Hey guys,
I've been looking at FM signal booters in search of better reception, have seen lots of them but don't know if they really work or just hype

 

A better antenna will get better reception but nothing you add to the antenna cable will help "reception".

The signal level you have at the antenna is as good a signal as you will get.
If you were running a 100ft cable from the antenna to the radio then an amplifier(booster) at the antenna end of the cable will keep the signal from fading as much, it doesn't improve the signal, it keeps it from getting worse on the longer cable run.

Obviously vehicles don't need boosters since antenna cable is short, under 20ft

 

any ideas on a better antenna?
maybe one tuned just for FM?
or some of way of tuning the stock one?
also did some research on several roof mount units that claim better signal strength due to location and or electronics

 

Any claim that includes "electronics" is BS.
RF(wireless) send and receiver simply doesn't work in a way where "electronics" can increase the signal.
You either increase the power OUT(transmitter) or increase the power IN(antenna)

If there was an "electronic" solution then you wouldn't need a large transmit antenna or any receive antenna, but you need both, and the lower the frequency the larger both need to be.

FM is pretty low frequency RF, using RF 87.9 MHz to 107.9 MHz, this is between analog TV channels 6 and 7, so in the VHF(very low frequency) band of RF.

The lower the frequency the larger the antenna needed, that's why the old VHF TV antennas were so large and the UHF much smaller.

Windshield(or rear window) antennas work pretty well, they can be longer(larger) than the mast antennas.
Longer mast antenna might be better than stock mast, the antenna part is actually in the upper part to get it away from the vehicles metal, it is also longer(bigger).


If this vehicle is the only one having an issue with local FM stations then I would suspect the antenna or cable of having a problem, or even the tuner.

Distant FM probably wouldn't be possible with any size antenna, FM travels well locally but does drop off pretty fast at it's fringe area

 

Thanks Ron for the information, I learn something new ever time I post in here
Have also seen "tuned" antennas, same BS as the rest or something to it?

 

No, not BS, but probably not what you want, an antenna made for FM is a tuned antenna.
But you can build antenna length for one frequency.

Say you want FM station 99.1, you can build an antenna that will get the highest gain(signal) for 99.1, nearby frequencies would improve as well.

This has to do with the wavelength of that specific frequency.

Read here:
How to Make an FM Antenna: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

and here:
http://filebay1.home.comcast.net/~filebay1/flyingv.html