I'm trying to work out why I get such bad reception of my radio, both DAB & FM through a process of elimination and before taking it back to the dealer. I'm now at the point of wondering if it is my dashcam which I have hardwired to the fuse box (wire is hidden around the screen, down the A-pillar etc) is causing interferance as I've read this can happen. So I was just wondering if the DAB aerial is intergated into the FM roof aerial or is it somewhere else in the car? Never had this before with previous cars so trying to work out why its happening with my Fabia

 

Many thanks

I just assumed the roof aerial was the DAB aerial and the vertical bars in the rear window were the FM aerial as it is in my Superb. 

13 hours ago, WaveyDavey said:

I just assumed the roof aerial was the DAB aerial and the vertical bars in the rear window were the FM aerial as it is in my Superb. 

OK thanks, I know some cars have DAB receivers at the front of the car

From my experience of fitting DAB into a VW Group car, which had no roof mounted aerial, all the preamps were in the C pillar areas on both sides. I’d think that that is the preferred location for them on VW Group cars that have a roof mounted aerial as well.

Did you fit a ferrite core on the wire for the dashcam? They normally come in the hard wire kit and are designed to minimise interference. 

 

They look like this and fit this way, with the cable looped through. Ideally as close to the dash cam end as possible iirc. 

 

 

Edited 24 August, 20196 yr by Confused_Cheese

9 hours ago, Confused_Cheese said:

Did you fit a ferrite core on the wire for the dashcam? They normally come in the hard wire kit and are designed to minimise interference. 

 

They look like this and fit this way, with the cable looped through. Ideally as close to the dash cam end as possible iirc. 

 

 

I thought you fitted one at each end rather than just the dash cam end of the cable?

20 hours ago, Confused_Cheese said:

Did you fit a ferrite core on the wire for the dashcam? They normally come in the hard wire kit and are designed to minimise interference. 

 

They look like this and fit this way, with the cable looped through. Ideally as close to the dash cam end as possible iirc. 

 

 

No I hadn't previously, but I ordered some from amazon (3mm core) as I saw this as a possible solution, I fitted one each end and bingo! I now have perfect DAB and FM reception. Thanks for the suggestions and advice, finally can listen to radio again without constantly changing channels! 

20 hours ago, WaveyDavey said:

I thought you fitted one at each end rather than just the dash cam end of the cable?

 

The nextbase hardwire kit only comes with one, so unless you buy an extra one its all you'll have. From doing some quick reading, it seems to depend if there is a device at both ends of the cable to protect. In the dash cams case, one fitted closest to the device should be all that is needed to cut interference... but having one at both ends isn't going to cause a problem.

22 hours ago, Confused_Cheese said:

 

The nextbase hardwire kit only comes with one, so unless you buy an extra one its all you'll have. From doing some quick reading, it seems to depend if there is a device at both ends of the cable to protect. In the dash cams case, one fitted closest to the device should be all that is needed to cut interference... but having one at both ends isn't going to cause a problem.

 

I was just going on what Blackvue recommend on their website. They sell them as single units but recommend using two per camera. 

Interesting, and also... WOW they're expensive from BlackVue, making out a reduction from £9.99 to £8.99 is a bargain when you can get 10 of a similar size cable for little over a fiver on amazon delivered. The entire hardwire kit that came with a ferrite core was only £14 ish.

 

I have one on mine at the moment, but I've only ever turned DAB on to test after fitting the dashcam which worked fine for all the stations I flicked through. I only really use Spotify personally as there is way too much pap on the radio.

 

Glad its all sorted 👍

2 hours ago, Confused_Cheese said:

Interesting, and also... WOW they're expensive from BlackVue, making out a reduction from £9.99 to £8.99 is a bargain when you can get 10 of a similar size cable for little over a fiver on amazon delivered. The entire hardwire kit that came with a ferrite core was only £14 ish.

 

I have one on mine at the moment, but I've only ever turned DAB on to test after fitting the dashcam which worked fine for all the stations I flicked through. I only really use Spotify personally as there is way too much pap on the radio.

 

Glad its all sorted 👍

Yes I got the pack of 10 from Amazon delivered next day as I have Prime. I did a test first, I unplugged the dashcam from the fuse box then I went for a drive and the radio was perfectly clear as it should be so knew it was the hardwire kit. I got back put a couple of ferrite core things on each end connected to the fuse box again and redid the test drive. Again the radio was perfect.

The DAB aerial seems to be the roof mounted thing.

 

I say this as i recently went through a car-wash and forgot to re-attach the aerial, i had rubbish signal the entire journey home!

 

I also forgot to put the ferrite core on my dashcam power cable (Nextbase 512GW cam and hardwire kit) and haven't had any issue.

35 minutes ago, FabiaGonzales said:

The DAB aerial seems to be the roof mounted thing.

 

I say this as i recently went through a car-wash and forgot to re-attach the aerial, i had rubbish signal the entire journey home!

 

I also forgot to put the ferrite core on my dashcam power cable (Nextbase 512GW cam and hardwire kit) and haven't had any issue.

I think the Nextbase hardwire kit is better quality, as I had this in my Citigo without any radio issues. I got a hardwire kit from Amazon which had good reviews, to go in my Fabia which caused the issues, but in hindsight wish I just stuck to the Nextbase one.