signal boost

[Daz]

Lads,

Does anyone know how i can boost the signal for the radio its for the new fto, i don't have an aerial in the rear quater panal like my other one so i'm guessing that it is incoperated into the rear window, but how can i boost the signal to improve the radio reception. and it's not a jap radio

Daz...

[steelroe]

you can buy a signal amp in most factors or sound sytem suppliers.

[CJ]

you can buy a signal amp in most factors or sound sytem suppliers.

Rory, are you talking about an FM amplifier? Have you any more info as I could do with one of these myself..

Ciaran

[Timmo]

you can buy a signal amp in most factors or sound sytem suppliers.

This is true you can buy a FM amplifier from most car audio shops.

The Technical
These amplifiers are a rf (radio frequency) amplifier tuned to operate on uk / global radio station frequencies (usually 76-108Mhz). They are fitted inline with your existing aerial before the head unit. The unit then grabs all of the signals received by your aerial filters them some what and amplifies whats left with one or many transistor/FETs. They require a +12v and 0v power supply to make them work which would probably be best being taken from the output on the back of your stereo for the electric aerial. These amplifiers should have their gain measured in Db, bear in mind that every 3Db of gain doubles the original input i.e. +3Db gain doubles the signal, +6Db gain quadrouples the signal......

The bit I'm unsure about!
I'm pretty sure I've seen one of these before.... but probably either a very cheap one or one that was built into some dodgy aerial! As far as noticing any real difference I don't think there was much at all. It seemed as though the module amplified the noise as much as the actual radio stations signals??? This could have been a adapter unit to use a CB radio aerial work as a radio aerial too though (back in the day!) so it could have been that the filters built into this were not built specifically for just the 'normal' radio stations you would be after!

The Conclusion
You're probably still none the wiser on whether one of these things would be any good and I can't find one on the web either!

[Daz]

Thanks for the info lads i'll be taking a look at this on my day off next week

Daz...

[JD]

Daz,
If you have any luck will you let me know, I have the same problem.
Cheers
JD