# Radio aerial - solution ...



## Canalsman (May 24, 2012)

The radio reception in my Peugeot Boxer based '99 Elddis has been appalling ever since I bought it.

I checked all the cabling, checked the earthing, all the usual things, fitted an in-line amplifier. Nothing made any difference 

Today I fitted one of these Blaupunkt FunLine Discs Antenna - Radio aerial - car: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics and it's transformed things 

Recommended, if fiddly to fit ...


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## Devadave (Aug 31, 2012)

Canalsman said:


> The radio reception in my Peugeot Boxer based '99 Elddis has been appalling ever since I bought it.
> 
> I checked all the cabling, checked the earthing, all the usual things, fitted an in-line amplifier. Nothing made any difference
> 
> ...



Now that's worth the membership straight away... Ordered! Thanks a lot... :dance: roll on next trip, moonlight and music, there's a song in that! :anyone:


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## bopper (Sep 13, 2012)

Radio reception is improved with a ground plane.
Usually the ground plane is the metal surface on which the aerial is mounted on. A large flat metal surface is ideal this is why most aerials are roof mounted on a metal car roof or wing.
If your aerial is mounted on a fibre-glass panel then the reception will be poor. If it is possible, a thin sheet of metal mounted on the underside of the aerial and earthed to the aerial (aerial stub through the metal plate and the nut screwed up to it) will improve the reception enormously. The larger metal plate the better.
It will work but not so well with kitchen foil. It must earthed to the aerial underneath.
Hope this information helps.


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## Bigpeetee (Sep 13, 2012)

Canalsman said:


> The radio reception in my Peugeot Boxer based '99 Elddis has been appalling ever since I bought it.
> 
> I checked all the cabling, checked the earthing, all the usual things, fitted an in-line amplifier. Nothing made any difference
> 
> ...



Did you check continuity from centre pin of coax connector to antenna and outer to earth, both should be very low resistance.

Then check resistance between the centre to the outer, should be very high resistance.

For antenna cables on the wing, there's a lot of moisture and dirt about, usually the coax breaks down and losses are incurred creating poor signal. Point made is that by fitting an amplifier, there was no improvement. Therefore the antenna is U/S. If there's no signal, an amplifier can't magic one!!

Ground planes are more important for VHF than MW/LW.

A good wing mounted antenna is fine


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## Canalsman (Sep 13, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestions ...

However, as noted above, I have resolved the problem with a new aerial


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