Hidden Radio Antenna

[XCRN]

I am wanting to relocate the radio antenna from outside and conceal it inside the cab area and have the old antenna hole filled in before sending out to paint or putting some badge over top. I was thinking the best location would be along the roll bar under the padding, but has anyone had success relocating the antenna and maintaining a respectable reception? I figured since Jeeps dont have the same frequency insulating metal roofs like every other car, this would turn out better than trying to do this to a car. I am aware of the stubby antenna options, but I would rather just clean up the side instead if possible.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Antennas are mounted outside for a reason, your radio reception will SUCK if you move the antenna inside your Jeep. Don't worry so much about the looks unless you just don't care if the radio works well or not.

 

[SPECWAR]

I have Sirius XM in all my vehicles including the TJ, however I at times listen to a fairly local FM station, so I just bought an 8” shorty antenna to replace the 30” mast that came with my TJ. Functions as it should, and is low and doesn’t interfere with anything if on a brushy trail.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I have Sirius XM in all my vehicles including the TJ, however I at times listen to a fairly local FM station, so I just bought an 8” shorty antenna to replace the 30” mast that came with my TJ. Functions as it should, and is low and doesn’t interfere with anything if on a brushy trail.

Shorty antennas basically suck too. While they may work ok when you're not too far from the FM stations you listen to, they don't have the ability to pick them up once you get a little further away where a conventional antenna would still work well. As an antenna guy, I just say it... again... stubby antennas suck at being a good antenna. Form vs. function questions for me always end up with function winning every time.

 

[Wingback73]

Ever notice that almost all mast antennae are the same height? There is a reason for that, and it is the same reason they are always mounted vertically - because that height, when mounted vertically is optimized for the FM band. You can certainly go smaller, but if you are going to, as Jerry said, you will suffer serious performance degradation. If, however, it is that important to you, you should be looking for an antenna height that is a 1/2 multiple of 75cm (normal antenna height, and 1/4 the wavelength of the typical FM antenna wave). So 37.5, 18.25, 9, etc. The shorter you go, the more it will suck. I don't like my external antenna either, but I do like my radio...

d-

 

[AndyG]

If you have a 4” lift, then technically we can let you drop down to 26”. You caught us on a good day. If you want the antenna mounted inside, then we are going to ask that you mount the radio on the hood.

Thanks, we try to be reasonable.

 

[Mall'er]

You will want an amplified antenna. That is what most modern cars use. Notice how many newer cars don't have antennas?

Here is a sample,

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_12044UA20/Universal-Antenna.html
I don't know if that particular unit is a good one or not, but my jeep is my only vehicle with an external antenna, and it probably gets the poorest reception of all my vehicles. But I seldom listen to the radio, so I don't really care.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

You will want an amplified antenna. That is what most modern cars use. Notice how many newer cars don't have antennas?

Here is a sample,

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_12044UA20/Universal-Antenna.html
I don't know if that particular unit is a good one or not, but my jeep is my only vehicle with an external antenna, and it probably gets the poorest reception of all my vehicles. But I seldom listen to the radio, so I don't really care.

You will want an amplified antenna. That is what most modern cars use. Notice how many newer cars don't have antennas?

Here is a sample,

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_12044UA20/Universal-Antenna.html
I don't know if that particular unit is a good one or not, but my jeep is my only vehicle with an external antenna, and it probably gets the poorest reception of all my vehicles. But I seldom listen to the radio, so I don't really care.

All cars, even "newer cars", have AM/FM antennas somewhere. You're just not looking hard enough, they're usually wires the same length as an external antenna molded into the front or rear window glass. And those gimmicky tiny "amplified" antennas only fool those who don't know anything about antennas or RF. If they worked worth a shit you wouldn't see tall buildings, antenna towers, police cruisers, naval warships, etc. bristling with big-ass antennas.

 

[Mall'er]

All cars, even "newer cars", have AM/FM antennas somewhere. You're just not looking hard enough, they're usually wires the same length as an external antenna molded into the front or rear window glass. And those gimmicky tiny "amplified" antennas only fool those who don't know anything about antennas or RF. If they worked worth a shit you wouldn't see tall buildings, antenna towers, police cruisers, naval warships, etc. bristling with big-ass antennas.

Yup, they have antennas, usually an amplified antenna similar to the idea of the link I posted. The "antenna" in this case is a length of wire you would most likely run across the base of the windshield. Works just the same as an external antenna.

I was just answering the OP's question with an actual suggestion.

As far as the different types of antennas, they are different if you are broadcasting vs receiving, base or mobile. They are different if you are working outside the commercial fm bands also. You aren't going to want to use the same antenna to pick up WKRP that you are using to broadcast ham. I wouldn't even use my cb antenna for ham either.

 

[joelachr]

My parents had a 1976 Chevy Blazer when I was a kid. It had an antenna either on or in the front windshield. It started in the middle at the bottom of the glass. Two wires went straight up from there to the top and then turned and ran along the top edge out to the sides. I always thought it was cool but I don’t remember how well it worked.

 

[Zorba]

My parents had a 1976 Chevy Blazer when I was a kid. It had an antenna either on or in the front windshield. It started in the middle at the bottom of the glass. Two wires went straight up from there to the top and then turned and ran along the top edge out to the sides. I always thought it was cool but I don’t remember how well it worked.

Our '78 1 ton had the same setup. It worked, but it wasn't anything extra as I recall.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Yup, they have antennas, usually an amplified antenna similar to the idea of the link I posted. The "antenna" in this case is a length of wire you would most likely run across the base of the windshield. Works just the same as an external antenna.

I was just answering the OP's question with an actual suggestion.

As far as the different types of antennas, they are different if you are broadcasting vs receiving, base or mobile. They are different if you are working outside the commercial fm bands also. You aren't going to want to use the same antenna to pick up WKRP that you are using to broadcast ham. I wouldn't even use my cb antenna for ham either.

It sounds like you're getting your antenna knowledge from catalogs like Crutchfield when you keep pushing "amplified antennas". Antennas made smaller for appearance reasons produce weaker noisier signals, amplifiers amplify that extra noise too just as much as the amplify the signal. Antennas at the correct length for the frequency being received (yes the length counts for receiving too, not just transmitting) produce the strongest signals that are also less noisy.

I designed my first antenna, a 15 meter "beam" antenna back in the mid-60's, then took 4 years of electronics & RF schooling, then took care of large HF, VHF, and UHF antenna farms and radio sites. I built and erected many antennas including for the USAF while in their HF/VHF/UHF RF communications units. I'm still active in it with a general class ham radio license, as well as of course CB for the Jeep. I have a good foundation of education in antennas so I'm not just repeating what I have read in catalogs or heard. Small "amplified" antennas for AM/FM car radios don't work worth a crap and that's why even when you can't see them, length-appropriate antennas are still there.... usually something like 38". If you think adding an amplifier to a miniaturized antenna is going to be as effective and something that can be recommended, I just can't agree with you. Not to mention the front-end of receivers have RF amplifiers to amplify the signal from the antenna already. Connecting an antenna with the correct length to it gives a lower noise signal to work with producing a better received signal.

There are no short cuts to antennas and no magic way to make miniaturized antennas work well at AM/FM (HF/VHF) frequencies. If there was, you would (again) not see big antenna towers and big antennas on top of structures made to support them. If there was no need for full size antennas, if we could get away with tiny antennas, we wouldn't be seeing antennas everywhere on the top of service vehicles, antenna towers, buildings, naval ships, etc.

 

[TheBoogieman]

My "baby" antenna works for local stations over 30 miles away. After that, I just use my 8 track tape player.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

My "baby" antenna works for local stations over 30 miles away. It depends on the strength of the local stations signal. After that, I just use my 8 track tape player.

30 miles is not exactly a long distance where commercial broadcast stations are concerned.

 

[steelhd]

It sounds like you're getting your antenna knowledge from catalogs like Crutchfield when you keep pushing "amplified antennas". Antennas made smaller for appearance reasons produce weaker noisier signals, amplifiers amplify that extra noise too just as much as the amplify the signal. Antennas at the correct length for the frequency being received (yes the length counts for receiving too, not just transmitting) produce the strongest signals that are also less noisy.

I designed my first antenna, a 15 meter "beam" antenna back in the mid-60's, then took 4 years of electronics & RF schooling, then took care of large HF, VHF, and UHF antenna farms and radio sites. I built and erected many antennas including for the USAF while in their HF/VHF/UHF RF communications units. I'm still active in it with a general class ham radio license, as well as of course CB for the Jeep. I have a good foundation of education in antennas so I'm not just repeating what I have read in catalogs or heard. Small "amplified" antennas for AM/FM car radios don't work worth a crap and that's why even when you can't see them, length-appropriate antennas are still there.... usually something like 38". If you think adding an amplifier to a miniaturized antenna is going to be as effective and something that can be recommended, I just can't agree with you. Not to mention the front-end of receivers have RF amplifiers to amplify the signal from the antenna already. Connecting an antenna with the correct length to it gives a lower noise signal to work with producing a better received signal.

There are no short cuts to antennas and no magic way to make miniaturized antennas work well at AM/FM (HF/VHF) frequencies. If there was, you would (again) not see big antenna towers and big antennas on top of structures made to support them. If there was no need for full size antennas, if we could get away with tiny antennas, we wouldn't be seeing antennas everywhere on the top of service vehicles, antenna towers, buildings, naval ships, etc.

And in my garage are two cars that came from the factory with a miniature on one and none on the other and they both get good FM reception throughout the rural parts of this state. Neither one is particularly new. How are they doing that?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I bow to the superior antenna knowledge being offered above and back out of this antenna discussion.

 

[steelhd]

I bow to the superior antenna knowledge being offered above and back out of this antenna discussion.

Domt get pissy for gawds sake. Its an honest question.

 

[williambmac]

Most newer vehicles utilize an active antenna system which uses and antenna and a signal amplifier. The antenna is usually built into the front/rear or side glass.
Some other vehicles use a multi band antenna for AM/FM radio, but is primarily for cellular, GPS signals, and XM signals,

I can tell you an aftermarket signal amplifier is a waste of time. I've tried it and it doesn't do shit but waste your money.

 

[steelhd]

^ That is an informative mature answer. Thank you.

 

[williambmac]

^ That is an informative mature answer. Thank you.

It may be informative, but I am in no way mature.