Re: Lousy reception with aftermarket stereo in Audi

[John Greenstreet <jgreenst@motown.ge.com>]

> From quattro-owner@swiss.ans.net Fri Oct 28 03:27:33 1994
> From: rwcohn@chinet.chinet.com (Robert W. Cohn)
> Subject: Re: Lousy reception with aftermarket stereo in Audi
> > 
> > >For a quick clue, look at the amount of the antenna's length that extends
> > >above the roof line.  Sorry about the bad news.  I've got a 4KQ also.
> > 
> > A reasonable theory, but my experience indicates the situation is a little
> > more complex.  With the factory antenna on the rear left fender I get
> > _excellent_ reception behind the car and OK reception in front. For
> > expample,  I can consistently receive the D.C. public radio stations on the
> > bypass around Richmond until I pick up I-64 on the way to Norfolk.  This is
> > probably a distance of 80+ miles by air. On the return trip, however, the
> > same stations cannot be adequately received until I'm probably 20 miles closer
> 
> Although it is certainly not the entire problem, it does contribute to 
> the overall problem.
> 

I've seen articles on antenna reception patterns, and as any R.F. engineer
can tell you, nothing's obvious.  If anything, the amplified stub antenna
on the roof is one of the better antenna arrangements one can have in terms
of non-directional reception, and many netters responded that they were getting
good results with this antenna the last time the subject came up.

For those who think there's no substitute for a conventional antenna,
consider that the new S-class cars have their FM antenna in the rear
bumper, for which they make the claim--evocative of cheesy Sunday
newpaper magazine ads--that it "uses the entire car as an antenna".

Well, all I can say is that it works very well, although I'll know more
after this weekend's pilgrimage to New Hampster to work on one of my
father's cars: I'll have to change stations a few times during the 
330-mile drive.

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John Greenstreet, Senior Engineer           (jgreenst@motown.ge.com)
Martin Marietta Government Electronic Systems    Moorestown NJ 08057
WPI Class of '75, Temple Class of '94

My new car history:
  1975    1978    1982       1986        1989      1992      1995
   VW ->  Audi -> Audi  -> Mercedes -> Mercedes -> Audi -> Mercedes
Scirocco Fox GTI  4000S    190E 2.3    190E 2.6    100CS     S320

POSSLQ's* new car history:
         1978       1981       1985      1988        1990     1993
       Triumph ->  Toyota ->  Toyota  ->  VW    ->   Audi  -> Audi
       Spitfire    Tercel     Corolla   Jetta GL      80      90S

*POSSLQ = Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters
Note: All Audis and Mercedes above were sold to friends or family.
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