Radio Reception Issues

  • MARK KEMPEN
    Posts: 5
    October 24, 2019 at 11:21 am #1886691

    Just started breaking in a new 2020 Alumacraft Competitor 185 tiller. It has a stock built in radio. In the garage I can typically get 2-3 stations. On the water I seem to get maybe 1 FM (usually some talk radio station) and no AM stations. it has a 6-9 inch antenna on the port side of the bow just inside the gunnel. Using internet radio on my phone through bluetooth works well to use the speakers, but not local radio stations.

    Anyone else have issues with reception or lack of stations coming in with boat radios? Any suggestions?

    Jon Jordan
    Keymaster
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 6019
    October 24, 2019 at 11:23 am #1886692

    I’d check to make sure the antenna is plugged into the radio.

    -J.

    Dustin Tichy
    Posts: 100
    October 24, 2019 at 12:34 pm #1886708

    I can’t speak to the Alumacraft but I just bought a brand new Warrior and had the same issues. The wire running in the gunnel didn’t work well so I had an external mounted amplified antenna mounted on top of the gunnel. This works way better. Seems silly a new boat wouldn’t have a better antenna from factory but they are built for fishing and not listening to the radio. I thought it was worth a few bucks to listen to the radio to get added as I am rarely in the boat without some tunes going.

    B-man
    Posts: 5801
    October 24, 2019 at 12:41 pm #1886710

    Every boat I’ve owned has had a tiny antenna and terrible reception.

    Newer boats, older boats…..doesn’t matter, they all suck.

    I’ve contemplated mounting a 4-6′ FM antenna on the hard top of my Grady ?

    SuperDave1959
    Harrisville, UT
    Posts: 2816
    October 24, 2019 at 1:10 pm #1886715

    For folks with a VHF radio on the boat, I believe that there is a splitter that allows one to use the VHF antenna for the AM/FM radio. Not 100% sure but have seen threads on it before.

    Timmy
    Posts: 1235
    October 24, 2019 at 1:13 pm #1886717
    SuperDave1959 wrote:

    For folks with a VHF radio on the boat, I believe that there is a splitter that allows one to use the VHF antenna for the AM/FM radio. Not 100% sure but have seen threads on it before.

    Dave nailed it. It is a simple splitter that utilizes the VHF antenna. I get excellent reception with this option.

    Ahren Wagner
    Northern ND-MN
    Posts: 410
    October 24, 2019 at 2:21 pm #1886736

    Hit it a couple times with a crowbar and spray some WD-40 on it

    B-man
    Posts: 5801
    October 24, 2019 at 2:29 pm #1886740
    SuperDave1959 wrote:

    For folks with a VHF radio on the boat, I believe that there is a splitter that allows one to use the VHF antenna for the AM/FM radio. Not 100% sure but have seen threads on it before.

    Does that cause any kind of radio interference or loss of distance with the VHF?

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