DAB Signal Issues (B9)

[badgerjockey]

Hi all,

I bought a pretty immaculate 65 plate BlueHDI XTR yesterday and, despite the prices for these things being eye-wateringly high these days still, I am pleased with it.

One issue though, the DAB signal is pretty feeble. It keeps cutting out every few seconds in anywhere other than flat open countryside! The FM is also a bit hissy. 

This seems like a common thing and some searching here led me to check on the aerial antenna base. I had a good look at it and it seems fine to me - good wiring and no corrosion although I didn't get it off completely. See the photos.

I can't tell for sure whether the base and mast that I have are original. Googling B9s seems to show a lot with antennas which are long and wiry which can be angle adjusted, while there's a lot with the shorter, stubbier one like mine. Maybe the shorter ones are on the XTRs with the touchscreen like mine?

Anyway, does anyone have suggestions for remedies? It doesn't seem to have deteriorated, but that's just a visual check...

Also, I don't have any dashcam or other things like that plugged in at all.

Thanks,
H

[LukeC]

I've been told that DAB is a line of sight signal, so unless in a pretty open area then you're going to struggle. Same issue with mine.

[badgerjockey]

Fair enough, but in my last one, the signal was pretty dam solid! That was an M 59, with an aftermarket radio and aerial stuck to the window

[LukeC]

It's a shame, because I prefer the DAB stations. All seems good when I'm in the right places, but everywhere seems to be trees and embankments.

[badgerjockey]

Should also say my brother has a B9 Xtr of a similar age and doesn’t have the same issues so I doubt it’s merely a line of sight problem here…

[LukeC]

That's interesting to hear. Hopefully someone else sees this who is a bit more technically minded.

[Drummond]

Googling B9s seems to show a lot with antennas which are long and wiry which can be angle adjusted, while there's a lot with the shorter, stubbier one like mine. Maybe the shorter ones are on the XTRs with the touchscreen like mine?

I assume the stubby antenna is facelift+touchscreen -thing.

[ae3]

my dab reception is awful as well.. works perfectly in the car so its 100% a fault or issue with the vans radio. iv still to start dismantling bits and find a solution.

[LukeC]

Mine did well earlier, until I got in between embankments and trees. Then it flicked to the FM equivalent of the same station. I gave up and went Bluetooth then. Even though my FM seems pretty clear.

ae3 - if you can't fix it with a hammer, then it's an electrical problem.

[MintSauce]

Then it flicked to the FM equivalent of the same station.

That's something that's NEVER worked in my car, as far as I can tell I enabled it properly. It loses DAB signal regularly in rural wales, but even when there's a strong FM signal for the same station it will never switch to it automatically.

Shame, as that would be a REALLY useful feature to have working here