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Pittsburgh HD

M

murt225

So I have had my HD stereo in my car for about 7 months... I have come to the conclusion that all of the CBS stations broadcasting digitally sound very good. On the other hand, every Clear Channel station sounds horrible. I have to switch from digital to analog because the sound is worse than the analog. The X just started broadcasting digitally in the last week and it sounds the worst!

Any thoughts?
 
Do you have trouble getting reception with any of the HD2 stations? A friend of mine has an HD radio in his Mini Cooper and depending on how hilly the area is and how far away from the transmitter he has trouble keeping the station. And with the digital feed with no analog backup it just cuts to silence.

We were always wondering if its just the mini's antenna or if its the hills of Pittsburgh
 
The secondary or (HD2) signal is weaker in reception than the primary (HD1) signal, and the mini-cooper's antenna isn't the best for this terrain. I drive a Honda Hybrid I installed the Directed Electronics Car Connect
http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?search=directed+electronics&i=60744000
in line with my factory radio and my HD reception was so horrible with the Honda factory antenna (and my antenna is the same as the mini-coopers) I replaced my factory antenna with a 31" standard mast antenna
http://www.installer.com/item/display_item.php?it=44-gm93
I had to drill to mount it in my fender and my HD reception doubled, yes I know its a GM antenna installed in a Honda.

if your friend is considering installing a new antenna make sure he checks the specs on the factory radio and make sure that it is able to be modified. I had to purchase the antenna adapter kit for my honda

FM-HD reception is a problem that needs to be addressed with HD radio, along with endless other HD issues, don't get me started on AM HD
 
Try driving up 279 now and modulating a Sirius receiver at 94.1, 100.1, 96.5 or 105.5. there is so much HD side-crap everywhere that almost all of these spaces are obliterated (as soon as you get out of the downtown areas it's much better...).
 
I got a phone call a few months ago on this very topic about a person "trying" to use his FM Modulator on 93.3 and he was blaming my HD for his problems, so while I was on the phone with him I asked if he was listening to his radio at the time of the call, he was, so I powered off my HD Transmitter did not tell him I did so, asked if the problem was still there, it was, So my HD wasn't the source of his problem. I did step him through some things to try and help him he was happy with the results. You did mention 96.5 as a problem for you. now you have 96.1 and my station on 96.9 with the adjacencies so close to one another I would bet your $25.00 FM Modulator can't reject that much RF to make your satellite radio listening enjoyable on 96.5. Yes I know these 2 stations are beyond the second adjacency for 96.5 I still blame the FM Modulator, ever listen to a cheap analog FM radio and go to 96.9. then 97.1, 97.3 and you still get side noise (depending on how close to the transmitter you are). So try moving to the lower side of the FM band, when I was using a modulator for my HD radio a few years ago I found 107.3 clear and I found 88.1 and 88.7 work well too. when I'm driving into Pittsburgh I hear Stern on those frequencies most often.
 
I know that some of it's not the digital noise, but in any event the 279 corridor and downtown are problem areas.

Why I lean toward digital being the culprit is things like 94.1 being noisy on 51 once you're under the B's stick, and a lot of other 2nd-adjacent issues that go away as soon as you go about 5 miles.....
 
Actually the cleanest spot to use around here is 87.9 if your receiver will go that low (some of the new Sirius don't for some reason). That doesn't work well east of Blairsville where Channel 6 becomes an issue but around here it works fine, even through the multi-path hell that is Greentree Hill.
 
Im a big fan of 88.7 myself, because I dont think my car stereo goes below 88.1
 
So you're telling me that if I spend almost $800 for the upgraded stereo package in my new Civic or Mini it isn't going to work properly unless I start drilling holes in my $20,000 car for an antenna? That voids the rust through warranty on the Civic!!!

I am more glad by the minute I decided on Sirius instead.
 
I modified my antenna because the factory antenna did not perform like "I" wanted it to, I installed more than a few HD radios in cars and mine was the only car needed to install a 3rd party antenna and Honda has corrected this with the 2008 models with using an amplified antenna

where is this $800? I paid $35.00 including shipping for my HD converter, go to ebay and look for "Visteon HD Zoom HDZ300 Radio Component Tuner Kit" it works with any car stereo, and do you drive a new civic? I do and I called Honda, not a dealership and they said mounting an antenna does not void any warranty. if you mount fog lights or any other after market device does this void the warranty also....no

and you have fun with your monthly payment for something thats already free over the air and local, and now with HD, commercial free with more listening options too
 
The $800 is the upgraded stereo package on the Civc, $750 on the Mini which gives you the HD upgrade. On the Civic the diffference in payments on anything short of a 60 month lease would more than pay for the XM or Siruis subscription. The numbers are real close on the Mini.

A good portion of what I listen to on Sirius isn't available free over the air.
 
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