Radio

[LezB]

Hi I know this sounds daft but can i use any car radio in my boat as the one thats in now is on the blink. so I just woundered which is the best radio to get.

 

Many thanks Lez

[Laurie Booth]

I use a car radio on my boat.

[pearley]

I use a car radio on my boat.

So do we, a Dab one.

[Dexter's Shed]

how do you get the car onboard

[Tiggs]

Ordinary radios don't work well in metal boats - sort of OK if near a window - but are fine if you have a wooden top.

Car radios get the aerial outside where it works better.

I'd get one with DAB bit also with FM.

how do you get the car onboard

Time and Relative Dimension(s) in Space

[Tony Brooks]

Any of the older DIN standard should fit, that would be the ones the same thickness as your present one. You may or may not require a slightly different metal mounting sleeve if one has been used but it could well come with the new radio.

 

Personally I would only go for FM, MW & LW because they will work well enough on one simple aerial. DAB may well require a special amplified aerial and the last time I checked they cost a great deal of money. I would also avoid a budget one (e.g. Maystar or Argos special) and get one with a known brand name like Sony. I might be a little more sensitive so work better on low lying waterways.

[spadefoot]

I use an ordinary DAB portable (Pure Evoke). Works fine.

[pearley]

DAB doesn't require an amplified antenna, Tony. In fact by using a magnetic mount antenna you avoid having to worry about grounding it to the hill.

 

I've been out of the car audio business for a while now but looking at Halfrauds it would seem that a DAB unit is about £40 more than one without DAB. Considering all the extra stations you can get, well worth it in my opinion. If the OP buys DAB he is future proofing as although FM will be with us for many years it is likely that LW will cease in the not so distant future. It is only politics that has prevented an announcement being made.

 

The OP doesn't have to worry about Maystar as they stopped trading about 8 years ago, not that they sold any head units in the last few years of business.

Edited July 26, 2016 by pearley

[W+T]

I would get a DAB and blue tooth car radio such a choice then will work fine.

[Rendelf]

Why not just use the interweb to stream 'radio'?

[David Schweizer]

We have a DAB/FM car radio on our boat, but set up only FM only. We also use a magnetic taxi aerial, which seems to perform much betther than than a standard car radio aerial.

 

One thing to be aware of is that modern car radios seem to use quite a lot of power, even when switched off, so I have installed a pull switch which simualtes the activituy of a car ignition switch, therefore cutting most of the power to the radio whist keeping it's settings.

[OldGoat]

David Schweizer, on 26 Jul 2016 - 8:27 PM, said:

We have a DAB/FM car radio on our boat, but set up only FM only. We also use a magnetic taxi aerial, which seems to perform much betther than than a standard car radio aerial.

 

One thing to be aware of is that modern car radios seem to use quite a lot of power, even when switched off, so I have installed a pull switch which simualtes the activituy of a car ignition switch, therefore cutting most of the power to the radio whist keeping it's settings.

Echo the above.

bought a Dab / fm unit when on special offer for 50 quid (?) works OK - but I have to put one of those sticky dipole things on the window glass (ugh).

that's fine for One's saloon. In the bedroom we have a cheapy Aldi unit (which is a lot nicer to use) but it's FM only (plus DVD and USB etc) - that's for waking upin the morning and The Archers when we're cruising (don't ask)...

 

Both share an external aerial via a powered splitter. OTT but works....

[ditchcrawler]

I just wish I could get a decent signal using a rubber duck Ariel. If anyone has the answer I would love to hear.

[OldGoat]

ditchcrawler, on 26 Jul 2016 - 8:55 PM, said:

I just wish I could get a decent signal using a rubber duck Ariel. If anyone has the answer I would love to hear.

Never worked for me, so I've bought a succession of ham radio type whip aerials on a mag mount.

Current one is 4ft long (overkill)

[Iain_S]

I fitted a DAB/FM car radio to Copperkins. It got a good DAB signal from a DAB antenna hanging inside the window. There are alternatives

 

(Must admit I'm not too sure about that one though: I think better results could be got by feeding the co-ax inner through the shield, and cutting both to about 35cm. Similarly, a whip about 35cm on a mag mount should work.as an external aerial.)

 

Iain

[ditchcrawler]

Never worked for me, so I've bought a succession of ham radio type whip aerials on a mag mount.

Current one is 4ft long (overkill)

I have enough leads hanging about now thanks. If I can find something to replace the rubber duck with that would be fine, but I see them on loads of boats so someone must get them to work.

[MtB]

I use an ordinary DAB portable (Pure Evoke). Works fine.

 

 

Well it would with bus windows. Anyone with portholes knows otherwise.

 

I have a DAB car radio with a proper DAB mag mount arial and it works well brilliant. The aerial was from Halfords and cost about £30. Its about 10" tall and designed for us with a DAB radio.

 

Only drawback is the poxy DAB car radio draws about 3A while it is on. The hi-ness of the fi is pretty good, but not as good as FM...

[spadefoot]

 

 

Well it would with bus windows. Anyone with portholes knows otherwise.

 

I have a DAB car radio with a proper DAB mag mount arial and it works well brilliant. The aerial was from Halfords and cost about £30. Its about 10" tall and designed for us with a DAB radio.

 

Only drawback is the poxy DAB car radio draws about 3A while it is on. The hi-ness of the fi is pretty good, but not as good as FM...

Windows at the back, portholes at the front. Mind you, there's always a door open.

Car audio always draws a lot of current. Car speakers are not much cop in a boat either.

I find FM these days about as good as MW was in the 70's

So I use portable DAB for basic radio stuff, & boombox for more serious music listening.

[MtB]

Windows at the back, portholes at the front. Mind you, there's always a door open.

Car audio always draws a lot of current. Car speakers are not much cop in a boat either.

I find FM these days about as good as MW was in the 70's

So I use portable DAB for basic radio stuff, & boombox for more serious music listening.

 

 

You clearly don't understand aerials then!

But granted, the aray I have in my loft wouldn't fit in a boat. Not even your widebeam!

[spadefoot]

 

 

You clearly don't understand aerials then!

 

Absolutely correct sir.

Besides, you can't get 6music on FM.

[David Schweizer]

I just wish I could get a decent signal using a rubber duck Ariel. If anyone has the answer I would love to hear.

 

The original aerial on our boat was a rubber duck, and reception was patchy. The Taxi radio aerial works brilliantly, (bought on eBay for about £10). We have a dual port socket on the bulkead for TV and radio aerials, and can often receive TV with the Taxi aerial, which takes the faff out of erecting the proper TV aerial.

Edited July 27, 2016 by David Schweizer

[Rendelf]

I have a spare mag-mount if the OP wants it.

[Murflynn]

how do you get the car onboard

self-applause is a little bit worrying

[OldGoat]

If anyone wants to listen to broadcast music seriously, then (humbly)

try either the services via satellite (best quality) or those on freeview.

You don't need a tv for either just a freeview / youview / freesat receiver or recorder plus whatever HiFi kit you have.

We used to have a big power amp and six speakers onboard - but only used it for the last night of the Proms.

Now we just have a Phirrips soundbar. Gives reasonable sound....

 

At home we have a similar setup and a big Yamaha amplifier - makes TV listening even better.....

Edited July 27, 2016 by OldGoat

[David Schweizer]

If anyone wants to listen to broadcast music seriously, then (humbly)

try either the services via satellite (best quality) or those on freeview.

You don't need a tv for either just a freeview / youview / freesat receiver or recorder plus whatever HiFi kit you have.

We used to have a big power amp and six speakers onboard - but only used it for the last night of the Proms.

Now we just have a Phirrips soundbar. Gives reasonable sound....

 

At home we have a similar setup and a big Yamaha amplifier - makes TV listening even better.....

 

You are probably correct, but if you are using a car radio with car radio speakers i doubt that many people would be able to tell the difference. Even quite decent digital radios are not that much better, we have an expensive Roberts digital radio in the kitchen but my late father in law's elderly Technics ST-Z45L FM receiver, played through my ancient JVC JA-S11 amplifier, and modest Tannoy Mercury V speakers knocks spots off it. It was even better with my antidiluvian Goodman's Twin Axiom 10's, but Jan complained that they were too big and ugly (which is true!)

 

So unless you have decent equipment the method of transmission is almost irrelevant, with the possible exception of Classic FM which is awful in many parst of the country on FM

Edited July 27, 2016 by David Schweizer