Fitting a DAB aerial

Blackdeath
Blackdeath Forum Participant Posts: 69
edited September 2018 in Motorhomes #1

Has anyone successfully fitted a DAB aerial onto a motorhome? I have been looking at a number of options and am working towards this solution. I'd appreciate any thoughts or feedback.

Window mounted DAB aerials are not particularly effective and the best place to put one is on the roof. The big problem, as we all know, is that the body of the van is plastic so there is no ground plane. 

I intend to bond a thin steel plate to the roof, welded to which will be a small steel box into which I will bolt the aerial.The aerial needs to be in the centre of the plate but I don't want to fit it directly to the roof in hat position as the cable will come down in the middle of the van. I'll run the cables in conduit to the edge of the roof then drill a hole there and fix a waterproof gland before running the cable inside the van to the radio.  I will earth the plate to the chassis. 

This is quite an involved process but I can't think of a better way to ensure really good reception. If anyone has solved this problem a different way, or has any suggestions, I'd love to hear from you

 

 

 

Comments

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2018 #2

    Unfortunately DAB still doesn't work in some areas so we just take a small DAB radio with us and stick to FM in the cab.

    LINK

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2018 #3

    When on site we just use the freeview channels for the radio there are plenty there,dab is still not good nation wide,we have dab in the car but its better on fm

  • Outdoor Lady
    Outdoor Lady Forum Participant Posts: 127
    edited September 2018 #4

    We have a dab radio in our Motorhome, originally it was fitted to the drivers window which didn't work, it has been relocated to passenger window which works well if we are in the right area. I must say we aren't that pleased with it as it often loses signal which is really annoying if you're listening to a play yell

  • Apperley
    Apperley Forum Participant Posts: 254
    edited September 2018 #5

    Hi BD, so my DAB reception was very poor on my factory fitted Pioneer Avic system. Not being overly technically minded I took my MH to a radio dealer who fitted a window aerial to the near side front windscreen, grounding the earth on the near side door A pillar and it works brilliantly. Cost £20 for a pioneer aerial and £30 fitting. 

    It turned out the factory had just used the Fm aerial lead and it would never have worked properly.

    i sat with the fitter to make sure the remis blinds were carefully removed to expose the A pillar. He also had the tools to remove my Pioneer system without damaging anything. Turns out removing the system ruins the clips holding it in which have to be replaced, which of course he knew.

    The window DAB aerial is unobtrusive and I can close my remis blinds without a problem.

  • Phishing
    Phishing Forum Participant Posts: 597
    500 Comments
    edited September 2018 #6

    As above, if fitted correctly on the passenger side of the window using the A pillar you will get very good DAB reception. The key is to fit it as the manufacturers instructions, they are pretty good.

  • H B Watson
    H B Watson Forum Participant Posts: 183
    edited September 2018 #7

    I replaced my roof mounted FM with a DAB a couple of years ago, no problems, just used the same hole in the roof with plenty sealant. You do have to also replace the cable too. 

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