I cannot seem to get good radio reception with any ariel!

Submitted: Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:55

ThreadID: 66618 Views:2435 Replies:7 FollowUps:14

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Member - G N (VIC)

Hi all again.
was camped a while back with mate and found his radio was getting clear radio on a channel i could not even pick up. so today i went to fit a new arial and it made no difference, i tried a couple of diff sorts and all poor. The only way i seem to be able to get any decent reception is to put some insulated wire with a bared end around the arial and hang off it.
Does any one have a decent arial solution? and why would the arials not be giving the expected reception?

kind regards
GN

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Reply By: Rockape - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:05

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:05

Some am/fm radio's give good reception and others are hopeless.

There are some good brands noted for good reception but I don't know which ones.

Someone out there will put you onto them

Have a good one

AnswerID: 352813

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:07

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:07

Hi rockape
this is a GME electraphone radio, so should be ok???
It gives great reception when i attach the extra wire to the arial, so this makes me think its the arial problem and not the radio ?

regards
GN

FollowupID: 620970

Follow Up By: Rockape - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:03

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:03

Sorry mate, by the post I took it as an am/fm radio.

On vhf radio's at work I have found the odd aerial lead faulty, you can place a multimeter on the cable and it will be fine, point to point ok and between the shield and the core ok, somehow they are still faulty

FollowupID: 620992

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:46

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:46

Sorry also rockape
i have not been clear
it is a GME am/fm radio / cassett unit.

its interesting about the faulty leads though

reagards GN

FollowupID: 621004

Follow Up By: Rockape - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 07:12

Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 07:12

We have a gme marine am/fm radio and cassete player at work that's about 10yrs old, it doesn't have very good reception at all, so this might be your answer.

FollowupID: 621031

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 11:02

Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 11:02

May be that is it rockape???
come to think of it i have one of their marine radio only in my boat and it is totaly useless!!!!
GN

FollowupID: 621073

Reply By: Member - Chris & Debbie (QLD) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:09

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:09

Did you replace the base and cable as well? you may have a problem with the sheilding of the lead shorting with the centre wire, due to either the cable being flattened somewhere or it has been badly terminated at either end, usually the plug going into the set.
Chris

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AnswerID: 352816

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:11

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:11

Hi Chris
Yes i replaced base and cable also.

regardsGN

FollowupID: 620972

Reply By: cobber - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:24

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:24

why dont you try connecting your radio to your mates aerial and that will confirm if its the radio or aerial...........just a suggestion

AnswerID: 352823

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:33

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:33

Good idea cobber
thanks GN

FollowupID: 620983

Reply By: Member - Peter R (QLD) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:47

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:47

To get good reception in the bush i attach a long wire lead to aerial and at the end tie off a piece of light fishing line with a sinker attached.

Peg the sinker as high as possible into tree and when ready to leave pull down.

Pedro

AnswerID: 352829

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:02

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:02

Hi Pedro
so that means that the wire idea will improve any ariel?
so perhaps my radio has got very poor reception?
thanks GN

FollowupID: 620991

Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:49

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:49

Somehow I think GN Pedro's response iss dirrected to your question which wasn't distinct that it was a UHF. Is it? I think Pedro is talking about AM reception, not transmission capable UHF radios.

FollowupID: 621006

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:51

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:51

Hi John R

No it is AM/FM radio, but is of GME electraphone brand, sorry for not being clearer.

regards
GN

FollowupID: 621009

Follow Up By: Member - Peter R (QLD) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:17

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:17

GN,
I have found that whilst my radio has normal good reception in city areas it is a bit hit and miss outside these areas.

A friend suggested the wire in the tree and it seems to work.

If radio works OK in the city, the wire in tree might be the solution ?

Pedro

FollowupID: 621020

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:22

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:22

Hi Pedro
thats about how mine is too realy.
i seem to have more issues getting a clear sound from the FM transitter with IPOD than i used to and aso wonder if this is related to a poor ariel set up?

regards'GN

FollowupID: 621021

Reply By: obee1212 - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:59

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:59

Is the outer of the co-ax making a good earth to the vehicle?

owen

AnswerID: 352844

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:03

Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:03

Hi obee
i am just asuming the serated section of the arial base which sits on the inner guard and tightens as you tighten the top section onto it!
But perhaps it isnt makeing good contact?

also i have radio mounted on overhead console and have not got an earth wire to the bolt at the back of the units plastic moulding but i did make a temp earth to it today and made no difference.

perhaps i should solder a wire the the inner base and run to a good earth?

regardsGN

FollowupID: 621016

Reply By: Max - Sydney - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 09:23

Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 09:23

GN - how old is your radio?

I ask this because I transferred a ten year old 27 MHz radio to a new car once and thought it was fine till I got into a convoy and found I had a range of about 50 metres!

My solution after much mucking around was to get a new radio (UHF this time) which has worked well for years until the past year or so when we seem to have trouble with transmission to others. I have replaced the mike because the TX button was faulty but the "funny things" still happen.

I am starting to wonder if the whole set up has a life of about ten years.

In both cases they were GME radios.

Max

AnswerID: 352868