DAB radio

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Just got a DAB radio for the van, it came with what I think is a windscreen mounted DAB aeriel. Was wondering if I would be better off buying a traditional type roof mounted aerial for the DAB. - I guess this means I will have two aerials on the roof ?

how much better would a roof mounted one be to a one stuck on the inside of the windscreen ? (not all the areas I drive in are wonderful for DAB)
 
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I put dab in my car with the supplied stick on windscreen aerial - complete waste of time, virtually no reception. Then I bought an amplifier/splitter which effectively converts your existing FM aerial to a combined FM/DAB aerial - now excellent reception. Google CT27AA135 which is the sort of thing, there are a few different brands/versions depending on your aerial and DAB unit or you may need another small adapter to connect it all up. Get a branded one (Connects 2, Autoleads etc) not eBay Chinese rubbish.
 
thanks for that, you have probably put me in the right direction, I did not know such things were available and did think it was nonsense to need two separate aerials.

Daft thing now is the splitter is going to cost nearly as much as the new DAB radio. It is an unbranded cheap ebay from china one! have been testing it in the house and it sounds wonderful, had it on for about 3 days now and it hasn't failed of burst into flames.
 
What would happen without the splitter?

I have a Pure DAB domestic radio here where the aerial is just a dangling wire about 500mm long.
 
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thanks for that, you have probably put me in the right direction, I did not know such things were available and did think it was nonsense to need two separate aerials.

DAB and FM are two different bands/frequencies. The FM antenna needs to be almost twice the length of the DAB one, so ideally you need different antenna lengths and antennas for each. Mobile reception is always a bit of a compromise anyway, so best just see how the splitter works.
 
What would happen without the splitter?

I have a Pure DAB domestic radio here where the aerial is just a dangling wire about 500mm long.
Indeed, our DAB radios works well in the house with the minimum of aerials, and the car radio in question gets fantastic reception in the house with the windscreen aerial it came with.

However I do know DAB reception in and around where I drive can be a bit dodgy, so I am looking for best aerial set up I can get
 
I fitted DAB to my old car with a windscreen aerial and it was fine.
Bear in mind that windscreen aerial requires fitting edge over car A pillar for earth.
 
DAB and FM are two different bands/frequencies. The FM antenna needs to be almost twice the length of the DAB one, so ideally you need different antenna lengths and antennas for each.

Would an aerial trimmer work at these frequencies?
 
What would happen without the splitter?

I have a Pure DAB domestic radio here where the aerial is just a dangling wire about 500mm long.

Me too, it works on the FM too. So, is a dedicated DAB aerial really necessary?
 
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what would be best, a dedicated aerial or a splitter - or can either be amplified ?

as it is east to fit I am going to start off with the window mounted aerial, but what should i try next?
 
what would be best, a dedicated aerial or a splitter - or can either be amplified ?

Amplifying a poor signal, just produces a stronger poor quality signal. A proper, quality, DAB antenna, properly tuned for the frequency, is always the best option, but whether a splitter might work is something I can only guess at - much depends on your reception strength on the routes you use.
 
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