Pioneer car radios (Supertuner IIID) for '02 Civic?

A few months ago I got my first car, a 2002 Honda Civic LX. It currently has the stock radio+cassette player in it, and I'm wanting to replace it, preferably with one of the Pioneer models. (I've seen someone mention the Pioneer Supertuner IIID radios are really god.) Any suggestions?

I've been able to pull in a few things on the stock radio using the windshield antenna, hopefully the Pioneer would be considerably better. (I'm not totally sure if I want to put a whip on yet, and if I do I'd like it to not be too conspicuous if possible.) One idea in my head, although I doubt I'd actually get it done, is for the AM antenna, have a ferrite rod mounted inside the window that takes almost the entire width of the car.

As is, the stock unit is the only radio I have that will pull in 840 KXNT in the middle of the day, albeit extremely faint from near Rancho San Diego. (My Superadio III doesn't get it, but it could be because it can't quite separate 830 KLAA well enough, maybe.) Also a month or so ago around 11am or so, I was able to get a somewhat noisy but listenable signal from 700 KALL on highway 78 south of Borrego Springs.

I've been going through info on various models, and have narrowed it down to a few. Ultimately I'll make the final decision, but maybe someone might have some ideas of something to look for that I hadn't considered?

The ones I'm considering for now (prices according to Pioneer's site) are DEH-X9600BHS ($260), DEH-X8600BH ($200), DEH-X8700BS ($190), DEH-X6700BS ($130), MVH-X560BT ($130), and DEH-X6700BT ($120).

All of them have the Supertuner IIID, bluetooth and USB (some front, some rear), none have touchscreens (I disqualify that for safety reasons), and some have HD radio. I don't really have a use for HD radio for now, but I think I've heard someone (Bruce?) say that the ones with HD tuners might be better than the ones without? Also all are single-din radios. There looks to be room for a double-din (my mom's same-year Accord has a double-din with CD and tape), but I want to keep the space below it, as is. All except the MVH have a CD player as well. Also I don't currently have a satellite subscription so Sirius/XM wouldn't really matter for now. As for user interface, I'd rather have more buttons and fewer menus, but the two more expensive ones have some features or combos of features the cheaper ones don't have. (Also I think maybe they come with remotes that have some of those buttons on them...)

If I do get one with HD, I'm thinking maybe if I can get KNX (111 mi, ~47 dBµ) and KFI (99 mi, ~45 dBµ) reliably in HD, I should maybe consider it exceptional performance? (Yes, KNX is stronger here in spite of being farther away and higher dial position, due to a saltwater path and a better transmitting antenna.) I would have used 1110 KDIS (~20 dBµ) as a test, as it's weak here and I have moderately strong local on 1090 (~52 dBµ) and a very strong one on 1130 (~76 dBµ), but KDIS apparently seems to have discontinued HD entirely from last time I was in the L.A. area. I think 980 KFWB (~18 dBµ) may also be in HD, maybe that'd be a good test as it's very weak here on pocket portables, and the closest medium-strength locals are on 950 (~54 dBµ) and 1000 (~40 dBµ), neither of which run HD (950 did briefly a couple years back – update: I was scanning the dial looking for another station to listen to, and as I passed by 950 I noticed their HD was back on). Also there's 740 KBRT (~29 dBµ), but it's next to 760 (~71 dBµ). I forget at the moment what other AM stations run HD whose analog signals are receivable here. (The dBµ strengths are based on portable DSP radio indications, like the Eton Traveler III which I no longer have - I was using a youtube video I recorded for reference.)

As for analog signals at midday, I'm hoping I'd be able to get 1180 KERN next to 1170 KCBQ (~80 dBµ). I've heard it faintly while KCBQ was off the air, otherwise the only way I can detect it on my current radios is by beating it's carrier with another radio's off-tuned local oscillator and listening during periods of silence on KCBQ. Also maybe 770 KCBC next to 760, 550 KFYI next to semi-local 540, 1530 KFBK, 1580 KMIK under KBLA, 1100 KFNX next to 1090, maybe even a weak WBAP (midday, remember?) next to 830 KLAA if Mexicali's 820 was ever off the air ... or would I be expecting too much even from a Pioneer?

Also what about grounding? For example when I plug in my cell phone charger it spews noise across the AM band, often blocking out otherwise easily listenable stations. Maybe I have a grounding issue, or would even proper grounding not cure a rogue charger?

Anyone have any advice / suggestions? Perhaps there's something I haven't even thought of?

P.S. I'd originally sent this early this morning as a PM to someone who I understand has some expertise on the Pioneer radios, but I decided I should expand it and ask anyone who might know, so I made some edits and posted.

Update: I was just looking at their site again, and the closest MVH-X560BT dealer is about 75 miles away in Mission Viejo, and there are no DEH-X8600BH dealers in SoCal. So that possibly narrows it down to 4, unless one of those two is particularly good. The four remaining ones are DEH-X9600BHS, DEH-X8700BS, DEH-X6700BS and DEH-X6700BT. All of them are within my price range. (Before I'd priced them I thought they'd be upwards of $400-600 or more (ranging from at to well over my limit), but turns out the features I'm looking for aren't priced that high. Some touchscreen/video units are priced there or even higher, but I don't need that.) The 9600 dealer is Fry's, and 8700, 6700BS & 6700BT are Best Buy.

I wonder if there's a good way to try them out in the store, or would reception not be any good at all? I know I couldn't actually try to DX with it in the store, but maybe I could compare it to other radios, or a portable radio that I bring inside with me, to see how it does on the local stations.

You might want to consider Crutchfield - they have the complete line of Pioneer radios, the price is good, but the most important thing is that they have car installation kits, wiring harnesses, and instructions tailored to your car that are top-notch and produce extremely professional looking results.

As for the AM antenna issue - a whip is the best way to go. You cannot use a ferrite bar hooked directly to your car radio, the input circuit won't support it. It is darn hard to even get the 200mm by 10mm rods - I loaded up on them at eBay a few years back, I don't know if the seller still has them. But a larger one across the windshield? Probably won't happen. An outfit called "Stormwise" makes very large ferrite bars, and are aware of AM DX'ers (or at least used to be). Their ferrites are darn heavy, and would be a safety hazard if you ever did get them on the dash or at the roof line. It was a two hour job to take 22 bolts off my fender, drill it, and replace it. I didn't put a hole in the fire wall - there was plenty of clearance to route it in through the door gasket. I never had a leak. The results looked very professional - like the whip antenna belonged there.

As for double Din vs. single - until very recently, the only differences were selection and price. Double Din was three times the cost of single, and usually only one or two selections. There was no additional functionality. If - the double Din included GPS and backup camera displays - they might be worth that difference in price. They don't. The installation kit included a little cubbyhole underneath the radio that I am finding very handy for sunglasses, etc.

Yes - the HD models appear to have much better AM sections. That AM section in my Pioneer is the best they have made in years. HD AM, though, is a disappointment. Here in Texas, most AM stations have dropped it because they have a lot of rural listeners who need all the signal they can get. Anything that saps signal strength is something they dare not do. So I don't have any 50 kW clears to test it on. But based on the stations that were in HD, if you are on a road that has power lines along the side, whether or not they produce interference, they distort the signal in a way that cancels HD. I get on the new freeway where there are no power lines, even a weak 10 kW X-Bander 80 miles away decodes perfectly in HD AM. But get within a quarter mile of a power line in the new subdivisions popping up along the freeway - HD is lost. Unfortunately, 99% of all streets and roads seem to have some time of power line along them, so HD AM in a car is basically useless. I was losing HD AM lock on a 5kW local as little 8 miles from the station. From your location, KFI and KNX would be great on analog AM, but no way you would get HD on them unless you are away from power lines. I can vouch for the AM section of Pioneer HD radios. Look at a map - interstate 10 through west Houston, and I have WBAP with absolutely no static daytime - they are in Ft. Worth, about 250 miles away.

Satellite is not included standard in my Pioneer - it is a $100 add on. They may have changed that in newer models. I believe satellite is the best solution to your Radio Disney problem. The Pioneer will pull in the analog signal if anything can, but those locals may still be problematic. I personally don't listen to them as much as I used to, too many little boy bands for my taste - and Ariana has gone mainstream so I don't need Radio Disney to hear her any more.

FM is nothing short of amazing. I had a station from San Marcos - 150 miles away - on my FM pre-sets because it came in almost like a local.

Ahh, thanks for the Crutchfield selection. I hadn't considered them cause I was wanting to buy at a local brick-and-mortar place, but I like what CF offers on their website. And I may be able to get my dad to help with the installation, too. I believe he's done things like this before, I know he's had the radio out of his cars, replaced the whip antenna, etc, and he's also worked on the inside of radios in his career. (He's retired now.)

Ah, so no ferrite. Oh well, guess it probably would be better to have an omnidirectional antenna anyway, even though it'll make separating stations on the GY channels that much tougher. Btw I think I fairly recently saw the 200mm ferrites on fleabay. Gary DeBock of the ultralightdx yahoo group is the de-facto expert on those, and on FSL antennas. (I guess one of those wouldn't work either.)

One of my big reasons for wanting the giant ferrite antenna was to pull in extreme fringe daytime DX like you've done with the large loops, Bruce. If it wasn't for closer stations on their frequencies, some stations I'd want to hear on AM in the daytime include 540 KDFT or (maybe) XEWA or CBK, 570 KLIF, 620 KMKI, (maybe) 650 WSM or KENI, (maybe) 670 WSCR, 740 KRMG or KTRH, 760 KKZN, 770 KAAM, (maybe) 800 CHAB, 810 WHB, 820 WBAP, 850 KOA, (maybe) 870 WWL, (maybe) 900 XEW, 1010 KIHU, 1030 KTWO or (maybe) KCTA, 1100 KNZZ, 1120 KANN, 1160 KSL, (maybe) 1200 WOAI, 1530 KFBK, 1550 KUAZ, 1580 KMIK, for example. As mentioned, though, pretty much all of them have closer co-channel stations, thereby blocking them. Although, a few of them (like 540, 620 (but KTAR), 800, 820 (but KUTR), 850, 1030, 1160, and 1550) are Mexicans, so if they leave the AM band, it might open up those possibilities? Maybe I could get that 500-1500 mile (depending on dial position) daytime DX with a proper whip and the Pioneer?

So, if I understand right, the double din may not be fullsize after all? Or did I read that wrong? As for radios with GPS and backup camera displays, all the Pioneers I saw on their website also had touchscreens, which I've disqualified for safety reasons. Once I've learned what buttons to push, dials to turn, etc, in what order to do what I want, then I want to be able to operate the radio while I'm driving, without looking at the radio and thereby removing my eyes from the road. I can't do that with a touchscreen. (The stock unit has a front-open cubbyhole under the radio.)

So from what I've been looking at, looks like HD tuners being better narrows it down to the $260 DEH-X9600BHS. If I buy from CF, I guess I could add the $200 DEH-X8600BH. Also there's the $200 DEH-X8700BH, but they make no mention of the Supertuner IIID like they do on most of their other models. BTW my nearest/strongest station running HD is 600 KOGO, about 7.7 miles west, 5 kW, and around 68 dBµ on my Tecsuns. And that looks pretty good for WBAP, appears to be outside their so-called 0.15 mV/m fringe signal. Of the stations I've mentioned so far that I receive, only 600 KOGO, 760 KFMB, 1130 KSDO, and 1170 KCBQ are pretty much completely static free daytime (at least outdoors) on pocket portables like the Sony SRF-59. On the Superadio III if I'm outdoors, also 540 XESURF, 950 XEKAM, 1070 KNX, and 1090 XEPRS may be static free as well.

I didn't think satellite was included. A few of the models I've been looking at support it natively, although I don't have a subscription so it doesn't really matter to me right now. Also I'm not ready at this point to subscribe, so maybe the pioneer should be able to pull in 1110 KDIS in the daytime here? I can hear it on the SRF-59 well enough to listen to it if I'm outside away from electrical interference in the house.

I had almost forgotten about FM! For me, San Marcos is about 25 or so miles away but the only station I remember licensed to that location is an AM - 1210 KPRZ. On the GE SR3 it's static free, but the SRF-59 has a tiny bit. For other stations, I guess I'd expect to be able to get 93.7 KDB and 103.3 KVYB from Santa Barbara, maybe? (I've heard them on Tecsun portables sometimes.) Also I'd think a lot of the L.A. Mt. Wilson stations should come in. And, since it's a Pioneer, any chance I might even have, say, Bakersfield, Las Vegas, or even Phoenix, even without skip/tropo? (They're 230-300 miles away, and there's a mountain range between here and Bakersfield & Vegas.)

Hey I was just thinking ... since I'm looking at Pioneer, if I also get a decent whip, is there a chance that I'd have some signal on every single AM and FM channel even without skip conditions?

pianoplayer88key said:

Ahh, thanks for the Crutchfield selection. I hadn't considered them cause I was wanting to buy at a local brick-and-mortar place, but I like what CF offers on their website. And I may be able to get my dad to help with the installation, too. I believe he's done things like this before, I know he's had the radio out of his cars, replaced the whip antenna, etc, and he's also worked on the inside of radios in his career. (He's retired now.)

Ah, so no ferrite. Oh well, guess it probably would be better to have an omnidirectional antenna anyway, even though it'll make separating stations on the GY channels that much tougher. Btw I think I fairly recently saw the 200mm ferrites on fleabay. Gary DeBock of the ultralightdx yahoo group is the de-facto expert on those, and on FSL antennas. (I guess one of those wouldn't work either.)

One of my big reasons for wanting the giant ferrite antenna was to pull in extreme fringe daytime DX like you've done with the large loops, Bruce. If it wasn't for closer stations on their frequencies, some stations I'd want to hear on AM in the daytime include 540 KDFT or (maybe) XEWA or CBK, 570 KLIF, 620 KMKI, (maybe) 650 WSM or KENI, (maybe) 670 WSCR, 740 KRMG or KTRH, 760 KKZN, 770 KAAM, (maybe) 800 CHAB, 810 WHB, 820 WBAP, 850 KOA, (maybe) 870 WWL, (maybe) 900 XEW, 1010 KIHU, 1030 KTWO or (maybe) KCTA, 1100 KNZZ, 1120 KANN, 1160 KSL, (maybe) 1200 WOAI, 1530 KFBK, 1550 KUAZ, 1580 KMIK, for example. As mentioned, though, pretty much all of them have closer co-channel stations, thereby blocking them. Although, a few of them (like 540, 620 (but KTAR), 800, 820 (but KUTR), 850, 1030, 1160, and 1550) are Mexicans, so if they leave the AM band, it might open up those possibilities? Maybe I could get that 500-1500 mile (depending on dial position) daytime DX with a proper whip and the Pioneer?

So, if I understand right, the double din may not be fullsize after all? Or did I read that wrong? As for radios with GPS and backup camera displays, all the Pioneers I saw on their website also had touchscreens, which I've disqualified for safety reasons. Once I've learned what buttons to push, dials to turn, etc, in what order to do what I want, then I want to be able to operate the radio while I'm driving, without looking at the radio and thereby removing my eyes from the road. I can't do that with a touchscreen. (The stock unit has a front-open cubbyhole under the radio.)

So from what I've been looking at, looks like HD tuners being better narrows it down to the $260 DEH-X9600BHS. If I buy from CF, I guess I could add the $200 DEH-X8600BH. Also there's the $200 DEH-X8700BH, but they make no mention of the Supertuner IIID like they do on most of their other models. BTW my nearest/strongest station running HD is 600 KOGO, about 7.7 miles west, 5 kW, and around 68 dBµ on my Tecsuns. And that looks pretty good for WBAP, appears to be outside their so-called 0.15 mV/m fringe signal. Of the stations I've mentioned so far that I receive, only 600 KOGO, 760 KFMB, 1130 KSDO, and 1170 KCBQ are pretty much completely static free daytime (at least outdoors) on pocket portables like the Sony SRF-59. On the Superadio III if I'm outdoors, also 540 XESURF, 950 XEKAM, 1070 KNX, and 1090 XEPRS may be static free as well.

I didn't think satellite was included. A few of the models I've been looking at support it natively, although I don't have a subscription so it doesn't really matter to me right now. Also I'm not ready at this point to subscribe, so maybe the pioneer should be able to pull in 1110 KDIS in the daytime here? I can hear it on the SRF-59 well enough to listen to it if I'm outside away from electrical interference in the house.

I had almost forgotten about FM! For me, San Marcos is about 25 or so miles away but the only station I remember licensed to that location is an AM - 1210 KPRZ. On the GE SR3 it's static free, but the SRF-59 has a tiny bit. For other stations, I guess I'd expect to be able to get 93.7 KDB and 103.3 KVYB from Santa Barbara, maybe? (I've heard them on Tecsun portables sometimes.) Also I'd think a lot of the L.A. Mt. Wilson stations should come in. And, since it's a Pioneer, any chance I might even have, say, Bakersfield, Las Vegas, or even Phoenix, even without skip/tropo? (They're 230-300 miles away, and there's a mountain range between here and Bakersfield & Vegas.)

Hey I was just thinking ... since I'm looking at Pioneer, if I also get a decent whip, is there a chance that I'd have some signal on every single AM and FM channel even without skip conditions?

Click to expand...

Sorry for the misconception about double and single Din - single is single, double is double. But until recently, double was very expensive and reduced your options. Regarding extreme DX - I have discovered that Lubbock has very high ground conductivity, which may have been a contributing factor in the extreme DX. The very same five foot loop, used in Plano, TX north of Dallas did not do any of the stations listed. I attributed that to over-saturation from locals, and there are bunch in Dallas Ft. Worth. But the ground conductivity is lower than Lubbock, and that might also be a factor. In any case, extreme DX in the car is not likely. Some Ham radio types who also DX AM swear by 60 inch whips - or longer - bottom loaded with a coil to try to get into the 1/20 wavelength electrical length for AM. They claim 600 mile reception on stations like the NYC clears, etc.

Those are good Pioneers, I wasn't aware that they had touchscreens. That shouldn't necessarily put you off - it is the same as pushbuttons. My GPS has a touchscreen, I just set it up the way I want then don't touch it while driving. I agree, though, on distracted drivers - although my biggest problems with drivers are not distracted, the worst ones are the ones who go over the posted speed limit, change lanes without signaling, bypass a long line of traffic to cut in at the last moment, don't leave 2.2 second following distance, etc.

So there is a San Marcos out there! I was talking about the one between San Antonio and Austin.

WBAP would be a nice catch from So Cal - but it is a rather ordinary conservative talk station. All of the programs on it can probably be found closer to your location.

Thanks, Bruce. Btw I just looked again and the only units with HD Radio are either single-din CD units or double-din NEX or DVD units with touchscreens. (HD wouldn't matter to me except you're saying the tuners with HD are better than the ones without.)

Unless something changes, I think I'm probably going for the DEH-X9600BHS. I see that at Crutchfield it's about $260. At Wal-Mart it's $180 but according to their website won't be available for in-store pickup until June 10, and at NewEgg (if I buy from them directly and not one of their marketplace vendors) it's $200 and they normally get products to me within a day or two depending on holidays/weekends. If I bought from those other 2 places, what would I be missing that I'd get from Crutchfield, and would the cost of the extra things that Crutchfield includes add up to more than $260 plus tax and shipping if applicable? Btw I'd have to pay sales tax from Wal-Mart or NewEgg, and legally use tax from Crutchfield.

Also my maintenance required light is on, so I'll need to take care of that. (I'm anticipating at least an oil change and tire rotation, possibly other things including a new timing belt since it might be due because of time.) I don't know yet if the place I'd get that work done would also install the radio, or would it be better to do it myself anyway?

Then, the antenna ... any particular recommendations on what whip to get, installation, etc? (I may at first just use the built-in rear windshield antenna to see how it goes / to get up and running.)

Also, I plan to still keep the original factory radio to include when I get rid of the car some years later, if it's still driveable when I'm done with it.

I'd prefer to not have a touchscreen, because I might want to be able to change the station or the song while I'm driving. I don't want to have to look at the radio to do things like that, once I've learned how to use it. I want to be able to do some common operations by feel and ear, if you know what I mean. I can't do a touchscreen by feel, it has to be by sight, at least any I've ever seen.

Here, if you go the posted speed limit, you might get run over. On the freeways in San Diego, I generally find 75-80 is a comfortable cruising speed when it's not rush hour, and maybe sometimes 85-90 or so in the rural parts of the county, at least on I-15. (I've so far observed that the '15 is faster than some other freeways in San Diego county.) I also see people change lanes without signaling too, but I try to signal when changing. What gets me is people threading in and out of traffic changing lanes frequently, often multiple lanes at a time, to try to go faster. I limit myself generally to an occasional single lane change for the most part. In rush hour I might do a bit more but only to pick whichever lane is traveling fastest, not to try to go 60 when everyone else is going 40. Also much of the time I try to leave a reasonable following distance, although sometimes when I change lanes I might be cutting it fairly close, or in fairly thick traffic that's still moving near the speed limit. (Sometimes I could briefly be following almost as close as you might be at a stoplight, but I try to avoid that or limit it to doing it for no more than a couple seconds or so. It's most likely to happen when I'm changing lanes.)
I'm less likely to try to change things on the radio, btw, when I'm in thicker traffic, cause I need to concentrate on driving, not the radio.

Yes, San Marcos out here is between Escondido and Oceanside, about 25-30 or so miles north of San Diego. State route 78 runs through there, and the one station licensed to it is 1210 KPRZ.

I've heard WBAP a couple times at night on portable radios. I was talking about reception, for example, on June 21 at 11am PDT. Unfortunately XEABCA in Mexicali is in the way.

Btw what model do you currently have and what's your experience been with it? Hey have you ever been in southern California with it? I understand you've sometimes spent time in the L.A. area but idk if you had your car with the Pioneer with you. I'm wondering if I might be able to hear some stations here that I can't hear on mere mortal radios. A few desired summer midday targets may include 550 KFYI, 590 KTIE, 650 KSTE or KMTI, 660 KWVE or KTNN, 680 KNBR, 700 KALL, 720 KDWN, 750 KOAL, 770 KCBC or KKOB, 780 KAZM, 810 KGO, 840 KXNT, 880 KKMC, 890 KDXU or KIHC, 960 KIXW, 1060 KKVV or KDUS, 1080 KSCO or KGVY, 1100 KFNX, 1180 KERN, 1200 KPSF, 1230 KXO, 1260 KMZT, 1350 KTDD, 1380 KLPZ, 1440 KUHL, 1460 KTYM, 1530 KFBK, 1560 KNZR, 1570 KPRO, 1580 KMIK, and others. Almost all of those are unreceivable on the current radio, some due to splatter, some being too weak, some from nearby stations HD sidebands.

pianoplayer88key said:

Thanks, Bruce. Btw I just looked again and the only units with HD Radio are either single-din CD units or double-din NEX or DVD units with touchscreens. (HD wouldn't matter to me except you're saying the tuners with HD are better than the ones without.)

Unless something changes, I think I'm probably going for the DEH-X9600BHS. I see that at Crutchfield it's about $260. At Wal-Mart it's $180 but according to their website won't be available for in-store pickup until June 10, and at NewEgg (if I buy from them directly and not one of their marketplace vendors) it's $200 and they normally get products to me within a day or two depending on holidays/weekends. If I bought from those other 2 places, what would I be missing that I'd get from Crutchfield, and would the cost of the extra things that Crutchfield includes add up to more than $260 plus tax and shipping if applicable? Btw I'd have to pay sales tax from Wal-Mart or NewEgg, and legally use tax from Crutchfield.

Also my maintenance required light is on, so I'll need to take care of that. (I'm anticipating at least an oil change and tire rotation, possibly other things including a new timing belt since it might be due because of time.) I don't know yet if the place I'd get that work done would also install the radio, or would it be better to do it myself anyway?

Then, the antenna ... any particular recommendations on what whip to get, installation, etc? (I may at first just use the built-in rear windshield antenna to see how it goes / to get up and running.)

Also, I plan to still keep the original factory radio to include when I get rid of the car some years later, if it's still driveable when I'm done with it.

I'd prefer to not have a touchscreen, because I might want to be able to change the station or the song while I'm driving. I don't want to have to look at the radio to do things like that, once I've learned how to use it. I want to be able to do some common operations by feel and ear, if you know what I mean. I can't do a touchscreen by feel, it has to be by sight, at least any I've ever seen.

Here, if you go the posted speed limit, you might get run over. On the freeways in San Diego, I generally find 75-80 is a comfortable cruising speed when it's not rush hour, and maybe sometimes 85-90 or so in the rural parts of the county, at least on I-15. (I've so far observed that the '15 is faster than some other freeways in San Diego county.) I also see people change lanes without signaling too, but I try to signal when changing. What gets me is people threading in and out of traffic changing lanes frequently, often multiple lanes at a time, to try to go faster. I limit myself generally to an occasional single lane change for the most part. In rush hour I might do a bit more but only to pick whichever lane is traveling fastest, not to try to go 60 when everyone else is going 40. Also much of the time I try to leave a reasonable following distance, although sometimes when I change lanes I might be cutting it fairly close, or in fairly thick traffic that's still moving near the speed limit. (Sometimes I could briefly be following almost as close as you might be at a stoplight, but I try to avoid that or limit it to doing it for no more than a couple seconds or so. It's most likely to happen when I'm changing lanes.)
I'm less likely to try to change things on the radio, btw, when I'm in thicker traffic, cause I need to concentrate on driving, not the radio.

Yes, San Marcos out here is between Escondido and Oceanside, about 25-30 or so miles north of San Diego. State route 78 runs through there, and the one station licensed to it is 1210 KPRZ.

I've heard WBAP a couple times at night on portable radios. I was talking about reception, for example, on June 21 at 11am PDT. Unfortunately XEABCA in Mexicali is in the way.

Btw what model do you currently have and what's your experience been with it? Hey have you ever been in southern California with it? I understand you've sometimes spent time in the L.A. area but idk if you had your car with the Pioneer with you. I'm wondering if I might be able to hear some stations here that I can't hear on mere mortal radios. A few desired summer midday targets may include 550 KFYI, 590 KTIE, 650 KSTE or KMTI, 660 KWVE or KTNN, 680 KNBR, 700 KALL, 720 KDWN, 750 KOAL, 770 KCBC or KKOB, 780 KAZM, 810 KGO, 840 KXNT, 880 KKMC, 890 KDXU or KIHC, 960 KIXW, 1060 KKVV or KDUS, 1080 KSCO or KGVY, 1100 KFNX, 1180 KERN, 1200 KPSF, 1230 KXO, 1260 KMZT, 1350 KTDD, 1380 KLPZ, 1440 KUHL, 1460 KTYM, 1530 KFBK, 1560 KNZR, 1570 KPRO, 1580 KMIK, and others. Almost all of those are unreceivable on the current radio, some due to splatter, some being too weak, some from nearby stations HD sidebands.

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We did travel down to SD on I-15 a few years ago, went right along at the posted limit - had no problems at all. People in New York on the LEI didn't appreciate it, but if they want to go faster, they should petition the authorities to raise the limit. I stayed in the right hand lane, and have zero sympathy for anybody wanting to go faster than the posted limit. I am a Christian believer, and can find no scriptural justification for disobeying the law.

Back on subject - my radio is the 9400, which is a pre-curser to the 9600. Unfortunately, I didn't have it the last trip out to California when we drove. The TV show required extras to have their own wardrobe, so we had quite a lot of luggage for the filmin season and flying wasn't practical. We just used the stock radio in my Toyota, which is a pretty good radio on its own. I did do some DX at night while waiting for filming to end - it was the heat wave of the century in 2006 so the writers of the show changed the script for all night scenes outdoors, and they had the cast parents clear out so they could use four camera angles. Unfortunately, Mann Medical Plaza is a location for several TV shows and movies (Paul Walker died down the street from where my daughter's show filmed) - and levels of RF interference from all that production equipment were high. I think I did get a trace of Cuba on 530 - but the LAX airport station was only 70 miles away. Even with two mountain ranges, it dominated 530 and it was hard to tell if the easy listening Cuba music was there or not. No luck with WBAP or WOAI - although on a trip 40 years ago I remember both.

On a different trip where we could fly, the rental car radio worked very well - during a week break from filming we took a side trip to San Francisco. Nothing from Texas - not KRLD, WOAI, WBAP. About the closest I got was KOA, but I'm not sure whether I did that in SF or LA.

I travelled extensively with an earlier Pioneer Supertuner 3D radio - absolutely amazing stuff. Listening to FOX 97 from Gainesville GA on I-10 through Lake City Florida - several times. Orlando stations as far as Tallahassee. Houston FM's almost to Baton Rouge. Dallas FMs in Central Louisiana. Charleston SC FM in Daytona Beach. All kinds of stuff like that.

I don't know what to tell you about antenna mounting on a fender on that model. You are probably smart starting with the existing antenna and seeing if that does what you need.

(Ahh, I've noticed people travel different speeds in different lanes. My dad drives the posted limit, usually in the #2 lane, and people pass him on both sides. I usually go with the flow in #1 or #2 lanes. (Cruising in the #1 lane is legal in CA, it's not a passing only lane.) And I'd like to see speed limits raised, too. (But toughen other things like *no* drunk driving, no passing on right except by left exits/entrances or you're going under 60, pay better attention to the road, etc. I almost feel like if everyone paid attention and drove properly it'd sometimes be possible to safely drive 100 if there isn't too much traffic. Also I kinda think we should learn more advanced things, reaction, etc, like the police do. If they can learn to drive like they sometimes do, why couldn't we?) I've heard that some cops don't stop/ticket you unless you're going over 80 (in town even), so maybe they should raise it to 80 in some places. Also there's the 85th-percentile principle to consider. (That's really a topic for another forum, though.))

I thought you'd mentioned the 9400 some time ago, couldn't remember for sure. I also saw some references to a 9500 online, but I'm not switching to that one.
I've heard the Toyota radios can be pretty good too, have you read any of Bill's posts on radio-timetraveller.blogspot.com ? I remember once he got KKZN from just into IL on I-70, also he had KALL in Douglas, AZ, and KFI east of Tucson, AZ. I think he may have even had a possible KALL in far west TX but it was too weak to identify.

Usually on 530 here I just get the CalTrans TIS from Vista, and that just barely. The LAX TIS has been off for several years. I've heard Cuba once or twice, I think. WBAP is sometimes heard after midnight when Mexicali signs off, and sometimes WOAI can sneak around KYAA, same with WWL vs KRLA and WHAS vs KXNT. KRLD is tough with KNX's IBOC but is sometimes heard. The most common one here from that general longitude area is KOKC, usually heard pretty much every night. KOA is a regular here as well. KKOB would be except I'm pretty close to KFMB.

Yeah, I think I'll start with the existing antenna and see what happens.

Where to buy, though. Crutchfield is $260, NewEgg is $200 and I've had a good experience with them buying computer parts, often getting things within a day or 2, Walmart is $180 and won't be available for pickup until the 10th. What would I get from Crutchfield that I wouldn't have from the other places, and what might be the cost if I bought those extras separately?

pianoplayer88key said:

(Ahh, I've noticed people travel different speeds in different lanes. My dad drives the posted limit, usually in the #2 lane, and people pass him on both sides. I usually go with the flow in #1 or #2 lanes. (Cruising in the #1 lane is legal in CA, it's not a passing only lane.) And I'd like to see speed limits raised, too. (But toughen other things like *no* drunk driving, no passing on right except by left exits/entrances or you're going under 60, pay better attention to the road, etc. I almost feel like if everyone paid attention and drove properly it'd sometimes be possible to safely drive 100 if there isn't too much traffic. Also I kinda think we should learn more advanced things, reaction, etc, like the police do. If they can learn to drive like they sometimes do, why couldn't we?) I've heard that some cops don't stop/ticket you unless you're going over 80 (in town even), so maybe they should raise it to 80 in some places. Also there's the 85th-percentile principle to consider. (That's really a topic for another forum, though.))

I thought you'd mentioned the 9400 some time ago, couldn't remember for sure. I also saw some references to a 9500 online, but I'm not switching to that one.
I've heard the Toyota radios can be pretty good too, have you read any of Bill's posts on radio-timetraveller.blogspot.com ? I remember once he got KKZN from just into IL on I-70, also he had KALL in Douglas, AZ, and KFI east of Tucson, AZ. I think he may have even had a possible KALL in far west TX but it was too weak to identify.

Usually on 530 here I just get the CalTrans TIS from Vista, and that just barely. The LAX TIS has been off for several years. I've heard Cuba once or twice, I think. WBAP is sometimes heard after midnight when Mexicali signs off, and sometimes WOAI can sneak around KYAA, same with WWL vs KRLA and WHAS vs KXNT. KRLD is tough with KNX's IBOC but is sometimes heard. The most common one here from that general longitude area is KOKC, usually heard pretty much every night. KOA is a regular here as well. KKOB would be except I'm pretty close to KFMB.

Yeah, I think I'll start with the existing antenna and see what happens.

Where to buy, though. Crutchfield is $260, NewEgg is $200 and I've had a good experience with them buying computer parts, often getting things within a day or 2, Walmart is $180 and won't be available for pickup until the 10th. What would I get from Crutchfield that I wouldn't have from the other places, and what might be the cost if I bought those extras separately?

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Crutchfield has the wiring harnesses and mounting kits, as well as the instructions. I think they used to be free, or cost a nominal amount. You could easily pay 70 or 80 for those from somebody else.

Glad to hear that annoying 530 is off the air - I guess it has been 9 years since my daughter was on Zoey 101. Didn't seem like that long. Now that she is over 18, she can do TV without a parent being on set, so I don't make as many trips to LA. The first few times it is cool, but it gets annoying really fast having to be warehoused with other cast parents. At least Nickelodeon has wi-fi for cast parents so I could telecommute.

I ended up buying the DEH-X9600BHS from Crutchfield, and installed it late last week.

I've recorded and uploaded several videos, some from the stock radio and some with the Pioneer. All of them use the stock windshield wire antenna.



Links & info below:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLTmX4sLYeU -- 2015-03-09 12;18;44 -- 2002 Honda Civic LX (stock facing north), AM & FM bandscan -- location: 32.76072, -116.94502


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRWcqiJH-R8 -- 2015-06-20 14;40;18 -- Pioneer DEH-X9600BHS (in '02 Civic facing north), AM bandscan -- location: 32.76072, -116.94502


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAq5md5qCww -- 2015-06-22 14;17;50 -- Pioneer DEH-X9600BHS (in '02 Civic facing north), AM bandscan, engine on -- location: 32.76072, -116.94502


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EuMiCqukag -- 2015-06-20 14;57;50 -- Pioneer DEH-X9600BHS (in '02 Civic facing north), FM bandscan -- location: 32.76072, -116.94502


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ9UN3fN6rs -- 2015-06-19 13;07;30 -- 2002 Honda Civic LX (stock facing west), AM & FM bandscan -- location: 32.76080, -116.94526


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JeBO8hlpAQ -- 2015-06-20 14;04;34 -- Pioneer DEH-X9600BHS (in '02 Civic facing west), AM bandscan -- location: 32.76080, -116.94526


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2ZVa419P08 -- 2015-04-10 15;59;16 -- 2002 Honda Civic LX (stock facing north), AM bandscan, Jacumba -- location: 32.63545, -116.16589 -- I don't yet have one of the Pioneer from this location. The sound of an engine running, if I remember right (I thought I'd shut mine off), is a semi truck parked next to me.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnMRZ2G_3PI -- 2015-04-15 17;37;18 -- 2002 Honda Civic LX (stock facing NE), AM bandscan, by KCBQ & KECR -- location: 32.89379, -116.92795 -- I don't yet have one of the Pioneer from this location.



I've noticed there's a lot of engine noise on the Pioneer that I didn't notice on the stock radio. I'm even hearing a little of it on my strongest local station, 1170 KCBQ, which is 9.3 miles away sending about 3800 or so mV/m @ 1 km toward me with a ground conductivity of 8 mS/m. You should be able to hear it when I rev the engine in the video I shot with the engine running.
Also with the stock radio I noticed my cell phone charger greatly diminished reception, like it buried easily listenable signals. I haven't tested it with the Pioneer, but I may be replacing the charger anyway, as the outer insulation on the wire where it comes out of the plug has started pulling loose, exposing the still-insulated wires inside and showing me that it's likely about to fail if it hasn't already.

Also it seems to only be about as sensitive, or maybe barely more so but no more than a couple dB, than the stock radio. Would a whip antenna greatly help? Also would it help selectivity? For example if I could have 1280 become as clear as 910, 930 become like 1000, 1670 become like 1040, or even just 740 become as clear as 1240, that would be great. (Those 4 pairs are essentially simulcasts.)

Regarding selectivity, I'd like to be able to hear 550 KFYI, 560 KBLU, 680 KNBR, 700 KALL, 750 KOAL, 770 KCBC, 810 KGO, 920 KPSI (unless XESDA is still on the air), 1100 KFNX, 1140 KNWQ, 1160 KSL (if XEQIN is ever off), 1180 KERN, 1200 KPSF, 1350 KTDD, 1440 KUHL (unless KFNY is in the way), 1460 KTYM, 1560 KNZR, and others without splatter from their local first-adjacents. Bonus points for 590 KTIE, 610 KAVL (or KEAR if KAVL is off), 630 KIDD (if it's on), 650 KSTE or KMTE, 940 KFIG (if XEMMM is off), 960 KIXW, 1060 KDUS or KKVV, 1080 KSCO, without IBOC hash from their neighbors.
As for sensitivity on channels not next to a strong local, if I installed a whip could I possibly get moderately good reception (like my current reception of 600, 690, 760, 910, 1130, 1170, 1360) of 660 KTNN, 720 KDWN, 780 KAZM or KKOH, 840 KXNT, 890 KDXU or KIHC, 1530 KFBK, and 1580 KMIK (under KBLA)?
And with the whip, could I get weak or faint midday reception (like my current reception of 970, 980, 1330, 1340, 1490, 1510, 1580 or 1670) of stations like 540 CBK, 650 KENI or WSM, 660 WFAN, 670 WSCR, 700 WLW, 720 WGN, 740 CFZM, 760 WJR, 780 WBBM, 820 WBAP, 830 WCCO, 850 KOA, 870 WWL, 900 XEW, 1040 WHO, 1080 KRLD, 1110 KFAB, 1200 WOAI, 1520 KOKC, when their closer co-channel pests are off?

Or what would be the best I could expect - how much of an improvement could I reasonably expect to achieve, either with a whip antenna, better grounding, etc?

Sometime, I'd love to have a smart antenna, that senses its own location via GPS and knows the location of other transmitter sites, and on-the-fly adjusts its orientation or phasing to null pests and receive desired signals. This would include the ability to program in to null a co-channel pest and aim for a DX target, so that for example Bruce could receive KNX without interference from KNTH if he had that antenna, or I could receive KFAQ or WWVA without interference from KCBQ.

Bruce (or anyone else with a Pioneer), what is your observation on my current Pioneer setup, from the videos, and comparing with the stock videos recorded at the same location?