To all expert out there, I am really fed-up with my car's FM reception. I spent so much unnecessary money on installing 2 new in-car antenna, it didn't work. I then installed a new external antenna. It didn't work as well. I am really giving up. I do not know what else it works.

My FM reception would say 90% of the time it has static. I am so frustrated. I was told FM booster will not help either. So what can I do? I am running on a JVC single din cd player. Don't tell me to replace a new HU?

U might need to check the connection and wiring ... loose connection and bad wire can cause signal lost.

Ok, thanks. I will double check it again.

mebe change new wire..or whole sets of antenna... if problem stil persis, ur hu is the main prob..

u using fm booster?

my carrozzeria double din using cap ayam fm booster..sometime will got hissing sound when car pass by

icic...i don have any booster for my antenna..

I don't think FM booster might help. I read many articles regarding this topic. Many folks say FM booster will not help. It's a waste of money. I am kind of dilemma whether I should try or not. There is one guy even give up using his HU to receive FM. Instead he uses his hand phone to receive FM and transmits the signal to the HU via bluetooth modulator.

in car antenna? hmm... i dunno if using tinted film will cause disruption of radio signal, cos they say it can't scan thru the windscreen for the touch and go or something...

sometimes poor radio reception cause by HU (like mine using Panasonic CQC-1001W..)
so dont use Panasonic HU

my previous Sony HU (cassete player) very good.. bright & clear radio reception..

Bro, I think I agree with you. There is one guy in another forum that made a similar comment about this. Yesterday night, I checked the antenna mounted on windscreen at the back. Part of the antenna did cover by tinted film. I suspect this has impacted the radio signal. I am still in consideration whether to remove the tinted film (since film only covers the top part of the windscreen but not full windscreen).

To clear doubts, just plunk in another HU which perform well in another vehicle at the same location & compare performances when installed in your car. After that make your presumption from the results, wiring or HU. Any well installed antenna within KL/PJ should give you reasonably good audible performances. Btw most Pioneer HU have better clarity compare to others within its price range.

because Pioneer use its so-called SuperTuner for FM. i tried before and yes it is better than my stock radio, but i couldnt say its the best of course.

im using one (because i didnt want any antennas on the outside of my car) and i dont really care about radio reception coz i dont listen to the radio (my GF does). in-car antennas will suck la...no matter wat....theyve always had a bad rep mah...

during the install, the shop tested, said the reception is less than ideal, and tested plugging in an external antenna and memang it was better oso.

@TS
WHERE are u when the reception sux? if its in KL Town then forget it. listen to a CD instead.

You are right, I find the reception is extremely bad when I am driving around town area. I believe the reception is interfered by the high rise.

Perhaps I am being spoiled by my father's Toyota. Man, Toyota standard HU is superb. Their FM radio will not have any interference anywhere you drive even on the highway. You know, one time I thought of buying a second hand Toyota HU and install it in my car.

Pros & cons of FM reception; if it's a ori factory fitted internal antenna than memang 'chun' for both Japanese or German vehicles. Our local assy fittings even as advertise using using German or Japanese technology all sucks due also to the cmpetitive selling price. Best value & quality reception for aftermarket installation is no other than the old fashion motorised vertical ones(Harada Japanese brand). Past experience from the German cars OEM internal antenna even from the early 90" have shown to be done with alot of R&D incorporated to the rear & front glass together using multiple digital-pulse signal boosters providing 'Umbrella' coverage. Later systems incorporated with the visible rear roof 'Dorsal' & quarter-glass further improve the 'Umbrella' concept reception. Of course all this R&D cost were also added into the actual factory price of the car which may to about $2K for each car; if one these marques cost in excess of $400K than no problem-lah. Nothing like those ppl who install 'Brothers' cap-ayam 'Dorsal' antenna expecting to get those performance.

I tend to agree with you. Don't expect to pay lower price for better quality product. Unfortunately, I went through the hard way and money spending way to know this. You know what I did last night? I unplugged the one week old external antenna and plug back the original internal antenna. Come to think of it now, the original antenna quality is the best among the three (see below) I had installed:

Previous History:

1. Cap ayam internal antenna.
2. Bosch internal antenna
3. Cap kambing external antenna.

Now:

Original old windscreen internal antenna.

By the way, I am driving imported Nissan Bluebird Sylphy 1.8 - similar to local Nissan Sentra.

Check your antenna installation again, since your car is an imported Japanese vehicle there's a possibility a Malaysia spec frequency modulator has been installed for the previous standard HU. If you have changed to another aftermarket HU & your antenna wirings got no problem, than it's best you install one of those motorised vertical type which I think do not cost that much if you do not mind the asthetic point of view.

I had replaced the HU with single din Kenwood HU with CD player and USB port. Not sure whether this considered aftermarket or not. I believe there is nothing wrong with the old wirings since I got better reception (as compared with the 3 hard experiences I had - with new wiring).

The motorised vertical type is internal or external? I assume external. I don't think I want to spend more money on those. Asthetic was what bothering me the most. Why spend more money and end of the day it does not fix the asthetic issue?

I use JVC HU (installed myself) and use the original antenna fitted by proton. Never having problem receiving any signal. Last 2 months the antenna broke already, left only the screw part but still pick up the signal strongly in KL/PJ area.

Thanks. I believe now that's nothing to do with the HU but the cabling and antenna.

some HUs are known to have bad radio reception....

alpine is one of them. generally known to have bad radio reception.

i also used to have a cheap Kenwood player (long long ago)...and yes, radio reception sux.

go fpr blaupunkt...great radio tuner...

anyone know how much if change whole set antenna??

for kancil.........


tq

not more thn rm100...
or tke the twin v type ori frm japan... got 1 sell at uptown danau kota...but ths item pricey....

my alpnie 9856 also facing the same problem..bad fm reception..i think my stock clarion hu is much more better than this...when i asked the seller..he said..alpine alwez like this mahh...radio suxx but cd player good..dunno what to say..

Alpine radio for this model have been having bad reviews for quite some time now; not much can be done other than replacing your antenna with original Japanese made like 'Harada' directly plug to HU by-passing all OEM wirings. Installation of the old-skol 'Harada' vertical auto-antenna have solve most of the radio problems for Alpine if you do not mind the asthetic looks.

I have been thinking of upgrade my HU to double din. Saw a brand Eonon. Not sure how is the FM reception like. I always have a feeling that double din HU FM reception is much better than single din. Again, perhaps I was spoilt by my father's Toyota original double din HU. Not static at all.

ya. i agree. panasonic hu are so so bad, i using panasonic too. omg even those famous radio station like 988 also cant detect intermitermly

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Added on July 24, 2008, 10:53 am
btw how to check wire and cabling?

No difference for radio performance betwen single or double din models from each brands. From most that I've noticed for bad radio reception cases were corrected from re-wiring works & replacement of antenna to at least imported Japanese brands. I doubt German made ones are feasible for our cost-consious market in Malaysia, but as a $ to $ comparision there are values to these type of products which looks similar asthetically but end-product reception quality defers by a mile.

can your elaborate more on this?? where it can be done..and how much..the old skool u mentioned like perdana type of antenna?? which have stepping like dat??

It's just simply replacing your existing antenna with a 'Harada' Japanese motorised vertical antenna & ensure the signal wirings all the way to the HU is properly insulated. Signal can still be enhance further with additional in-line FM Booster if signals are still not encouraging.

how much ??

yes yes..how much and where it can be done??

quote us the prc moby...

I don't have any price as I'm not a trader but a ICE enthusiast. If you're interested you can always PM me your contact number & I'll solve your radio problem if you have the patience.