Radio reception

[boru]

Some moron bent my aerial the other night and when I tried to straighten it, it snapped off . Does anyone know if the auto aerial that Maplin does will fit http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=5141.

While on the subject, my radio reception was never that good. I know the previous owner had a band expander fitted. Is this required because of the radio unit itself or because of the aerial.

[kevinod]

Band expander is to adjust the frequency - jap FM goes from something like 76 to 90 FM, whereas ours goes from 88 - 106 or thereabouts. So the band expander basically shifts the frequency so you can pick up European frequencies instead of jap frequencies. It's a radio thing rather than an aerial thing.

Dunno about the aerial, I just have the back window but doesn't seem too bad.

[boru]

The unit in the car is an Alpine CDE-9843 CD Player. Would this be the original. If I bought another unit then I assume that I wouldn't need the expander, would that be correct

[kevinod]

Yup, once you have a euro frequency radio you don't need the band expander. I don't know whether that radio is jap or not but once you see the numbers for FM you'd know quick enough.

[fatboyfat7]

My radio has never been able to pick up radio stations. Never bothered me before cause Im more of a CD kinda guy, but I always thought that all cd players needed to have a band expander put in? I changed my radio when I bought the car (Sony Xplode) because there was an aftermarket Jap radio in it but even since ive done that I still havent been receiving stations. I had always presumed I needed to get a band expander but from what Ive read above it more likely means my unit isnt up to scratch...?

[colm_mcm]

you need to remove the band expander if you've got a conventional stereo in there Chris,

[boru]

Agree with Colm's post. I bought a secondhand aerial and when I was fitting it I discovered that a band expander was fitted, hence poor reception as it was an after market unit. When I removed this, reception was very good.

[karlf]

Didn't know a band expander could be the reason for poor reception. This could be whats wrong with mine as its never been great for reception. What does a band expander look like? I had the radio out a few times and the areial is plugged into a little grey box that you can turn on and off, it also has a little black box with a circular copper coil inside(I thought this was a filter or something to boost the signal). Coud either of these be a band expander?

[Muad_dib77]

They both sound like expanders! try unplugging both...if it still doesn't work plug them back in one at a time..

it shoul dbe possible to operate the radio without having it mounted...