F90BT and GEX-P10HD and Analog Radio

[FourDoor]

OK I finished the install on the girlfriends truck last night and added the GEX-P10HD HD Radio tuner to her new AVIC-F90BT. Well she went out for a little road trip today and I can't figure it out in the manual since I no longer have the truck in front of me to play with.

 

Her question is how do you switch between Analog and HD radio stations since apparently the station that she listens to broadcasts a different talk show on their HD signal vs. the analog signal?

 

I didn't get a splitter so the factory radio antenna is just wired up to the GEX-P10HD so I am assuming that the original FM/AM analog options on the F90BT no longer work. Any help would be appreciated in making the gf happy.

 

On a side note, are there any other negatives to not having the original antenna connection wired up to the F90BT?

[w4rh4wk]

OK I finished the install on the girlfriends truck last night and added the GEX-P10HD HD Radio tuner to her new AVIC-F90BT. Well she went out for a little road trip today and I can't figure it out in the manual since I no longer have the truck in front of me to play with.

 

Her question is how do you switch between Analog and HD radio stations since apparently the station that she listens to broadcasts a different talk show on their HD signal vs. the analog signal?

 

I didn't get a splitter so the factory radio antenna is just wired up to the GEX-P10HD so I am assuming that the original FM/AM analog options on the F90BT no longer work. Any help would be appreciated in making the gf happy.

 

On a side note, are there any other negatives to not having the original antenna connection wired up to the F90BT?

The GEX-P10HD will automatically switch to HD radio when its available. If HD isnt available , the GEX-P10HD will use analog instead. Im in a bad area for HD radio, so it constantly switches back and worth from analog to digital. (I know its switching back forth because i can hear an echo/a repeat in the conversation on the radio program). I have to shut the digital off (within the GEX-P10HD settings) in the areas of bad reception because that can drive you nuts after a while.

[FourDoor]

Thanks w4rh4wk. Yeah I read that you can set it to analog in the instructions only but doesnt that defeat the purpose of having an HD tuner since it turns it off permanently (and for all stations)?

 

I didn't get to play with the radio much before she left but are there little sub channels to the HD radio stations like HD TV stations? So on TV theres Channel 4 for Analog but on Digital 4.1 is the Analog show in HD, 4.2 is the secondary Digital show and 4.3 is another random show.

 

For HD Radio, if the Analog station is 101.1, it just sounds like you only get 101.1 through the hd tuner. There are no subchannels separating out additional shows/sub-stations.

[BorisM]

Thanks w4rh4wk. Yeah I read that you can set it to analog in the instructions only but doesnt that defeat the purpose of having an HD tuner since it turns it off permanently (and for all stations)?

 

I didn't get to play with the radio much before she left but are there little sub channels to the HD radio stations like HD TV stations? So on TV theres Channel 4 for Analog but on Digital 4.1 is the Analog show in HD, 4.2 is the secondary Digital show and 4.3 is another random show.

 

For HD Radio, if the Analog station is 101.1, it just sounds like you only get 101.1 through the hd tuner. There are no subchannels separating out additional shows/sub-stations.

 

There are subchannels, actually. Assuming that your local station brpoadcasts them, once you tune to it it will show something like 91.5 1 (or somesuch, can't check it right now). If you hit tune up button, it will go to 91.5 2 etc.etc.

[w4rh4wk]

Thanks w4rh4wk. Yeah I read that you can set it to analog in the instructions only but doesnt that defeat the purpose of having an HD tuner since it turns it off permanently (and for all stations)?

Yup, but like i said im in a bad area for HD radio i basically have to drive 15 min from my town where it will stop cutting in and out of digital.... i was looking into a better antenna for the jeep, (but i didnt want a monster sized one). But i did find this one ....

http://www.jcwhitney.com/DOUBLE-TAKE-ARCHERY-CAMOUFLAGE-ARROW-RADIO-ANTENNA/GP_2020615_N_111+10201+600000501_10101.jcw

lol its a riot... but i dont know if i want to get it.

[FourDoor]

Thanks w4rh4wk. Yeah I read that you can set it to analog in the instructions only but doesnt that defeat the purpose of having an HD tuner since it turns it off permanently (and for all stations)?

 

I didn't get to play with the radio much before she left but are there little sub channels to the HD radio stations like HD TV stations? So on TV theres Channel 4 for Analog but on Digital 4.1 is the Analog show in HD, 4.2 is the secondary Digital show and 4.3 is another random show.

 

For HD Radio, if the Analog station is 101.1, it just sounds like you only get 101.1 through the hd tuner. There are no subchannels separating out additional shows/sub-stations.

 

There are subchannels, actually. Assuming that your local station brpoadcasts them, once you tune to it it will show something like 91.5 1 (or somesuch, can't check it right now). If you hit tune up button, it will go to 91.5 2 etc.etc.

 

Hmmm... If there are subchannels, maybe she was just tuned to the wrong one. Hopefully thats the case.

 

LOL @ the arrow antenna.

[DJDisturbed]

Thanks w4rh4wk. Yeah I read that you can set it to analog in the instructions only but doesnt that defeat the purpose of having an HD tuner since it turns it off permanently (and for all stations)?

Yup, but like i said im in a bad area for HD radio i basically have to drive 15 min from my town where it will stop cutting in and out of digital.... i was looking into a better antenna for the jeep, (but i didnt want a monster sized one). But i did find this one ....

http://www.jcwhitney.com/DOUBLE-TAKE-ARCHERY-CAMOUFLAGE-ARROW-RADIO-ANTENNA/GP_2020615_N_111+10201+600000501_10101.jcw

lol its a riot... but i dont know if i want to get it.

 

Bigger is NOT always better when it comes to antennas, an antenna that picks up the best is one that is properly tuned to the wavelength that you are trying to pick up. the factory antenna's are genrally the ones you should stick with b/c they are tuned to the right length (combined with the length of the antenna wire). This might not sound logical that bigger may not be the way to go, but you can ask any HAM radio operator or 2way radio repair person about this and they will tell you the same thing.

[w4rh4wk]

....lol i just ordered it

[vansmack2]

Here is how the analog/hd works. When set to HD tuner as you are the HD tuner will first tune in the analog station. If the station is aslo broadcasting in HD then within a few seconds it will tune in the HD 1 station and have a display to the right that shows something like 1/1 or 1/3 etc. depending on how many HD stations are being broadcast. I have attached a picture showing my F7010BT tuned into 95.5 KLOS in Los Angeles that has HD 1, HD 2 and HD 3 (HD 3 being a rebroadcast of their AM talk radio station 790). I put an arrow on the picture showing where the HD station indicator is. To tune to an HD station other than number 1 you use the tuning knob just like you would tune any other station but you have to wait until the radio has tune in the HD stations and shows the available numbers as in the picture.

 

I had my tuner installed with an antennae splitter between the HD receiver and standard tuner so that if I am in an area with poor HD reception I can just tune to standard FM and not have the HD going in and out.

 

By the way they were playing Alice Cooper's Elected. Great song IMO.

[FourDoor]

Thanks vansmack2. Great post and good tip about the analog stations. I'll pass this along to her. I'll probably order a splitter up and add it in there anyways when I install the wired remote for the gf.