Stereo reception is bad on my 2014 Z3, upgraded antena but still fades in and out?

[Tomp]

My dealer changed my antena to one that has a booster, it did help a little but I still have a problem with the reception coming and going.

If I unplug it from the head unit i get nothing so I know it is working, could it be a bad ground or something with the head unit itself.

[talltigeguy]

I always thought that all boats just sucked at catching radio waves. I think on a car, the car itself acts as an antenna, but boats do not do that so well. I wouldn't bet that you will ever solve this problem. Plus, I frequent lakes that always seem to have poor reception.

[begone]

Who listens to the radio on the water anymore. Pandora and problem solved.

[ericinmich]

First reply was close. Any antenna needs a good ground plane. The length of the antenna is determined by the frequencies desired.... thus all FM antennas are about the same length. A car has plenty of metal for a ground plane. Newer cars put various length wires (traces) in side and rear glass also hooking into the metal to get a good (an hidden) antenna system. In 40 years I have given up getting a good FM signal in a boat. Pandora (paid) and google music now.

[LKG PH Creek]

I too have a 2014 Z3 and the radio reception stinks. However, the Iphone is great for playing music on my Z3.
Good luck!

[chpthril]

Is there a ground wire connected to the back of the radio chassis? if so, did they attached the powered antenna's ground strap to the chassis as well?

[IDBoating]

First reply was close. Any antenna needs a good ground plane. The length of the antenna is determined by the frequencies desired.... thus all FM antennas are about the same length. A car has plenty of metal for a ground plane.

As a licensed amateur radio operator, I can say from experience that it IS possible to set up a decent antenna system on a boat. As Eric notes, a proper antenna must work against a ground plane and today's fiberglass hulls don't provide much to work with. The usual solution is to use the surrounding water as your ground plane. This is MUCH more effective in salt water than fresh because the former is significantly more conductive (distilled water is actually an insulator).

Presuming that your ground system is somehow connected to the surrounding water, the next question is one of antenna length (again as Eric noted), location, and orientation. Most sport boats have an "antenna" (if you can call it that) just thrown behind the radio in some random fashion. That is not going to work well. You'll note that serious marine radios generally have tall vertical antennas mounted nice and high - that's not an accident nor a fashion statement, and it's not just because they are also transmitting. For an antenna to work properly it must (usually) be straight, vertical (most commercial radio stations use vertical polarization), and above/away from other metal objects for some distance. In other words, you'll have an antenna sticking up above your waketower. I don't know too many wakeboat owners willing to do that.