Android DAB - the £25 variety

[Tommie38]

As above, I’ve just installed an Android head unit and overall I am very pleased with it.

I wasn’t going to bother with DAB but have noticed that the aerials / adaptors for these are around £25. This is the type that connects to a USB port on the Android unit, attaches a little box and then sticks an aerial on the windscreen.

Having read the other posts, I can see there are lots of factors that can affect reception (area/signal strength etc). My question is - are they really that bad?

Given I have had the glovebox out, I could install one in about 20 mins.

Worth a try? I’m not interested enough to fit a proper aerial or try and route to the rear windscreen or anything like that.

[joropug]

I have an android unit and find the FM reception is ste, so never considered DAB.

My solution is cheaper and better. I have tune in radio app on the head unit, my phone acts as a hotspot. Gets ever regional (Ibiza stations are ace) station that way.

Bonus points, if you have a superior android phone download an app called tasker.

I have it set so IF phone connects to CAR BT, TURN ON HOTSPOT.

Alternatively just stream tune in radio via Bluetooth

[Tommie38]

To be honest, mobile data was the thing I would want to avoid. That is the attraction of DAB.

As an aside, the radio reception is great!

[bloomen]

I just fitted one of these in a Mondeo. I decided not to bother with the enclosed stick on antenna as they get pretty dire reviews universally and the Mondeo screen has heating elements which may mess with it.

With a proper DAB antenna, a Kinetic DRA-6001, the reception is really good overall. It picks it up in places I didn't expect it to at all.

You could try with the stick on one first. If not then get a proper antenna down the line.

I'm finding FM problematic but I think that's the head unit itself.