful or effective at those frequencies. That would
not prevent the equivalent of a Radio Shack, from selling
you such items (unknown mystery meats, underneath the plastic,
reason for a high price for the thing is unknown).
On 10/10/2025 22:49, Paul wrote:
DCF77 longwave time signal, can be picked up with a tuned LC,Nothing special about the ferrite. Old AM radios had MW/LW on same ferrite
where the L is a coil of wire around a Russian piece of ferrite core.
Apparently, nobody else makes that particular ferrite which is
intended for longwave applications.
AM uses an LC coil (C can be a variable capacitor for tuning) andDont need to use anything to receive a radio signal beyond a long piece
a ferrite core. It does not necessarily require a "long wire"
antenna. The selectivity of AM receivers isn't all that good.
Also of note, AM radios do not work in BEVs due to electric
motor commutation noise polluting the reception EfOe Similarly,
maybe a hybrid would occasionally have problems like that.
of wire.
The ferrite is there to form a compact way to make a tuned circuit to
select the ones you want from the ones you don't.
At higher frequencies (~100MHz FM, ~200MHz DAB), I don't
think I've seen a ferrite core or a powdered iron core
for such things.
I have, But then I was into designing stuff in that band at various times. Does tend to be more air cored though - less losses.
If anything, it might involve air coresAnything can pick up anything, Its all a matter of how well
and "pieces of wire". A telescoping single antenna (as
used on cars in past decades), or even a TV rabbit ears,
can pick up 100MHz to 200MHz, if you adjust the
length of the telescoping bit. At lower frequencies,
the signal has better penetrating power through
buildings or through semi-faraday cages.
The AM/FM transmitter would be a single transmitter, and
you would not want a directional antenna (a yagi) on the
roof of the car, as that would almost never see a signal.
The antenna needs to be omnidirectional.
MY AV receiver, came with dangling bits of wire, some
of that 300 ohm twin conductor flat cable, and the antenna
part might be ~150 ohms and there would be a slight loss
from the standing wave ratio.
I don't know if patch antennas or fractal antennas would
be meaningful or effective at those frequencies. That would
not prevent the equivalent of a Radio Shack, from selling
you such items (unknown mystery meats, underneath the plastic,
reason for a high price for the thing is unknown).
The purpose of a modern car antenna is to get something outside the skin
of the car so that it receives what's outside and not what's inside.
If the inside stiff is affecting the radio then the outside antenna is
not working as it should