I'm wondering if anyone has installed the DICE HD antenna horizontally along top of the windshield. The manual indicates reception may be impacted, but it seems like it would be less noticeable than running it vertically. Also, I think I remember somewhere saying that I do not need to disconnect the battery as indicated in the manual. Is that the latest conclusion?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mikepaul @ Jun 20 2007, 11:45 AM) [snapback]465345[/snapback]</div> nope - your stock antenna isn't receptive enough and we (DICE) use a powered signal amplifier in the module - if you were to patch that into your current antenna wire and still leave the antanna plugged into the stock headunit, things would go *poof, fizzle* on both the DICE and your headunit as soon as you started the car. If you unplugged the stock antenna from the headunit and then tap into the wire you'll be ok. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius62 @ Jun 20 2007, 11:10 AM) [snapback]465334[/snapback]</div> You don't really need to disconnect the battery, but it is of course safer. I've run them horizontally (mostly in BMW's M3's) without much issue. It cannot be behind the tint! I prefer to run them vertically but to hide the black box way up in the corner behind the tint and run the clear wire down, but with a bend in it so it follows the shape of the window, running along next to the tint.
Only one issue I can think of. If you are listening to FM HD, then generally, mounting the DICE HD antenna horizontally would not be an issue, since FM is generally either horizontally or circularly polarized. AM HD, however, is a different story. In AM radio, the entire tower structure radiates -- not just an antenna mounted at the top. Therefore the signal is vertically polarized. Mounting the receiving antenna vertically on the windshield gives the most efficient capture of the vertically polarized wave. A horizontal receiving antenna would give the worst. In fact, in theory, a horizontally polarized antenna will not receive ANY vertically polarized signal. That's why in many satellite systems, adjacent channels are of opposite polarization, to provide minimum interaction between the two waves. I bought my DICE specifically for AM HD, so polarization was a consideration for me. For most, though, I suspect it's not a big deal. Dan
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan-Wolfe @ Jun 20 2007, 12:33 PM) [snapback]465367[/snapback]</div> Wow. Knowledge is king. BTW, I have a new module testing in my car for you. Shipping it out tomorrow.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Vagabond @ Jun 20 2007, 06:31 PM) [snapback]465464[/snapback]</div> Lotsa years in the broadcasting business and you pick up a few things. Minors in Math and Physics help, too. Thanks much! Look forward to being back in the HD game. It really IS pretty damn cool... Dan
Thanks for the quality responses. I was hoping to install my coastal lockpick and HD unit tomorrow, but looks like it will have to wait until next weekend. I hate it when works gets in the way of my Prius Mods.
