DAB works well with the lights on

[Mr Colpot]

So we had a dab aerial fitted a couple of weeks ago and the reception was worse than the internal one it replaced. Anyway a rare thing happened last night - I was out a bit later than normal and turned the dipped headlights on and the dab was on all the way home. Stopped up the road from home and turned the lights off and lost reception Turned them back on and its back clear as a bell. Anyone know what may be the cause? I am thinking earthing issue but not sure.

 

[ceejayt]

Hmmm... some AB aerials need power - any chance yours has ben wired through the lighting system?

 

[tonyidle]

Hmmm... some AB aerials need power - any chance yours has ben wired through the lighting system?

I'd go with that. Picked up power from the nearest upper marker light.

 

[Lenny HB]

My thoughts too.

 

[Mr Colpot]

As far as I can tell its powered by the head unit but I will find out on Weds when I go back to the place that fitted it. It may be the previous install was powered from the lights and they just used the same feed for the new one.

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[63720]

So we had a dab aerial fitted a couple of weeks ago and the reception was worse than the internal one it replaced. Anyway a rare thing happened last night - I was out a bit later than normal and turned the dipped headlights on and the dab was on all the way home. Stopped up the road from home and turned the lights off and lost reception Turned them back on and its back clear as a bell. Anyone know what may be the cause? I am thinking earthing issue but not sure.

We're you tuned to the light programme?.

 

[POH]

Aliens

 

[Mr Colpot]

Turned out it is the Daytime Running Lights that cause the loss of signal. They unplugged them and it works ok. Have plugged them back in and will just put headlights on when we want the Radio on.

 

[Ingwe]

We're you tuned to the light programme?.

Showing your age

 

[Langtoftlad]

Turned out it is the Daytime Running Lights that cause the loss of signal. They unplugged them and it works ok. Have plugged them back in and will just put headlights on when we want the Radio on.

Will try that. My Citroen Relay DAB reception is ok, only occasionally dropping out, but it'll be interesting to see if turning on the headlights makes any difference.

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[Yorick]

Listening to the Electric Light Orchestra?

 

[Littlewheels]

We're you tuned to the light programme?.

There are some old folk on here That program was on when we put coal in the back of a Wireless to fire up all them bulb thing's.

 

[63720]

Showing your age

...grandad told me about it.

 

[Lenny HB]

Turned out it is the Daytime Running Lights that cause the loss of signal. They unplugged them and it works ok. Have plugged them back in and will just put headlights on when we want the Radio on.

Not really acceptable never heard of anyone else having that problem, if it was a professional install I would expect them to sort it.

 

[Mr Colpot]

Not really acceptable never heard of anyone else having that problem, if it was a professional install I would expect them to sort it.

We decided to change from an internal screen mount to external screen mount aeriel (after discussions with the installers) as reception was rubbish (with the benefit of hindsight I wonder what reception would have been like with headlights on with the old one) The internal one was there already when I bought the van. I was given the option to try different DRL but decided to stick with what we have. Have turned the DLR off on the options for now.
Reception is now great (at least it is in East/West Sussex)

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[Guigsy]

What in the DRL circuit would cause interference to the DAB signal?

 

[Mr Colpot]

What in the DRL circuit would cause interference to the DAB signal?

The ballast unit apparently.....

 

[Lenny HB]

The ballast unit apparently.....

Aftermarket DLR's then?

 

[Lenny HB]

I fitted one of those external screen mount aerials to a friend's A Class. He was over the moon with the improvement in reception.

 

[POH]

There are some old folk on here That program was on when we put coal in the back of a Wireless to fire up all them bulb thing's.

I think you mean valves , remember them in my grans wireless along with the accumulators, big heavy things they were for a 7/8year old

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[Coastal Cruiser.]

DAB on my van is terrible, have 2 other vehicles with DAB that are fine so it’s not the area we live in.
On my list of things to check when it goes back to Germany in September for warranty work…..

 

[ceejayt]

DAB on my van is terrible, have 2 other vehicles with DAB that are fine so it’s not the area we live in.
On my list of things to check when it goes back to Germany in September for warranty work…..

Pretty poor in mine in terms of in and out reception - overcome this by using CarPlay and BBC Sounds - works 99% of the time

 

[Mr Colpot]

Aftermarket DLR's then?

They are as fitted by Pilote.

We are also very pleased with the improvement.

 

[Guigsy]

Pretty poor in mine in terms of in and out reception - overcome this by using CarPlay and BBC Sounds - works 99% of the time

I always stream. I've only ever used DAB once to make sure the aerial was connected when I changed the radio.

 

[Mr Colpot]

Duplicated

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[ambulancekidd]

A word to the wise for anyone trying to get a decent DAB signal in a motorhome is that if you have a Status type aerial (NOT the flying saucer type, they are very poor unless signal is perfect) then you already have a top-quality DAB aerial.
Depending on age, your signal booster might need an upgrade to one with a dedicated DAB booster. These are called diplexers.
Signal is at its best if you can travel with your aerial in the vertical position & remember that your booster must be switched ON.

I recently fitted a Status 570 & I'm only using a cheap DAB adapter, but the DAB signal is flawless.

 

[Lenny HB]

The short whip aerial on the roof of our Hymer works for FM, DAB & TV very well on all, obviously has an amplifier & splitter hidden somewhere.

 

[Lenny HB]

They are as fitted by Pilote.

We are also very pleased with the improvement.View attachment 641076

I wouldn't expect it to happen then, maybe worth trying an earth strap from the head unit to a good chassis earth point.

 

[POH]

Turned out it is the Daytime Running Lights that cause the loss of signal. They unplugged them and it works ok. Have plugged them back in and will just put headlights on when we want the Radio on.

I will also try that as well ,we have a 21 plate Pilote 740c and the dab is absolute crap always dropping out , they put the ariel on the near side wing instead of the mirror as an improvement

 

[Wabs]

There are some old folk on here That program was on when we put coal in the back of a Wireless to fire up all them bulb thing's.

What’s coal?

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