Boss BV6656B Radio - Poor Reception

[EscapeBoulder]

The Boss radio (model BV6656B) that ETI installed in our Dec 2018 19’er seems to have exceptionally poor reception. FM radio stations that my 2018 Toyota Highlander can easily receive, are fuzzy or not received at all with the Boss radio.

The Boss radio has a short (maybe 12”) antenna slanted at about a 30 deg angle (backwards) on the upper side the our 19’er.

What’s your experience? How’s your Boss radio’s reception? Is this an anomaly? Are you getting better reception?

Might you have suggestions on how to improve things.

Thank you, in advance, for your thoughts.

[cpaharley2008]

I recently installed a Jensen marine weather radio inside the E21 and laid the antenna wire all along the upper cabinet inside, seems to work. Since you already have the hole, I would invest in a new and longer antenna.

[John in Santa Cruz]

monopole aka 'whip' antennas need a ground plane for best reception... on a car, this is provided by the metal body. on a fiberglass trailer? nada.

[EscapeBoulder]

Ground plane... That’s one of the things I’ve been thinking about. My thought has been... Since the Jensen antenna appears to be designed for (small?) boats, which tend to be fiberglass, I’ve been wondering if they’ve done something “tricky” to negate the need for a ground plane. So before I randomly try different things, I’m just wondering that other’s experiences have been, and what’s been tried.

I am a radio amateur (WT0M) so kind of understand those kind of things... But of course by the very “definition” of amateur, it probably means I think I know more than I actually do.

[John in Santa Cruz]

one approach to a monopole is to have a ground plane in the form of 4 (or more) radial wires at the base of the antenna. I forget what this configuration is called.

another approach is a center loaded dipole

[EscapeBoulder]

Yes. Maybe a longer antenna, and the best I can do with a ground plane inside the trailer might be the best. ‘Just wondering what others have experienced / done.

[John in Santa Cruz]

my experience has been that Boss brand car stereos are essentially junk. If you want a good FM section, go with Pioneer or Kenwood or Alpine or whatever.

[EscapeBoulder]

Hm... Boss... Maybe that’s really the problem!

[Mike Lewis]

If you want to try to swap out the antenna before swapping out the radio, go to a West Marine and buy an FM antenna made for use on a boat. It won't require a ground plane.

I am also an amateur radio operator (KB3SHN) and the "amateur" is strong within me also. I know how you feel.

[EscapeBoulder]

Now that’s a grand idea. Get a boat antenna!

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by EscapeBoulder

Now that’s a grand idea. Get a boat antenna!

Seriously, our trailers are pretty much a boat anyway. Patch up the drain holes and clamp an outboard on the bumper - you could almost make it both.

[StillCampin]

The boat antenna is the route I'll likely go. I did not get the ETI radio so I don't even have the antenna ETI puts on. I'm putting in an A/V control box (Jensen JWM90A) that includes FM. Sometimes just a wire does a fair job but if I ever want fm instead of my usual XM then I would think that a mount and even a ground plane could easily be fabricated to use the solar panel as a mounting base.

[LeonW]

You might also see if turning the LED lights off makes any difference. On our 2012 Escape we had a Jensen radio that got orrible reception inside but worked well outside the trailer. Then I happened to turn the lights out and the reception improved dramatically. The LEDs were generating radio interference. I re-routed the antenna wire and replaced a couple LEDs with dimmable Leds and that solved the problem

[EscapeBoulder]

Hm... LED lights creating interference. Thank you for the reminder. I remember that in our Scamp trailer (sold last summer), the LED lights created interference. Good thought!