Freelander 1 DAB - is it all it is cracked up to be??

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andyfreelandy

andyfreelandy

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Has anyone fitted DAB and used a roof aerial to suit? If so - is it better than FM?? I am thinking of buying a Kenwood BT700 as they are on offer in Alfords - but only if it is worthwhile. Can't find any reviews anywhere except the sellers who says they great !
 
DAB is very much like a mobile phone. The signal strength is affected by all sorts of factors like buildings, hills, valleys and the like. Now install that DAB receiver into a moving vehicle and you're onto a looser. DAB does work OK in the home where the signal is strong enough. It doesn't seem to work well in cars, yet. At least not down in the South West it doesn't. My wife's Kuga has DAB but it's pointless as the sound continually drops out while in motion. Her Astra GTC before the Kuga did the same, and the Tiguan before that. So in all those vehicles the radio was tuned in to FM as it's still a more reliable signal.
 
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I have DAB in in my Ford had it in the wifes Juke both crap loss of signal dont rate it
 
I fitted DAB in my FL1. I used a powered windscreen antennae and it works well.
I do get the occasional drop-out.

I am sure if I had a proper antennae, I would get very few if any drop-outs.
There are still some parts of the UK with poor reception.

If you do get a DAB radio then make sure you get one that can handle Dab+ as at the moment, that is the future of DAB.
I am sure like any technology, that will change in the not too distant future.
 
I have the DAB that came with my car. It has a roof aerial. Last year they changed round some of the channels and frequencies etc and my preferred radio station (Planet Rock) no longer works where I live. Once I drive away from home then I have a perfect reception. I drove from Lancashire to Aberdeen and the only times I lost signal was through the northern Lake District on the M6. Even FM struggles round there though. As Nodge68 says, it really depends on where you live. Ask about if anyone local has DAB and see how they get on with it.
 
The DAB on my Pioneer I fitted to the FL1 works great in most places. I replaced the roof aerial with a powered DAB one. I managed to find one that fitted almost perfectly in the two holes that are under the existing aerial base. (There is the main 10mm or so hole, and a seperate key of about 3-4mm - I did post a pic/details somewhere in the what have you done to your hippo today thread I think. The wire was just about long enough to reach from the point on a 3 door roof to behind the dash and hook up with the stereo. (So didn't have to worry about additional losses in fitting another connector etc.)

I just need to get around to putting together a new interface to make the steering wheel controls work with it again.

Good to have the hands free and Bluetooth streaming option too that come with most DAB+ stereos.

If you want to go the windscreen route, make sure you don't have a heated screen, as I doubt it will work.

Edit: here is the post....
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-ro...freelander-today.199594/page-329#post-3789740
 
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Dab drops out in essex, drops out on the m4 to Wales, when working it is good, but when not I just press fm, and leave it there! Forgot to say, hidden aerial
 
A PO of my Hippo fitted one. Windscreen aerial. Doesn't seem to work that well, although to be honest I've not really tried to persevere with it. FM works fine. ;)
 
I travel all over, and with the cars with built in DAB or roof mounted aerials, never really have much of a problem. Ok, there are a few black spots in the hills up here in Cumbria, (but FM struggles too). Driving around most parts of England however, it seems fine, with minimal dropout.

Much prefer the choice of stations available on DAB.

I think, reading all the reviews on the aerial websites, unless you live and drive exclusively in a built up area, it's best to avoid the windscreen aerials, which are no where as good as the roof mounted versions.
 
I did it ! Fitted a Kenwood BT710 and an amplified roof aerial and all works fantastically. Once i'd switched off all the 'automatic' retunes, colours changing etc and got it to do what I wanted !!!

Very pleased, works with the steering controls using my previous Kenwood adaptor.

BUT - like all things - need to upgrade the speakers in the doors. Anyone know a make / type that fit without cutting the door trim and will sit behind the original trim??

And sound good too :)

Thanks
 
andyfreelandy said:
I did it ! Fitted a Kenwood BT710 and an amplified roof aerial and all works fantastically. Once i'd switched off all the 'automatic' retunes, colours changing etc and got it to do what I wanted !!!

Very pleased, works with the steering controls using my previous Kenwood adaptor.

BUT - like all things - need to upgrade the speakers in the doors. Anyone know a make / type that fit without cutting the door trim and will sit behind the original trim??

And sound good too :)

Thanks
Click to expand...
The speakers are custom to the FL. You'll need to make adapters out of a suitable material, to take standard speaker sizes. 5.25 and 6.5 inch speakers will fit, on an adapter. It's also sensible to treat the door to some decent sound proofing. Otherwise the new, more powerful speakers will simply result in buzzing sounds and distortion.
 
I have DAB in my little works transit courier, it seems to work fine around here unless I plug anything usb into the 12v socket then I lose the signal :(
 
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