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Signal issues

G

gamefreak

My girlfriend and I drive a 95 Ford T-Bird and were wondering about improving radio reception in weaker areas. We still have the stock attenna and replaced the stock AM-FM Cassette with a cheap wal-mart AM-FM CD. (Which actually made radio reception worse.) We do I lot of driving around in weaker coverage areas as well. So I was wondering what kind of radio I could get to improve reception. What kind of Attenna Amp I could use and If I need to upgrade my anntenna.

I live approximentally 65-67 Miles from the majority of Tampa radio stations. (Which are out of SE Hillsbourgh County.) According to Radio-Locator I'm borderline between Purple and Blue on the map. Placing me at a weak 50DBu signal. I can pick up some Ocala stations but would like to have the ability to listen to Tampa stations as well.

My dad used to have an 2003 Expedition that could pick up WFUS 103.5 as clear as a bell. Even as far north as 90 miles from the transmitter. However I belive that is due to a better stock radio. My bus driver back in H.S was able to pick up WFLZ. ( The students got tired of Country on WOGK 93.7) So I know picking up these weaker signals decentely can be done. You just need better car audio equipment and a least be within coverage area.
 
Why not look for the stock version of the Ford radio with CD? It will fit properly and should have much better performance.
You might be able to find it at one of the "you pull it" auto yards.
 
Even with the stock radio reception was bad. It just got worse however with the cheapie aftermarket one. I'm guessing my Pops Expedition has a better stock radio by default due to it being a 03' modle other than a '95. Newer AM-FM car radios are more sensitive. Not to mention have filters that get rid of interference and bleedover from adjacent channels.

I will try to shoot for a stock radio for a newer Ford Veichle. ( I can get them from the Recycling Center that happens to sell savaged car parts.) Or I could go for a more expensive aftermarket from Pioneer or Sony.

Would getting a decent amplifer also help or a better receiver will be enough.
 
Audio amplifier will not help.

Be careful though. Not all aftermarket radios have that good a front end. My Dual is bad on the front end. My wife's Sony is excellent. Check the reviews at Crutchfield.
 
K6JHU said:
Audio amplifier will not help.

Be careful though. Not all aftermarket radios have that good a front end. My Dual is bad on the front end. My wife's Sony is excellent. Check the reviews at Crutchfield.
Click to expand...

I'm talking about an antenna amplifier. Oh and my cheap $40 aftermarket radio is a Dual.
 
gamefreak said:
Even with the stock radio reception was bad. It just got worse however with the cheapie aftermarket one. I'm guessing my Pops Expedition has a better stock radio by default due to it being a 03' modle other than a '95. Newer AM-FM car radios are more sensitive. Not to mention have filters that get rid of interference and bleedover from adjacent channels.

I will try to shoot for a stock radio for a newer Ford Veichle. ( I can get them from the Recycling Center that happens to sell savaged car parts.) Or I could go for a more expensive aftermarket from Pioneer or Sony.

Would getting a decent amplifer also help or a better receiver will be enough.
Click to expand...

I've been pretty happy with the stock radios in recent Fords. (2002+)

An antenna amplifier will probably do more harm than good, unless you live in the middle of nowhere with no local stations. Strong signals can overload an amplifier. (or can be amplified to levels that will overload the radio) Overload results in spurious signals -- stations appearing on frequencies other than the one on which they're actually broadcasting. If one of those phantom signals lands on top of a station you want to listen to, you're going to be out of luck...
 
My stock radio in my 2008 Civic has been excellent. Oh, I think Dual head units are made by a Chinese company; I don't know what this company is.
 
w9wi said:
gamefreak said:
Even with the stock radio reception was bad. It just got worse however with the cheapie aftermarket one. I'm guessing my Pops Expedition has a better stock radio by default due to it being a 03' modle other than a '95. Newer AM-FM car radios are more sensitive. Not to mention have filters that get rid of interference and bleedover from adjacent channels.

I will try to shoot for a stock radio for a newer Ford Veichle. ( I can get them from the Recycling Center that happens to sell savaged car parts.) Or I could go for a more expensive aftermarket from Pioneer or Sony.

Would getting a decent amplifer also help or a better receiver will be enough.
Click to expand...

I've been pretty happy with the stock radios in recent Fords. (2002+)

An antenna amplifier will probably do more harm than good, unless you live in the middle of nowhere with no local stations. Strong signals can overload an amplifier. (or can be amplified to levels that will overload the radio) Overload results in spurious signals -- stations appearing on frequencies other than the one on which they're actually broadcasting. If one of those phantom signals lands on top of a station you want to listen to, you're going to be out of luck...
Click to expand...

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/locate?select=city&city=Sugarmill+Woods,+Fl&sid=

This is the listing of stations in my area that are within listening range. ( 50DBu +, Or a 2 Grade Signal)

The closest stations to where I live.

WXCV 95.3, 10 Miles, City-Grade, Class A at 6,000 Watts
WJUF 90.1, 5 Miles, Super City-Grade, Class C2 AT 21,000 Watts
WXJB 99.9, 10 Miles, Moderate Grade Signal, Class A at 3,200 Watts
WJQB 106.3, 14 Miles, City-Grade, Class C2 @ 25,000 Watts
WKTK 98.5, 36 Miles, City-Grade, Class C1 @ 100,000 Watts

The county I live in is fairly rural. The frequencies I want to pick up are 93.3, 94.9, 100.7, 101.5, and 103.5. Should an amplifer workn with this data or should I just get the better reciever.
 
gamefreak said:
This is the listing of stations in my area that are within listening range. ( 50DBu +, Or a 2 Grade Signal)

The closest stations to where I live.

WXCV 95.3, 10 Miles, City-Grade, Class A at 6,000 Watts
WJUF 90.1, 5 Miles, Super City-Grade, Class C2 AT 21,000 Watts
WXJB 99.9, 10 Miles, Moderate Grade Signal, Class A at 3,200 Watts
WJQB 106.3, 14 Miles, City-Grade, Class C2 @ 25,000 Watts
WKTK 98.5, 36 Miles, City-Grade, Class C1 @ 100,000 Watts

The county I live in is fairly rural. The frequencies I want to pick up are 93.3, 94.9, 100.7, 101.5, and 103.5. Should an amplifer workn with this data or should I just get the better reciever.
Click to expand...

It's hard to predict where spurious signals will happen. But with a 21,000-watt station at only five miles, I think it's more likely than not that an amplifier will cause you problems.
 
I've been pretty happy with the stock radios in recent Fords. (2002+)

An antenna amplifier will probably do more harm than good, unless you live in the middle of nowhere with no local stations. Strong signals can overload an amplifier. (or can be amplified to levels that will overload the radio) Overload results in spurious signals -- stations appearing on frequencies other than the one on which they're actually broadcasting. If one of those phantom signals lands on top of a station you want to listen to, you're going to be out of luck...

[/quote]

Like WXCV 95.3 landing near WJQB 106.3 (True Oldies) Or like to time a year ago I heard 98.5 WKTK on the 101.9 dial postition.( Which features a rimshot signal from WJHM/ Orlando. 102 Jamz.)
 
The rolling hills between the Brooksville exit (#301 off I-75) and going N toward Ocala can play havoc with the Tampa FM's. OTOH those FM's get out about 100 mi to the south past Port Charlotte and almost all the way to Ft. Myers so it may be also a terrain issue. All I have is the stock AM Fm cassette and CD radio in my 05 Crown Vic.
You can probably get a stock radio like that at a junkyard; there probably isn't a high demand so the price should be cheap,cheap,cheap.
Or maybe those yards have one of those old fashioned FM antennas and that may be even a cheaper fix.
 
I get excellent AM & FM reception, selectivity with my KIA car radio (second KIA I've owned). By contrast, I recently rented a Toyota Camry & its stock
radio was junk by comparison. And, no I don't work or shill for KIA Motors!
 
How do we know which company makes stock head units for automakers? The stock car radio in my 2008 Civic is very good; picks up distant AMs well, has great selectivity on FM. I'm guessing mine is made by Pioneer.
 
ddsparxx said:
How do we know which company makes stock head units for automakers? The stock car radio in my 2008 Civic is very good; picks up distant AMs well, has great selectivity on FM. I'm guessing mine is made by Pioneer.
Click to expand...

Sometimes You can by looking online. Like certatin Lexus models have stock heads from Pioneer. However you are right. You really don't know.
 
$40 for a Dual?....You get what you pay for. When buying a good car stereo tuner, concentrate on looking for one with a low number of sensitivity (8 dBf), and a high number of selectivity (80 dB).
 
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