Poor long wave reception

joeirish

I just got a 2008 Skoda Octavia 1.9 diesel and the radio can pick up BBC Radio 4 on the AM setting. However the reception is much worse in this car than in my previous (Ford Focus 1.6 petrol). Lots of static especially when the engine is on.

Does anybody have any ideas that might help me improve reception? I don't really want to change the radio as the built in one is fine and is integrated to the other displays for e.g outside temperature etc. The aerial is attached to the roof near the back.

Thanks

coylemj

I think less attention is paid by manufacturers these days to shielding the radio from interference to MW/LW signals by the car's electrical components so it's hit and miss whether the sound quality is good or bad, sorry but you'll probably just have to live with it.

Marcusm

Unless VAG use different terminology, AM is medium wave not long wave. Woudn't expect to get decent AM coverage for R4 in most of Ireland, it's only relayed from Derry and Enniskillen. Most new cars don't get LW radio, unfortunately.

cml387

Marcusm wrote: »

Unless VAG use different terminology, AM is medium wave not long wave. Woudn't expect to get decent AM coverage for R4 in most of Ireland, it's only relayed from Derry and Enniskillen. Most new cars don't get LW radio, unfortunately.

It's a good thing you're not posting in the radio forum, you'd get eaten alive:D

There's just too much interference from LED/LCD displays, electronic circuits etc to get good LW reception nowadays.
Years ago I could get perfect Radio 4 anywhere in ireland,now you can hardly hear RTE LW.

joeirish

Marcusm wrote: »

Unless VAG use different terminology, AM is medium wave not long wave. Woudn't expect to get decent AM coverage for R4 in most of Ireland, it's only relayed from Derry and Enniskillen. Most new cars don't get LW radio, unfortunately.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure about terminology but on the AM setting the first channel found when scanning is LW 198, which is the frequency for R4, (scanning also finds other LW and MW frequencies but these are mostly static except for MW 252 which is RTE Radio 1).

I was just wondering if there was a way to boost the signal, some sort of amplifier (?) to get the level of reception I used to get on my old car, which was good enough. There is references to such devices on US websites but nothing for here.

joeirish

cml387 wrote: »

It's a good thing you're not posting in the radio forum, you'd get eaten alive:D

There's just too much interference from LED/LCD displays, electronic circuits etc to get good LW reception nowadays.
Years ago I could get perfect Radio 4 anywhere in ireland,now you can hardly hear RTE LW.

Thanks cml387. Do you know if there are any boosters or amplifiers that could help or is it a problem that can't be resolved?

Dare I post on the radio forum?

coylemj

joeirish wrote: »

Dare I post on the radio forum?

There is a radio forum under the forum category 'Arts' and most of the threads are discussing schedules and individual programs on Irish radio, I'm not sure where you'd go to discuss reception issues with UK stations.

Stinicker

coylemj wrote: »

There is a radio forum under the forum category 'Arts' and most of the threads are discussing schedules and individual programs on Irish radio, I'm not sure where you'd go to discuss reception issues with UK stations.

Terrestrial is the place for the discussion of Radio and TV broadcasts

coylemj

Stinicker wrote: »

Terrestrial is the place for the discussion of Radio and TV broadcasts

That is a subforum of Cable & Digital TV where they discuss terrestrial TV i.e. Saorview and Freeview using UHF aerials, about as far from car radios as you can get.

Nissan doctor

Is this not a bit like complaining that your new car doesn't have a tape deck?

AM/LW etc is out of date now and manufacturers just aren't catering for it.

Sure there is talk among some manufacturers of not fitting CD players to cars anymore as things have moved on to Ipod connections etc.

CiniO

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Is this not a bit like complaining that your new car doesn't have a tape deck?

AM/LW etc is out of date now and manufacturers just aren't catering for it.

Sure there is talk among some manufacturers of not fitting CD players to cars anymore as things have moved on to Ipod connections etc.

Not exactly.
If they are still fitting AM band, it should work properly.

Would you be happy with brand new car fitted with really crap CD-player that would skip on smallest bump, and manufacturer just saying that no one uses CD player anymore and car is equipped with IPod dock so you can use that one and it works perfectly.

If AM is out of date (which I don't agree with) they should stop putting it into radios. However if they are putting it, it should work properly.

PS. AM is the modulation. (amplitude modulation), while FM is frequency modulation.

Medium waves, long waves, the same as short waves all use AM.

heate

I think that the quality of cars (most) has really increased in recent years as the market is hyper competitive.
As such wavebands of poor qualities are being phased out with the introduction of dab etc.
Cd's are still of higher quality than mp3 audio files but you would barely notice with most systems. The removal of cd players from cars is a good thing though. No more skipping and no more cd's rolling around your car taking up valuable storage space.
As regards your problem it probably relates to your aerial no being designed for much more than FM.
A possible solution? Internet radio perhaps?

Stinicker

coylemj wrote: »

That is a subforum of Cable & Digital TV where they discuss terrestrial TV i.e. Saorview and Freeview using UHF aerials, about as far from car radios as you can get.

There has been many discussions about reception of radio there and if you post there you will find info on radio believe me.

shamwari

OP, make sure the aerial is tight. A wobbly / loose base or screw in aerial, or anything else that disturbs the incoming RF will cause noises and squeals.

By the way, it's not a sin to listen to LW either.

x in the city

joeirish wrote: »

I just got a 2008 Skoda Octavia 1.9 diesel and the radio can pick up BBC Radio 4 on the AM setting. However the reception is much worse in this car than in my previous (Ford Focus 1.6 petrol). Lots of static especially when the engine is on.

Does anybody have any ideas that might help me improve reception? I don't really want to change the radio as the built in one is fine and is integrated to the other displays for e.g outside temperature etc. The aerial is attached to the roof near the back.

Thanks

atlantic 252 finished long ago son

shamwari

x in the city wrote: »

atlantic 252 finished long ago son

RTE radio 1 now broadcasts on 252LW after they shut down their MW transmitter in Tullamore a few years ago. They always owned that LW transmitter, just leased it to Atlantic when they were broadcasting.

coylemj

x in the city wrote: »

atlantic 252 finished long ago son

'Son'?

What is your point?

The 252 Khz slot on the spectrum is still being used by RTE in case you hadn't noticed which you obviously have not.

225LongWave

try fitting an earth strap from chassis to road for improved ground-wave reception
attatch away from Fuel-tank & exhaust /!\
there may be earth bolt on back of radio
which can be connected to bare metal of
bulkhead or any point where paint can be
removed with wire-brush or emery paper