On board stereo

wheelerwbrian

wheelerwbrian

Member III
This started out as a simple question, but when I started writing it more issues came up...

My Ericson has a Pioneer radio cd player apparently an automotive version -- it came with the boat. When sailing, the waves and the wind is fine. But at anchor/dock, its nice to have a little background music. The CD portion has gone kaput -- unfortunately with my fav cd inside it... I'm looking to replace it -- the radio (and the cd :mad: ).

1) Is it worth going with a "marine" version or just another automotive? What brands do people like that will last?

2) Also I'm looking at having it be XM radio, since the FM reception isn't very good. Most of the marine versions seem to be Sirius. I have nothing against Sirius, its just that my car is XM and the monthly expense would be cheaper if I just added another radio to the account.

3) For those that have used satellite radio, how have you mounted the external antennae? I'm not a big fan of drilling new holes in the deck of my boat, btw. I think I heard that the XM antennae can be installed below decks because the non-metal deck is transparent to the signal -- is that so? Another option would be a stern rail mount, since I removed my obsolete Loran, I have a cable passthrough point in the coaming there.

4) Finally, has anyone had any experience with the Shakespeare AM/FM/VHF band separater (http://www.shakespeare-marine.com/antennas/specs/4357-s.html)? As I mentioned before, the FM radio reception is not great.

Thanks for your help and comments.
 
W

wanderer

Member II
some may say go with a marine unit but belowdecks i don't see a problem with a car unit. i went with a unit i picked up on ebay for 75 bux that does cd/mp3/dvd coffee maker bla bla bla and it works perfect. i'm looking at xm also cause here in socal all i get on the water is MEXICO. (then again, my marina is 10 miles from the border)
 
C

cruis-n

Member II
Shakespeare AM/FM/VHF band separater

Regarding (4) Shakespeare AM/FM/VHF band separater...

I've tried this unit (actually two different units) and it did not work as expected for me. When the second unit failed to perform I called the manufacturer and after insisting, was able to talk to an engineer about the problem. He said that they way this device works is that they use the outer braid of the VHf coax as the antenna (called 'loading the shield'). If your VHF antenna cable is lead to the mast head inside of an aluminum mast, the antenna is shielded by the aluminum mast so there is no improvement in the FM signal strength.

My solution was to mount an emergency VHF antenna on the stern rail and make an adapter to connect it to the AM/FM radio. I can disconnect the boradcast radio and connect to the ship VHF or to a handheld in an emergency.

You could install an A/B switch in line but I would recommend against that because you could accidentally destroy the final amplifier transistors in the VHF transmitter if you transmit without having an antenna connected.

Paul
 
bigtyme805

bigtyme805

Member III
I have had my automotive radio for 20 years and finally decided to replace it because it had no cd player just tape. It was still working great! I went with marine because I liked the white color. Prices are not much higher.

Good luck in your decision.
 
S

stbdtack

Member III
My xm receiver antenna works well just taped to the underside of the deck in a locker. When the signal goes in and out I know it fell down. Guess I'll put some sticky velcro to hold it up....

I dont even have FM/AM onboard anymore. Just a multi disc player (CD,MP3,DVD) and XM. Cant stand broadcast radio with all the crap anymore....
 
Graham Cole

Graham Cole

The Zoomer
I have had automotive stereos in the navstation of all our boats. No problem there. I make sure they are at least 45 watts/channel and can play mp3/cdr. An input jack is nice for the ipod or laptop/dvd player. The best thing, in my opinion is the wireless remote. Even better is the infra red repeater which allows you to adjust the stereo from the wheel without leaning into the companionway. I mount the 'pick up' or reciever in the base of the dodger strut and it works great.
 
Chris Miller

Chris Miller

Sustaining Member
ipods

We put in a Clarion am/fm/tape deck that we got at boat show a couple of years back. We were planning on putting in the cd changer. We've since skipped that and I just got a $20 fm transmitter for the ipod. Works like a charm. I'm looking into one of those $30 direct plug into the cd changer inputs for a more permanant solution.
Lots of options- and they all cost about the same amount of money in the end.
Chris
 
H

HGSail

Member III
I bought my Sony CDX780 amfmcd about 9yrs ago and haven't had any problems yet. (knock on wood)

Pat
E29
#224
'73
Holy Guacamole
 
P

P Abele

Member II
We just got an Ipod so are hopefully glad to be away from carrying CD's on the boat. Our old stereo was pretty junky I just picked up an Alpine CDA-9856 CD/MP3/WMA Receiver which has an input on the rear for the Ipod. An important distinction is that it plugs into the network side of the Ipod rather than into the headphone jack so the stereo will charge the Ipod's internal battery - a big deal if you're away from AC power and a computer for days / weeks + (if only we could be so lucky).
Another thing worth mentioning about CD changers is as I understand it they are power pigs since apparently they draw power continuously when energized. Time will tell whether the MP3 player was a good idea or not but it sounds great on paper...
 
K

kevin81

Member II
I installed a SONY car stereo and then added a 6 disc CD changer. The stereo is 4 years old, CD changer 2 years old - no problems with either unit.
 

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Mindscape

Mindscape

Member III
XM Antenna

Ben - it sounds as tho you get XM reception without an external antenna. What kind of XM unit and antenna are you using?

BTW - I've used auto units in my last two boats without any problems. One advantage to the marine unit that came with one of my boats is that it picked up weather band, but my VHF does that now, and on the Great Lakes I'm not convinced the guys forecasting actually look outside anyway.:egrin:
 
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Brisdon

Inactive Member
I have the Shakespear thing a majig and it doesn't give very good reception. For some reason stations that I hate always come in clearly and stuff that I like I can't get (like Prairy Home Companion). I think the stations I like have weaker signals because they are less commercial. Thanks for the info on how this thing uses the shield of the cable as an antenna. I didn't know that. That explains a lot.
 
T

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
Frank and Ben I am huge XM fan myself. With a 45 minute comute each way to work broadcast radio drives me insane after 2 minutes now. I installed my XM Skyfi reciever in the boat using the car kit with an fm modulator. I tune to 107.5 on my JVC automotive style cd radio. I'm going to get the marine antenna to mount permanently but for now I hang the magnetic car antenae over the curtain on the starboard side. It works pretty well that way. I can drop the receiver into its cradle and off we go. What I really want is a stereo that I can hook my XM up to and have a remote control that will work from the cockpit. One that I can not only change the volume but also the XM stations. I have seen marine radios that have a wired remote you can mount in the cockpit with a detacheable face, but none of them will allow you to control the XM reciever too.
 
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soup1438

Member II
The advantage of a tape player (if you already have one that works) is the ability to feed it from, say, an iPod (or a laptop computers w/ oodles of OGGs/MP3s) using the "cassette with a wire" to feed the signal, unlike using an RF-based unit.

Of course, if you already have a CD-based unit, well, it's too late to change your mind.

I have to agree that Sturgeon's Law is reinforced by what I've been hearing on Broadcast Radio; if I'm going to listen to something off the air it _will_ most likely be NPR (and I do _not_ cringe hearing Click-and-Clack though an equivalent show for Rag Sailors would be more welcome to me than "Prairie...") but my wife can't stand "talk radio".

Hence an iPod/iBook/Thinkpad with 15+ GBs of music and the like is useful but also seldom *used* on-board... yet.
 
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stbdtack

Member III
West sells the pioneer PMAS-6 ($285) that has an optional wired remote ($69). It's XM ready and I'm pretty sure it will do what you are asking. I know for sure that Kenwood has Sirius and it's wired remote will do station changes and volume.
 
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