FM antennae Booster Suggestion needed

[Ruflyf]

Now that I have my vx (finally), I need to work out the very few kinks I can find wrong with it. One of those being the strength of the antennae. I know this is more to do with my deck than my antennae, but wanted to find out if anyone has found a good fm antennae strength booster they are happy with before I just go out and buy the first one I see?

[Joe_Black]

The stock antenna is already an amplified unit, so if you're getting poor reception you may want to check it's fuse, power connections and also the transmission cable.

[Ruflyf]

hmmm, ampliefied independently? even if its an aftermarket deck unit...pioneer premier cd/tuner

[Joe_Black]

Yes, it's a function of the antenna which is why it has its own 12V power. The amplifier circuit is located in the base of the antenna.

[Nazrat]

You know, when I had that VX I was always very impressed with the reception. My Trooper has a Sony, another car has an Alpine and the wife's car has a Clarion. None of those has reception that was a good as that radio. I'm even planning on putting that kind of antenna on the red car that you saw. Maybe a fuse blew for the amplified antenna? The Pioneer and that antenna were a very good match in this area.

-Tad

[VehiGAZ]

Speaking of VX antennas, I just snapped mine on Thursday at the carwash. The attendant who sudsed my VX top to bottom before I went in didn't manage to notice it, and of course it didn't survive. Which is just as well, seeing as I think it wasn't OEM anyway, since it threaded only about half way onto the mount.

My local dealer wants $109 + tax for a new one. (I'm still giggling about that!) I remember a thread about other antennas that fit the VX, but they weren't specific. Anyone have any advice?

[Joe_Black]

You're talking about just the mast that broke, right? If that's it, you can get a generic replacement at most auto parts stores. A less scrupulous individual might remove one from another unsuspecting import.

[VehiGAZ]

Thanks Joe. I'll stay scrupulous and hit up Autozone. I gave up trawling for car parts in college. ;-)

[Ruflyf]

Thx for the info, its not that its bad reception by any means. Its just that my old car would pick up a very good station (usually) thats in pensacola, fl....which is 120 miles away(flat terrain), and I was hoping to get it with the vx.

Now even with the old car, if I went west (away from the station) I would lose it completely real fast. And the wifes car never picked it up worth a crap either, so its certainly not sub-standard performance on the vx's part at all, was just wanting it to reach as far as my other car did.

[thebear54]

I gotta say that the reception in my VX... "SUCKS Big Green Ones".
But it might have something to do with the fact that I live and work between two mountain ranges and you can't get squat without satellite or a 2,000 foot antenna. That's why the CD player is always loaded.
John

[VehiGAZ]

Strangely enough, I still get decent FM reception with the antenna snapped off.

[Joe_Black]

I was always impressed with the FM sensitivity of the Fujitsu and Clarion receivers used by Isuzu, especially using the Diversity antenna as in the Trooper and Rodeo. Since switching to satellite radio the only reason I've retained the antenna is for the rare occasion I might be waiting in a parking garage or want to listen to my local NPR station.