radio reception

[knoppers]

I have a 2008 skeeter wx1880, it has a nice radio but gets very bad reception. it has a antenna that is just a wire that is under the gunwales. would it get better reception if I put on a external antenna, or do I need some sort of power source to help?

[jentz]

Check all your grounds first,Clean them and try the radio.Have you ever had it working? the ground is more important than the antenna.Then another question? Do you pickup any stations?do they come from more that 80-100 miles at AM?

[knoppers]

it never has worked very good since I bought it new. I never tried AM, so I will have to give it a try. I am only 15 miles from a FM radio station, and it comes in ok, then as the boat turns, it fades in and out. I bought a new pontoon last year, and this can pick up stations as good as my truck, it has a external antenna.

[delcecchi]

Sounds like a whip antenna would be a good idea.

[Kyhl]

I use a 12" rubberized antenna mounted on the gunwale that works great.

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

I currently have a rubber external antenna on my boat. Seems to work good when I remember to turn the radio on. HaHa!! Most of the radios are like gas gauges. You wonder if they are going to work. Now if I could only figure out how to get English channels instead of French-Canadian when I am up north!!! Yeah Right!! Good luck with that.

[Ufatz]

Hey you guys: do a little research on putting a serious ground plate in your boat and then use a quick on/off whip antenna. Proper grounding of marine radios, of any kind, is vital.

[CASTnBLAST]

My last boat a Skeeter ZX202C had a whip antenna stored in the rod locker box and wouldn't pick anything up unless you laid it out on the deck. I suppose the previous owner wasn't too keen on the idea of drilling holes in the gel coat and neither was I. Don't know how good it was grounded since I didn't do the install.

[ChuckN]

On my Skeeter I drilled a hole through the front of the counsel and mounted a 12" flexible rubber antenna. Works great. I do get some interference from the front graph near the antenna on the weaker radio station. Antenna is a must to get any radio stations...graphs in the boat and all the other electronics mess with reception (in my boat at least).