Car Audio Car audio related questions and helpful hints for building the best sound system for your car or getting the most out of what you have.

are FM boosters any good?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 10, 2001 | 08:26 PM
  #1  
tzweelz's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
From: Punta Gorda, Fl
are FM boosters any good?

cant get some stations in clear from other cities, think this might help me? i think the kenwood i have is just below the excelons.

------------------
89 Trans Am
jet black w/ silver flake
suncoast ram-air hood
ASAI aerowing
centerline trigons
SLP headers, flowmaster.
Viper 550esp w/ rem start
Grant GT, all Kenwood.
BMR adj.phr, lca's, lca brackets, sfc's, jamex springs, PSC front end
Reply
Old Jan 10, 2001 | 08:54 PM
  #2  
Jim85IROC's Avatar
TGO Supporter
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 13,579
Likes: 9
From: Readsboro, VT
Car: 85 IROC-Z / 88 GTA
Engine: 403 LSx (Pending) / 355 Tuned Port
Transmission: T56 Magnum (Pending) / T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 / ?
They're useless.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah
Reply
Old Jan 10, 2001 | 11:45 PM
  #3  
9177's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 638
Likes: 0
From: Topeka
any of them i have used got better reception turned of rather than turned on like jim said they are usless
Reply
Old Jan 11, 2001 | 03:13 PM
  #4  
maddogg1's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: IL
i agree
Reply
Old Jan 11, 2001 | 03:19 PM
  #5  
Artic White Z's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Hardin, IL.USA
i also have a kenwood. its a KDC-9015 and the radio is a piece of SH*T. i got better reception with the factory radio. the radio does suck but the rest of the unit works and looks great.
Reply
Old Jan 11, 2001 | 11:27 PM
  #6  
9177's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 638
Likes: 0
From: Topeka
some radios need to have antenas that are specific lengths which are different from stock
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2001 | 01:01 PM
  #7  
Jim85IROC's Avatar
TGO Supporter
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 13,579
Likes: 9
From: Readsboro, VT
Car: 85 IROC-Z / 88 GTA
Engine: 403 LSx (Pending) / 355 Tuned Port
Transmission: T56 Magnum (Pending) / T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 / ?
All radios need the same length antenna. The length of the antenna is based on the frequency of the transmitted signal, something that is obviously not determined by the radio. The standard antenna length is 31" to 33", which represents 1/4 of the average wavelength from 88.1mhz to 108mhz. Antennas need to be in fractional increments of the wavelength to cause the proper resonance, so your average antennas will be 1/2, 1/4 (car antenna), 1/8 (cell phone), etc. Wavelength=C/F where C is the speed of light (3x10^8m/s). Therefore, for a 100mhz frequency, you have (3x10^8)/(100x10^6)=3.0 meters=118.1 inches. (118.1in)/4= 29.5inches, which conveniently enough, is the approximate length of your antenna.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah
Reply
Old Jan 17, 2001 | 09:26 PM
  #8  
tzweelz's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
From: Punta Gorda, Fl
dayum jim,
ask and ye shall recieve. do you teach physics or something?
thanks guys.
Reply
Old Jan 17, 2001 | 09:57 PM
  #9  
Jim85IROC's Avatar
TGO Supporter
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 13,579
Likes: 9
From: Readsboro, VT
Car: 85 IROC-Z / 88 GTA
Engine: 403 LSx (Pending) / 355 Tuned Port
Transmission: T56 Magnum (Pending) / T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 / ?
hehe. No. I'm an electrical engineer who chose my major because of my love for audio, so I've been able to apply what I've learned to the audio field.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah
Reply
Old Jan 18, 2001 | 03:34 PM
  #10  
JamesC's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 19,282
Likes: 103
From: Lawrence, KS
Car: Met. Silver 85 IROC/Sold
Engine: 350 HO Deluxe (350ci/330hp)
Transmission: T-5 (Non-WC)
Axle/Gears: Limited Slip 3.23's
Jim85IROC,

Are you into home audio and the whole tweeky world of the audiophile--sand/lead shot, spikes, cables, coupling and decoupling, SACD and DVD-A, and oh, hell, you get the picture.

JamesC

------------------
Reply
Old Jan 18, 2001 | 04:39 PM
  #11  
Jim85IROC's Avatar
TGO Supporter
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 13,579
Likes: 9
From: Readsboro, VT
Car: 85 IROC-Z / 88 GTA
Engine: 403 LSx (Pending) / 355 Tuned Port
Transmission: T56 Magnum (Pending) / T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 / ?
I'm an audiophile, not a nutcase. Any idiot that thinks his $5,000 speaker wire sounds better than my $4,000 speaker wire is nuts

I don't perscribe to that esoteric crap, but I do have about the best system I can afford right now. Unfortunately it's all at home stuffed into my bedroom, and out here at school I've got a cheap JVC receiver and 2 small Sony speakers. Hauling stuff back and forth in a Camaro isn't fun, so I travel bare-bones when at school.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah
Reply
Old Jan 18, 2001 | 06:00 PM
  #12  
JamesC's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 19,282
Likes: 103
From: Lawrence, KS
Car: Met. Silver 85 IROC/Sold
Engine: 350 HO Deluxe (350ci/330hp)
Transmission: T-5 (Non-WC)
Axle/Gears: Limited Slip 3.23's
Jim85IROC,

For me, audiophiles and car freaks have much in common with tweeks=--me included. I've spend a fortune on both.

JamesC

------------------
Reply
Old Jan 18, 2001 | 07:39 PM
  #13  
Chris Luongo's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 479
Likes: 1
From: Malden, Massachusetts, USA
Remember, that 31" antenna length is only a "best compromise." You'd actually want a slightly different antenna length depending on what station you're listening to, from 88.1 to 107.9 megaHertz. My sister's factory Lexus system actually slightly raises and lowers the power antenna as you tune to different stations.

Those FM boosters are almost entirely useless. Remember that they "boost" everything, including the static. And also remember that you can't create a radio signal that doesn't exist. Usually, the FM booster just overloads your tuner and causes it to sound like crap.

The only time a booster might be of some use would be if you had one of those $20 Kraco radios; it might do a little something I suppose.

As another example, my three-storey house has 9 cable TV outlets. The cable company installed a signal booster, but its purpose is to compensate for the losses incurred in the signal splitters, as well as the long cable runs.

I suppose if you had a car radio in your basement, and a 100-foot cable going to an antenna on your roof, it might be worth trying one of those boosters there as well.

Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Lmancha96
South Central Region
1
Oct 22, 2020 12:40 PM
MantyZ28
Interior Parts for Sale
52
Jan 18, 2016 08:30 AM
cstrobel65
Tech / General Engine
5
Aug 15, 2015 10:19 AM
pigpete
Exterior Parts Wanted
2
Aug 15, 2015 07:56 AM
MustangEater82
Brakes
0
Aug 11, 2015 07:52 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:02 PM.