iTrips and Airwave Traffic
Posted on November 27, 2007 - Filed Under Media, Music |
I recently bought an iTrip (a radio device that enables you to play your iPod through any FM radio) for my car because my iTape (a tape device that enable you to play your iPod through any cassette player) broke. Initially I was very pleased with the iTrip; it sounded reasonably clear compared to the iTape, since anything played through my iTape sounded fuzzy and dreadful. However, I’ve had it about a week now and I’m starting to get really steamed about something.
It seems that you cannot drive for 5 minutes in any direction without encountering considerable signal interference that is just audible enough to annoy the hell out of me. Also, the iTrip’s own signal seems to vary in strength depending on where it is placed relative to the radio receiver. Given that there’s really only one place I can put it, from which it yields a weak signal, this is quite a drawback.
Apparently connecting a length of coat hanger wire to the iTrip can improve it’s transmission quality, but unless merely wrapping the wire around is sufficient then I’ve no idea how to go about this. The other issue, of signal interference, is one I can do little about besides complain. It’s seems totally unjustifiable and unnecessary that the seven or so radio stations that I receive unsolicited can together conspire to block out all clear signals on the FM bandwidth from 88 to 107 (I’m not up to speed on radio lexicon, so apologies if the terminology is askew here). While some stations such as Rádio na Gaelteachta have the decency to confine themselves to a fairly narrow spectrum, other seem intent to take up as much room as possible. Why can’t each station be assigned a certain chunk of spectrum, consisting of no more than 1 FM digit? What is the point of taking up more than one section? People can only listen to one of them.
There was a time when this flagrant abuse of airwave space wouldn’t matter. That time was when people didn’t have MP3 players that could be played on car stereos. The cost of radio broadcast licenses ought to seriously hiked, and radio stations ought to be charged for each slot they either fully occupy or distort with their usually brain dead content (while trying to find a signal in my car earlier I stumbled across some transmission in which the presenter was taking about “donkey eagles” or some such nonsense in an Americanised Cork accent. I think it was probably Red FM). Then maybe I’d get a clear signal, and maybe some radio stations would have to close down too, which is what most of them deserve for being so goddamn bad.
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The easiest thing is just say fuck it, and buy a savage stereo ie a Sony. They have an aux inlet at the front so then you can plug the Ipod, via an aux cable, into the stereo. and the Ipod can stay at your usual volume as there is a volume boost built into the stereo.
Also you can get one with bluetooth and/or a USB Port.
Hey Ian, thanks for commenting; I didn’t know you read this.
I eventually found an okay signal at 88.7 FM. As long as I’m not on a hill it seems to work fine, so I’m happy enough with it now. A proper stereo would be cool but expensive, so I think I’ll stick with the iTrip for the time being.