FM Reception

[sundaydog]

What would the punishment be for someone who disconnects that crappy Ford antenna with a thru the rear quarter automatic whip antenna. My reception sucks. I have better reception with my walkman. And I didn't pay $30,000 for it.

[TripleTransAm]

Could there be an issue with your wiring or your radio? My radio has outstanding FM reception. I'm pulling in stations I never knew existed. It easily surpasses the reception on my WS6 which until the arrival of my MM held the honor of best factory sound system in my stash of cars.

[03SILVERSTREAK]

25 to Life with no Parole :fire:

Opps-I forgot myself . Disreguard the sentence

[engine23ccvfd]

Sundaydog I hear your pain this is by far the worst FM receiving car I have ever owned....Some have suggested an FM booster or better yet sat radio but why do I want to pay 10 bucks a month when I live in a city with thirty or so FM stations?

[FordNut]

I've been thinking the same thing. This is the crappiest reception I've had in a car for years (since the windshield antennas went away). Maybe it's a plot between XM radio and the manufacturers to force us to PAY FOR RADIO??? BS! Not gonna do it. Never.

First I'm gonna try one of those boosters but if it still doesn't work good enough I'll consider getting a real antenna (an automatic power antenna would be nice) and wiring (the connector is different, unless there is a standard type connector hidden somewhere) from an earlier GM/CV.

[RF Overlord]

Nut:

I'm with you...the FM in my T-bird was a LOT better, but it had an external antenna...let us know how well (or IF) the booster works.

[TripleTransAm]

Could this be a 300A versus 300B thing?

I'm really surprised to see all these complaints, as I honestly do like my own MM's radio reception. In the few tunnels around the Montreal downtown core, I find my radio is able to keep pulling in the stations for much much longer than any other car I own or have owned or driven in those situations. In fact, I was able to drive a good solid 1.5 hours away from the suburban Montreal areas and only at that point did I begin to lose the Montreal stations.

I'm really curious about this now...

[mtnh]

While cleaning out my 96 Grand Marquis for selling, I actually found an antenna booster module setting under the carpet beneath the spare tire. It led me to believe that they all have that in order to use that rear glass integral antenna, though I have not looked to the same part in the MM. FYI, my FM reception rocks and the am reception is "so-so", in New Hampshire. It's a bit better, though, in my LS, with the same type of antenna setup. I would look into a bad connection or the antenna, or possible disconnection in the booster, amp, for either power or signal.

Mike

[Murader03]

Let's see Steve, north of the border, 55KPH equals about 45 or so miles, so you'd be about 60 miles in the 1.5 hrs driving time. :P Hum! Not bad, kinda flat there too! :D Down here in slower, lower, Delaware, I live about 45 miles from a local FM station, 60 miles from Philly, 70 miles from Baltimore. My reception stinks. Went to XM and now I'm happy. Got all the news and music I can stand along with good comedy, and raunchy stuff too. Most commercial free! I get the same Fox News Channel on XM that is on TV, and drats :mad: it's hard to see what they are talking about, i need a palsma screen....

:D

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by Murader03
Let's see Steve, north of the border, 55KPH equals about 45 or so miles, so you'd be about 60 miles in the 1.5 hrs driving time


That example of mine works out closer to 100 miles, since I was on a highway. 130 miles from the place where the station antennae would be located. Actually, now that you mention it, it was flat highway in that eastbound direction (my ill-fated Quebec City harness-killer trip) so maybe the glass mounted antenna has a sharper dropoff that makes the problems more evident in hilly regions? There's no disputing the fact that antennae mounted on a wide flat "ground plane" (metal grounded flat area) are stronger than what would be inside the glass, though.

[bryanknie]

I have noticed when I turn on the rear window defroster I get some satic, but that is it, other wise it is OK.

The humid Florida mornings here always leave dew on the windows.

[dwasson]

a thru the rear quarter automatic whip antenna.

FM reception is sensitive to where the antenna is located. It may be that the rear quarter is a worse location. There is a good column on this in the current Car and Driver.

You'll notice that a lot of the new cars are mounting them on the roof. In three tries at replacing antennas I've had my best luck installing antennas on either the leading or trailing edge of the roof.