12 replies to this topic

[Quinlan minor]

Hi Folks,

I'd like to fit a Bluetooth Dab Radio in my '98 MPi.

Slightly concerned about trying to get one of the windscreen Dab Aerials to fit neatly and prefer the idea of one of the splitter/amplifier ones, utilising the existing roof mounted aerial.

Anyone out there with any advice on what works best?

All contributions gratefully received.

Edited by Quinlan minor, 20 December 2019 - 12:05 PM.

[ace01]

My experience with the splitters has not been good.  One I bought from Armour Auto gave a very patchy performance and two that a customer bought from China just simply did not work.  I have had a couple of others, unbranded, that were also well below par.

 

So far I have found that only the windscreen type, or strangely the mag mount whip, have worked anything close to satisfactory.

[humph]

I have the standard BMW dab aerial on my daily & a screen mounted one on my R50 MINI, and the latter is far better. I use both cars for my commute and the BMW cuts out in the same 3 places every day, the screen mount one is faultless. I have previously used the roof mounted mag type with an old Pure Highway which also worked well. 

[yeti21586]

Have you got a link to your screen mount one?

[humph]

It's just the one that came in the box with my Kenwood head unit. It's this type, probably made by some generic company for Kenwood.

 

https://www.dabonwhe...dab-car-aerial/

 

I've always found dabonwheels a useful resource for research before buying

 

https://www.dabonwhe...ab-car-aerials/

Edited by humph, 21 December 2019 - 05:05 PM.

[srx600]

I have one of these fitted to a Suzuki swift, I am in a relatively poor reception area and it works well.
https://www.dabonwhe...-lw-car-aerial/

[Quinlan minor]

Thanks for the replies.

I got in touch with the guys at dabonwheels, they were helpful and it's hard to argue with their 45 day 'Buy & Try' service, so I've ordered a Kinetic DAA-7001 FM/AM to FM/AM/DAB aerial converter/splitter, £17.49,

which, hopefully, will let me use the standard roof mounted aerial on my '98 MPi.

I'll let you know how I get on.
 

Edited by Quinlan minor, 24 December 2019 - 10:26 AM.

[Quinlan minor]

Finally fitted my new Pioneer DEH-X8700DAB with the Kinetic DAA-7001 FM/AM to FM/AM/DAB aerial converter/splitter.

Everything fitted straightforwardly, without any problems

Reception seems fine, certainly round my local area and I kept the OEM roof aerial.

Quite how well the DAB will work, outside London, remains to be seen, but the head unit automatically switches to the same station on FM if the DAB signal fails. I can also report that the hands free phone works well, with the microphone mounted on the steering column cowl and it's nice to be able to access my phone's music library.

I'll update when my travels take me wider.

 

[Quinlan minor]

Went down to Brands Hatch, this morning, not exactly a long trip, I know, and perfect DAB reception on the whole trip.

[Magneto]

What is DAB?

[Quinlan minor]

https://en.wikipedia...io_Broadcasting

 

[Magneto]

Thanks. We don't have it here in the states.

 

What does the antenna look like? Is it that much different than a regular antenna?

Edited by Magneto, 16 January 2020 - 07:37 PM.

[Quinlan minor]

They tend to be shorter than FM only ones, and amplified.

Attached Files

•  DAB Aerial.jpg   8.56K   1 downloads

Edited by Quinlan minor, 16 January 2020 - 08:37 PM.