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A Partial Solution to my Bad Radio Reception

Rick from Rocky Mount

Rick from Rocky Mount

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I was extremely frustrated with my poor radio reception, despite the fact we mostly use bluetooth and pandora. There are times I just want to turn on the radio and not mess with my phone, or listen to the ball game. (Go Cards!) Tried uncoiling the antenna underneath the helm with minimal improvement. Bought this antenna for under $15 on amazon. I must admit, it was very scary drilling a large hole into the fiberglass helm of our new boat, but I bit the bullet and did it very carefully. (Good thing my wife wasn't watching me do it...she would have had a stroke or heart attack!)

I was very happy with how it looks. Improved the reception considerably but still could be better. Get 5-6 stations, including the ball games, instead of the 1-2 stations I was getting before the install. Still cannot understand why we cannot get as good reception in our boat as we do in our car just a few feet away? Have thought about adding an antenna booster but not sure how to hook it up as it needs some additional power from another source. Hook it up to an accessory switch, I suppose? Anyone have any experience or success adding an antenna booster??

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The antenna on our boat is boosted. It gets power from the radio and is the single wire type like you had.
 
Just a thought, but I've read reviews of various radios that have suggested some models just have poor reception capabilities. Not saying that's the case with this one but regardless of what you do externally, you may never see much improvement. Hard to believe that a radio would be made like that, but it sounds like some are.
 
Michiman said:
Just a thought, but I've read reviews of various radios that have suggested some models just have poor reception capabilities. Not saying that's the case with this one but regardless of what you do externally, you may never see much improvement. Hard to believe that a radio would be made like that, but it sounds like some are.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I’ve heard of a lot of us on this forum having poor reception problems with the Kicker KMC10. You’re probably right. At least I’m getting more than a few stations than before, but unfortunately not my favorite country station. The kids and I usually are using Bluetooth from our phones anyway. Wish I had the KMC20 so I could get Sirius radio.
 
My 2017 Bennington uses an open dipole antenna design that is intended to be opened up in the shape of the letter "T". This is a reasonably good antenna when installed correctly however the factory is bundling the wire up into a ball and tie wrapping it to the main harness under the helm defeating the purpose. If you cut the tie and install some self adhesive clips up high inside the helm and get it as close to the shape of the letter "T" and spread out the wires, it greatly improves the reception.
 
H2GO said:
My 2017 Bennington uses an open dipole antenna design that is intended to be opened up in the shape of the letter "T". This is a reasonably good antenna when installed correctly however the factory is bundling the wire up into a ball and tie wrapping it to the main harness under the helm defeating the purpose. If you cut the tie and install some self adhesive clips up high inside the helm and get it as close to the shape of the letter "T" and spread out the wires, it greatly improves the reception.
Click to expand...
I did do that but it helped only minimally. I truly believe it's the radio and not the antenna. Very disappointing to spend as much as we do on a pontoon and upgraded radio and speaker system ($2000+ option) to only get 1-2 stations. My old deck boat with an old sony radio picked up all the stations I would need or want. I know people will say use bluetooth, but thats not the point. This radio, to put it bluntly, sucks. Bennington to put in a better quality radio.
 
Bennington should put in a better quality radio, that is....
 
One of the only stations I can get is a 70/80’s rock station I always listen to when not on boat, so I’m lucky with just that one.
 
Our boat came with an Alpine radio. Gets all the stations that I have in the car and...……………………………..it's 12 years old.
 
You may need a ground plane...

A car (which is metal) provides the ground plane that make antennas work better. Fiberglass hulls and helms do not. Although my college degree is in electrical engineering, I'm a power systems engineer, not an antennae engineer. I have always disliked antenna theory. That said, I wonder if running a wire from your radio ground to one of your pontoons or the deck would help... Easy experiment to try.

Google "ground planes for boats".
 
A ground plane is required for a 1/4 wave antenna (mast type). An open or folded dipole does not need a ground plane but the impedance at the connector is either 150 or 300 ohms depending on which type, 1/4 wave is 50 ohms. Most radios are designed for 50 ohm input impedance. This is all for FM signals. Also polarization of the signal has a huge impact as well. In the US the FM signal is generally circular so it's best to have horizontal and vertical elements. That's why you see the vertical lines in rear defroster grids on cars, it's the antenna system too. AM radio signals have a wavelength of 300 meters meaning the more surface area you have for an antenna the better, but who listens to AM anyway.
 
New 2018 SX22. FM reception horrible in an area that is known to have okay signals. The dealer promised a powered antenna to fix the issue and then suddenly declined to do the work. Bennington, to their credit, upgraded the Kicker stereo instead. Unfortunately, no change to the issue. As others have said, sometimes I just want to play an FM station. Now looking to purchase my own antenna and/or booster. Incredibly disappointing for what is otherwise an outstanding boat.
 
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