I would like to know if somebody on this forum is using an FM expander with his jap unit?

I have a jap Panasonic unit and installed an FM expander recently which I bought on ebay. Installation is peanuts and I connected it to the cigar lighter connector for power.

Now, I am quite dissapointed, although I can get all radio stations, the interferences are awful while driving, a simple road with houses on both sides makes listening a pain iun the a**.
I wonder if it's due to the expander being crap or the fact that it is connected to the cigar lighter which is not suitable for such things?

Tks,
Ramon

 

I'm using one as well
I think they don't work too well due to not being RDS compatable

 

not sure about this, as Japanese or US units do't have RDS anyway. I read somewhere on the net that you would need a properly tuned expander in order that it works perfectly.

I have it connected to a better source now than the cigar lighter and it's ok now, not so many interferences now, a few but ok.
I drove a Renault Espace (company car) recently and the radio reception in that car was worse than my jap unit with the expander....

 

I've one fitted, well I did until a few days ago... It was useless : a very few stations were ok but many were crappy reception or other stations coming in and overpowering the signal for the station I'd tuned to etc. Why I put up with it for so long I don't know but I gave up and have fitted a new Sony XPLOD HU Maybe a better expander might have done the trick but I've heard of others with similar problems so didn't bother trying.