Car issue

[NullSmurf]

My wife got me a new HD deck for my car, a JVC KD-HDR1. Its a fairly nice rig that installed nicely with the Best Buy install kit. Problem #1 surfaced when I saw that the antenna connector was NOT the expected Motorola bananna plug, but something newer. Back to Best Buy to spend another $15 for an adapter.

I got it all hooked up, but noticed that the sensitivity is way down. There is no screwing around with HD. You have to have a reasonably good signal to lock HD. I really was looking forward to getting my two favorite AM talk channels in HD, but AM signals are now virtually nil. Must be the adapter. Nope, I get good continuity all the way and signal is not shorted to ground. I did some digging and really found nothing. I'm speculating that the stock Ford antenna is also the rear defogger grid. It is so poor as an antenna that the stock deck is designed for it. The new deck isn't.

Best plan so far is to replace the shitty antenna with this less shitty antenna. Any other suggestions?

I also have XM, and this deck is satellite "ready". I need 2 additional devices to convert to XM, another receiver and an adapter for this JVC deck - another $100.

2006 Ford Fusion
JVC

 

[NullSmurf]

The new antenna fixed the problem. I was able to hide it inside the dash, so no wires, muss, or fuss. I can lock HD on half a dozen AM stations and too many FM to count.

The next pisser is getting XM up on the deck itself. Two more units are needed, another receiver and an adapter @ about one hundred bucks. It can wait.

 

[Gator]

learn to sing, it's cheaper and easier

 

[Devil Doc]

Why would anyone want to listen to right wing screwballs in HD? :whistling: :laugh:

Doc.

 

[Capt Redbeard]

How do you like hd radio compared to regular? I havent had a chance to check it out. I hate radio so much right now, that I have my antenna disconnected at my headunit so I, and no one else, can listen to the radio in my car. I have an alpine headunit with the direct i-pod connection and thats all i listen to. But is the hd radio truly that big of a difference? or just an idea grasping at the High-def concept?

 

[NullSmurf]

Fuggin commedians!

I do have to say that RUSH and Beck are so much better in HD!

To Redbeard's question: tough answer. Used to be, happiness was live explosives. That and many, rapid pressure changes in my 20's have left me functionally deaf. I can't tell the difference in audio quality - except on AM. Think of it as FM quality, perhaps more. For the FM stations, most have 2 channels, some have 3. My favorite C&W station has been running year-old tapes from when they ran without a DJ after dark. It seems that HD2 and 3 run a modified format. One station here runs their sister AM side talk station on HD3.