All you need to know about car antenna boosters

A poor car radio reception can be a result of various root causes. So, there isn't really a single solution that will solve all the existing problems. But if you want to improve the radio reception of your car, you can use an antenna booster – that is, if the problem is because of a weak signal.

But if you want to improve the radio reception of your car, you can use an antenna booster

Even if you cannot boost the signal coming from the radio station, what you can do is increase the gain once your car antenna already picked it up. It may solve your problem, but still, it depends on specific situations. 

Take note that if the cause of poor radio reception is defective hardware in your vehicle, an obstruction, or other complex problems, using a booster will only amplify the issue instead of fixing it.

But what can be the cause of poor car radio reception? And what is a car antenna booster? How does it work? Get the answers to these questions in this article from Philkotse.com.

Causes of bad car radio reception

The following are the most common causes of poor radio reception in cars.

1. Weak radio signal

If this is your problem, then a car antenna booster may help you solve it. This is more effective if you’re living in a rural area with minimal or no obstructions between you and the distant radio station.

A weak radio signal can be solved by a car antenna booster

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2. Loose, rusted, or corroded antenna hardware

In this case, it's either you repair or replace the hardware to fix the issue. Once done, you should be able to have better reception.

To repair a loose, rusted or corroded car antenna you need to either repair or replace the hardware

3. You have an inferior antenna

Some cars have antennas that are flat and window-mounted. This type of antenna also does not break the car’s silhouette. Sadly, this antenna doesn’t work pretty well, unlike old fashioned mast and whip antennas.

4. More powerful local stations make for bad neighbors

Aside from weak and distant radio stations, another possible cause of bad radio reception is a powerful local station. If there's a nearby station that broadcasts in the neighboring frequency, the tuner of your car’s head unit may try to lock on the more powerful and closer signal.

Another possible cause of bad radio reception is a powerful local station

5. Hills, tall buildings, and other similar line-of-sight obstructions

These types of obstructions are challenging address, of course. Remember that a car antenna booster can’t help you if your problem is “picket fencing” because of tall buildings in your location. It can also be because you’re in a dead zone caused by hills, buildings, and similar kinds of obstructions.

You can't boost something that is not even there, that's why devices like antenna boosters won't be able to help you in these cases. This is especially true if you have issues with your car's basic audio hardware components.

A car antenna booster can only help you if the radio signal is too weak for the head unit’s tuner to dependably lock onto.

Remember that a car antenna booster can’t help you if your problem is “picket fencing”

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How does it work?

To better understand how the antenna signal booster works, it’s crucial that you somehow know how the FM radio works. Basically, every radio station broadcasts an electromagnetic radio “carrier” wave on a specific frequency.

The carrier wave will undergo modulation so that it will be able to carry an audio signal. This audio signal is what your head unit’s tuner strips out, amplifies, and sends to the speaker. It will only happen if your car antenna picked the radio signal and transmits it to the head unit with the help of the antenna cable.

Car antenna boosters are powered units that literally boost the signal by a certain amount before it can reach the head unit

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If the radio signal is a bit weak for the car antenna to receive, you will most likely experience issues with reception as the car’s head unit picks the signal up then drops it. In this case, installing a booster between your head unit and the antenna will help you have a better reception.

Car antenna boosters are powered units that literally boost the signal by a certain amount before it can reach the head unit.  An FM booster, for example, can increase the gain in the signal it receives by about 15dB. It can make a significant difference between wavering signal input and spotty in and out reception at the head unit.

Potential problems

One of the major issues with car antenna boosters is the fact that they are not picky about what they boost. If the signal received by the booster has undesirable noise, then it will also be boosted together with the signal.

It is the main reason why the car antenna booster cannot fix most issues with car radio reception. If the radio station you want to tune into suffers from various interference, the antenna booster will also boost the interference along with everything else.

One of the major issues with car antenna boosters is the fact that they are not picky about what they boost

Additionally, antenna boosters can't help you with any interference produced by your car. In short, if the problems you have are because of the interference from the amplifier, engine, or anything else, the car antenna booster will be of no help.

In these circumstances, the only remedy is to buy a brand-new antenna and install it in a much better location. We suggest you install it in a place that's not close to the amplifier, engine, or other car components that might generate interference.

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When it doesn’t work

There may be instances where the antenna booster will be of no help at all. That's why it's essential first to figure out any other existing issues before you spend money on this type of device. You should first assess the primary problem before you conclude that a car antenna signal booster is the device that you need.