Car radios with field strength indicators

Everything technical about radio can be discussed here, whether it's transmitting or receiving. Guides, charts, diagrams, etc. are all welcome.
Post Reply
nrgkits.nz
Neckmin
Neckmin
Posts: 337
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:35 am

Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by nrgkits.nz » Sat Nov 26, 2016 3:03 am

Does anyone know of any decent car radios with field strength indicators, doesn't need to be in db. I'm after something which will show about 6 or more bars depending on field strength so it can be used to roughly identify stations who may be exceeding the 1watt eirp limit here in NZ.

Fyi anyone is allowed to broadcast here on the FM guardbands without a license at upto 1watt eirp, regulations are here: https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2010- ... umber=4604, however we do have problems from time to time with Joe Bloggs from down the road deciding he wants to broadcast, buys a 50watt TX from China, selects a random freq and wipes out everyone else. I sometime have people here asking me for help in identifying and locating non compliant stations which involves getting out all the equipment and setting it up in the car.

User avatar
teckniqs
proppa neck!
proppa neck!
Posts: 3176
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:37 am

Re: Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by teckniqs » Sat Nov 26, 2016 4:23 am

I don't think they exist, never seen one and I think a signal meter could be considered a distraction just like scrolling RDS which isn't permitted for use in the UK.

User avatar
radionortheast
tower block dreamin
tower block dreamin
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:38 pm

Re: Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by radionortheast » Sat Nov 26, 2016 10:17 am

bet they always crank it up to afew watts in my experience 1w isn't enought :D barely modulator levels as albert would say! :lol: makes me wonder if theres any special conditions to do with the type of aerial, height above ground closeness to other radio stations in america they have part 15 am/fm which has all kinds of rules on the aerial and field strenght. Suppose you'd never get 50w throught an aerial if it had a ferrite balun that would be another way to enforce it los of smoking transmitters! :D some where for albert to light his pipe!

Albert H
proppa neck!
proppa neck!
Posts: 2737
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:23 am

Re: Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by Albert H » Sat Nov 26, 2016 11:18 pm

If you've got an Android phone you need an OTG adaptor lead, an RTL / SDR USB ($15) and the cheap "RF Analyser" software. You set the scan range for 87.5 to 108 MHz and you get a panoramic display of what the receiver can "see". It will even demodulate each peak as you tune up and down the band. This will allow you to make comparative field strength tests of all the stations in the vicinity of the receiver.

I bought one of these cheap SDR USB efforts and have been astonished by how well it works. The right software allows you to receive DAB, amateur NBFM and SSB transmissions, and even TV (if your Android phone has sufficient processing power).

Recently, LB bought a cheap SDR dongle and an Amazon 7" Fire tablet (on sale today for £25) and has configured it as a basic panoramic receiver, spectrum analyser, test receiver, modulation analyser and so on. The whole set-up cost less than £50!
"Why is my rig humming?"
"Because it doesn't know the words!"
;)

gobuddy
ne guy
ne guy
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2014 9:17 am

Re: Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by gobuddy » Sun Dec 04, 2016 12:28 am

My VW RCD510 has real-time field strength meters for both the diversity aerials. It's in the setup menu.

87to108
who u callin ne guy bruv
who u callin ne guy bruv
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:57 pm

Re: Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by 87to108 » Wed May 10, 2017 1:12 pm

Some VAG car radios: Hold MENU button for about 10 seconds - to get into a test mode with signal strength display

to get out of this mode, repeat the above or just turn radio off and on again

mrillusion
big in da game.. trust
big in da game.. trust
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:24 am

Re: Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by mrillusion » Wed May 10, 2017 2:42 pm

isnt that technically grassing???

nrgkits.nz
Neckmin
Neckmin
Posts: 337
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:35 am

Re: Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by nrgkits.nz » Tue May 16, 2017 12:53 pm

I'm using a Pioneer at the moment, works relatively well although it's tuner sensitivity isn't as great as some of the Jap radios but does the job for what I need it for. Also works well for doing broadcast tests from my own house.

The sat dish icon shows feild strength in 4 bars.
image.jpeg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
yellowbeard
tower block dreamin
tower block dreamin
Posts: 305
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2015 5:40 am

Re: Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by yellowbeard » Tue May 16, 2017 8:59 pm

I must admit I have always liked to jump out of the car every few miles and have a twiddle on a portable, getting into a car stereo is too tricky and no-one is really going to listen to a weakish signal on the move. Compared it to the listenable range on a portable radio/whip antenna and the point in a car where it starts getting choppy. Back in the day we did Dun Laoghaire to Clogherhead on a drive, 35 miles straight up the East coast of Ireland all along the sea. The car radio was chiefly missing any time the road went inland after about 8 or 10 miles though.

User avatar
radionortheast
tower block dreamin
tower block dreamin
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:38 pm

Re: Car radios with field strength indicators

Post by radionortheast » Fri May 26, 2017 9:40 am

yellowbeard wrote: Tue May 16, 2017 8:59 pm I must admit I have always liked to jump out of the car every few miles and have a twiddle on a portable, getting into a car stereo is too tricky and no-one is really going to listen to a weakish signal on the move. Compared it to the listenable range on a portable radio/whip antenna and the point in a car where it starts getting choppy. Back in the day we did Dun Laoghaire to Clogherhead on a drive, 35 miles straight up the East coast of Ireland all along the sea. The car radio was chiefly missing any time the road went inland after about 8 or 10 miles though.
thats true, nice to have something on air thought even if it is abit weak :D used to love the st sign coming on our ford rds radio even thought it would come on when it was weak.

Post Reply