At least I got something done this weekend.

[vakkotaur]

The little mp3 player gadget that I got for the car worked out fairly well, but it had a couple problems. If I plugged into the lighter socket directly, the cup holder couldn't be used. While that's not a problem for short trips, it would be a problem for longer trips when I want a bottle of water ready so I can avoid traveller's dehydration. Also, I have to bend and stretch to reach it, which is not the best. That sort of thing brings back bad memories of a Thunderbird where it seemed nothing was in quite the right place, no matter how I adjusted things.

I tried using a 12V extension cord I have, but then the gadget would cut out at times, working its way out of the socket. Since losing power completely resets the player, that's no good.

I bought a second player last week and this weekend I took it apart. I was then able to remove the external power contacts and solder in a power cord. That won't come loose easily. The antenna in the gadget is folded back on itself several times, so I unfolded it and shrink-wrapped it to power cord. The other end of the cord has a small automotive power plug which fits into the socket without interfering with the cup holder.

The result is that I now have the thing wedged between the driver's seat and the center console where I can easily reach it. There is a bit more signal strength, but it's certainly not excessive.

As for the first gadget, I have that in the house where I've been using to transmit computer audio. Trying to hear the signal in other rooms reveals just how weak the signal really is. While it's possible to pick it up, that's about it.