Radio keeps cutting out in trees etc.

[Lonewuff]

Got my radio mounted on a PVC bracket which is mounted on a shelf right above the dash and they mounted the antenna on the bracket right behind the radio. Problem is I get in trees (Since I live in a place called The Woodlands you can imagine) and the signal cuts out. Could it be the location of my antenna? Is there a perfect spot to put the antenna on an LT? Note, I have the radio wired direct so it isn't using an FM modulator.

[BMWphreak]

Well, you should come on up to New England in the summer with tons of trees and see how bad it can get! This is the nature of the beast I'm afraid. A very small signal is being sent to earth from that Echostar satellite and it doesn't take much to block or scatter it. Mine makes a sound like a horse as it cuts out!

[Florian]

Well, you should come on up to New England in the summer with tons of trees and see how bad it can get! This is the nature of the beast I'm afraid. A very small signal is being sent to earth from that Echostar satellite and it doesn't take much to block or scatter it. Mine makes a sound like a horse as it cuts out!

Agreed, I have the same issue...lots of trees = lots of lost signal.


F

[jzeiler]

The moisture in the leaves pretty well absorbs all frequencies from 450 MHz and up.

[cfell]

So, it's true.. if a radio is on in the woods, no one will hear it...

[grifscoots]

So, it's true.. if a radio is on in the woods, no one will hear it...

Groan!:p

[KYchris02]

I missed this feature in all the satellite sales pitches lately. maybe a warning about taking your state of the art subscription radio near trees is in order.

[Shogun54]

Jerry,

As the others have said, forests have a very detrimental effect on satellite radio reception. However, I found that mounting the antenna on a 'larger' metal plate seems to help somewhat. I originally mounted it on top of the headlight housing under the nose cone with a 2x6 metal plate I fabbed up, and the reception was pitiful. I re-thought the whole thing and ended up making a steel plate replacement for my dash shelf and re-routed the antenna. Signal strength was greatly improved. Still get dropouts when riding through deep canyons and sequoias, but isn't that what the CD player is for?

There are also several models of recievers that will store a few hours of programming that you can play back when the signal goes away. Good luck!

[Lonewuff]

It has to be more than the trees, because I pull and use the same radio in my truck and the reception is great no matter where I am. I just ran up to Branson and never lost the signal the entire route and around my home it never cuts out, except on the bike. I will try mounting the antenna to the shelf and see if that helps. Any other ideas before I do anything?

[cfell]

Hmmm. maybe you shouldn't lean your bike.. remember, the closest to "parallel" with the ground??? Not trying to be wise achre here.... I know mine loses signal when I lean it too much.

[Mr_Sandman]

. . . However, I found that mounting the antenna on a 'larger' metal plate seems to help somewhat. I originally mounted it on top of the headlight housing under the nose cone with a 2x6 metal plate I fabbed up, and the reception was pitiful. I re-thought the whole thing and ended up making a steel plate replacement for my dash shelf and re-routed the antenna. Signal strength was greatly improved.
I haven't played with sat radio yet and was wondering the purpose of the steel plate, is it to act as a base reflector or as a ground plane for the antenna? Although I'm in the radio business my antenna theory stinks, if the antenna requires a ground plane you may have some favorable results by insuring the steel plate is connected to chassis ground by addition of a wire or mounting directly to the chassis. Just a random thought.

[Shogun54]

Hey, I'm not Mr. Science! I think I graduated H.S., but it was a long time ago!

All I know is that it worked; I am hesitant to tell you the reason I fabbed it out of sheet steel is the magnetic antenna base wouldn't adhere to the aluminum very well. Most local home centers sell steel and aluminum plates in various sizes for a few bucks. Figured I had nothing to lose.

The original mount over the headlight was made of flashing material (tin?); definately not grounded to anything. The replacement shelf is not grounded in any purposeful way, though there may be a path to ground via the attachment to the windshield mechanism.

[Mr_Sandman]

Hey, I'm not Mr. Science! I think I graduated H.S., but it was a long time ago!
I feel your pain, K-town '71 :D

All I know is that it worked; I am hesitant to tell you the reason I fabbed it out of sheet steel is the magnetic antenna base wouldn't adhere to the aluminum very well. Most local home centers sell steel and aluminum plates in various sizes for a few bucks. Figured I had nothing to lose.

The original mount over the headlight was made of flashing material (tin?); definately not grounded to anything. The replacement shelf is not grounded in any purposeful way, though there may be a path to ground via the attachment to the windshield mechanism.
Cool, I hadn't considered a mag mount antenna. I was curious because of the proliferation of sat radios up here and the report that they don't work very well this far north, satellites low on the horizon, etc.
Thanks :)

[omurphy]

you've got to put wings on it and ride above the trees. omurphy

[ihbond]

I wonder how sirius works out there since it has more sattelites?
In Washington state its not at all bad.

[BillyOmaha]

I have the Sirius radio and it has about a 10 second signal buffer. The buffer has a setting that can be turned on/off. When it was turned off I would lose the signal all the time. With the buffer on, I may have lost the signal by going into a tunnel or under a canopy of trees, but not the continuity of the broadcast. As long as I get out into the open within a few seconds I don't have an interruption.


In some deep canyons with a lot of trees it will cut out to the point of being annoying. I keep a CD in the player, reserved for just such occasions, and simply push the CD button to keep the tunes cranking.

.

[STARFIGHTER]

Got my XM antenna mounted on the clutch reservoir......
I lose it sometimes on the North side of a steep bank with trees , sometimes not...................
The buffer gets me 1/2 way thru tunnels.......................

[Lonewuff]

An update on the antenna mount and loss of signal in trees.

Just before I took off to Phoenix I stopped by the local Best Buy and asked the tech who installed the XM radio in my truck (Dealer installed the radio on my bike) to take a look at my bike and suggest where the antenna should be located for a better signal.

He looked at it and said "I would put it on top of the radar detector box." The radar detector box sat two inches away from where the antenna was mounted. I thought he was joking, until he peeled it off the bracket and set it on the box. The signal meter maxed out after being on "0" and the music was playing even though I was setting on the North side of their building and hadn't gotten any reception up till this moment. I added more tape and permanently mounted the antenna on top of the radar detector box, and never lost the signal on my entire trip to Phoenix and back. Now I can drive through trees and near buildings and still listen to the tunes as well as it does in my truck, all from moving the pod two inches.

So if your signal fades or you loose it around trees, hit the menu button and go to the meter, then play around with a location for your antenna. You may be surprised how much better the signal is by a minor adjustment.

[cfell]

Gotta have a view of the sky..

[Sharkey]

I just tried Lonewuffs' suggestion moving my sat. ant. to the top of the radar box. This is the first time I've ever gotten reception in the garage. I owe ya one.:beer: