Aerial for DAB radio

[SlowRider]

Now that my old radio/casette has been nicked I was thinking of getting the Blaupunkt DAB Woodstock.

Have heard good reports of DAB in the Chimaera with an aerial in the boot. How and where did people fix the aerial? A few details would be helpful.

Many thanks
Jeremy

[macone48]

I read a review of the Woodstock which came with a "glass" mounted antenna as part of the installation. Not sure that you would find a suitable position on a Chimaera windscreen??

I too await member's feedback on boot mounted AEs for DAB & analogue (AM/FM).

Trev McM

[Leadfoot]

I've got a Woodstock in my Griff. I played around a bit with the aeriel location 'cos I didn't want to mount it on the bodywork. I found that:
>Dab aeriels need to be mounted verticaly
>Horizontaly behind the dash was no good (see previous point!)
>Verticaly in the boot wasn't much good
>Verticaly, stuffed into the void where the door lock solenoid lives was a bit better but not much.
>It's now stuffed into the passenger seat back. This works very well, although the performance dips a bit when anyone sits in the seat.
I'm thinking of trying a glass mount one but don't really want the look of one stuck onto the windscreen.

[SlowRider]

Leadfoot said:

I've got a Woodstock in my Griff. ....

Thanks for the help. Which aerial do you have? The 44cm thin one designed to be mounted on the back window or the 22cm one designed to be mounted on roof?

Jeremy

[Leadfoot]

Roof mount 'bee sting' type

[kdd]

SlowRider... where did you end up sticking the antenna?
I only have a radio cassette in mine, and though while I'm replacing it, may as well stick a DAB unit in there.

[Leadfoot]

Leadfoot said:

I'm thinking of trying a glass mount one but don't really want the look of one stuck onto the windscreen.

I did eventually get a glass mount aerial & it works much better than wedging a normal one inside the car.
I stuck it to the windscreen at the top corner on the passenger side. With the antenna set at the same angle as the 'screen it doesn't look to obtrusive.
The only way I can think of improving reception further would be to mount an aerial on the bootlid but I'm loathe to ruin the lines of the car.

[kdd]

Leadfoot said:

The only way I can think of improving reception further would be to mount an aerial on the bootlid but I'm loathe to ruin the lines of the car.

Exactly! I love the lines, and the lack of anything sticking out.

I'm not going the DAB route because I particularly want DAB, just through while I was spending money replacing a radio cassette I'd get a DAB unit.

How do you get on with the Woodstock? Can you recommend it? Is it the 52 or 53?

Cheers,

Karl

[SlowRider]

The aerial ended up underneath the carpet in the boot just behind the boot lid. Ugg difficult to describe. Its the glass mount aerial. Offords did a good job if youre anywhere near Cambridge.

Gives good receoption, although sometimes loose reception. Not sure that having the aerial anywhere else would help.

I have the 52. sound is OK. not good by any means, in fact slightly "digital" if that makes any sense. But then I dont particuarly like the sound of mp3's either. I have managed so far not to go to any further expense!

[kdd]

SlowRider said:

The aerial ended up underneath the carpet in the boot just behind the boot lid. Ugg difficult to describe. Its the glass mount aerial. Offords did a good job if youre anywhere near Cambridge. Gives good receoption, although sometimes loose reception. Not sure that having the aerial anywhere else would help. I have the 52. sound is OK. not good by any means, in fact slightly "digital" if that makes any sense. But then I dont particuarly like the sound of mp3's either. I have managed so far not to go to any further expense!

Digital: Yep, I think I know what you mean. Looses that "warmth" of the music. I don't need anything amazing, I have a reasonable hifi at home for good music, I just need something for listening to traffic reports on the way to work, and something on the way home -- and only really then when the weather is too crappy to have the roof off or windows down for that V8 soundtrack

Thanks,

Karl

[Leadfoot]

kdd said:

[How do you get on with the Woodstock? Can you recommend it? Is it the 52 or 53? Cheers, Karl

I've got the 52. It's ok but could do with more "grunt" so an amp will be added soon.
DAB quality is dependant on the bitrate that the station broadcasts at, I did read somewhere that the BBC were reducing bitrate on their stations.

[kdd]

Leadfoot said:

I stuck it to the windscreen at the top corner on the passenger side. With the antenna set at the same angle as the 'screen it doesn't look to obtrusive.

Where did you hide the cable? Did you just tuck it in the side of the A post, or did you take the cover off teh A post and hide the wire away completly?

Thanks,

Karl

>> Edited by kdd on Saturday 3rd January 11:06

[SlowRider]

Leadfoot said:

I've got the 52. It's ok but could do with more "grunt" so an amp will be added soon. ......

Hi

do you think an amp will improve sound quality? or just volume? I have quite a nice one in the garage which i could get fitted. Are you just going to feed the rear speakers for ease of wiring?

Cheers
Jeremy