You are correct sir! I’m an electronic/instrumentation tech. I work with for a generation/transmission power company and I deal with communication. Don’t bow down to the antenna gurus! You know what you’re talking about. Haha
Hidden Radio Antenna
- Thread starter XCRN
- Start date
You think Jerry is on board with what "medical professionals" say today? Go ahead, ask...
I have one on the Mercedes - kinda silly though. I don't know why they did away with those - they'd be ideal on a trail rig.Agree with all of @Jerry Bransford has stated.
Now -> I want to see someone do a motorized antenna within the fender ala the 80s/90s vehicles!(@Zorba kinda looking your way...
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Everybody can go to a dealership lot and look for a whip antenna, they don't need to listen to me. Everybody can sit in a new car without a stupid steel antenna sticking in the air and hear their local radio station just fine and know exactly what the answer is. I'm not asking anybody to listen to a word I've said, they can see with their own eyes and hear with their ears. If the new cars without that steel whip suck than I'm full of shit. No big deal. No crazy off the wall suggestions, just what you can go see for yourselves.
Didn’t say that, just that one person is educated and experienced about a topic and others aren’t but think they are. I found the parallels in this argument amusing, that’s it.
Sorry but your statement is incorrect. The sharkfin antenna that you see on vehicles is a multi ban antenna that is primarily used for your GPS, Bluetooth, Onstar and Digital radio. There are usually 3 connections coming out of the shark fin
1 goes to the digital radio receiver (xm)
1 goes to theOnStar module/GPS
1 goes to the HMI/VCIM
This is pretty much std on all GM vehicles depending on which RPO codes (options) the vehicle has. Other vehicle manufacturers are similar but may have a different layout.
The reason you don't see a standard metal antenna on vehicles is because the AM/FM antenna is run through the glass on the majority of current vehicles.
GM passenger cars run the antenna though the rear glass. GM SUV's usually run the antenna through the right rear quarter glass.
They also use a radio antenna amplifier to improve reception. No it's not like that crappy 20.00 one you see advertised on amazon or crutchfield.
GM pickup trucks still use your standard run of the mill antenna, along with 90% of other vehicle manufacturers. The ones that don't usually run it through the front windshield.
As for the aftermarket Sharkfin, they pretty much suck. They also usually recommend the use of an FM signal booster for obvious reasons.
I've installed them on street rods, muscle cars and Jap cars, with less than stellar results.
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This has been addressed at least 3 times in this thread - the external whip antenna isn't there because it is built into the glass. Why are you struggling so much with this? Go look at your back glass. The purely horizontal lines are the defroster. The ones that go both vertically and horizontally are the antenna. So no, they aren't just using the little tiny shark fin on the roof, nor are they using a stubby. The other thing you are neglecting is that the radio attached to it isn't just a random radio off the street - it was engineered with that specific antenna in mind and tuned appropriately. That is why the reception in my car went down so much when I replaced the head unit - the antenna still had all the same reception, but the radio tuner wasn't as good.
You are asking about taking the radio (which may or may not be the factory stock) and pairing it with a stubby or similar. You'll get something, but can't tell you what other than that it likely won't be good. It may very well be acceptable, but that is now a matter of the level of compromise you are willing to make.
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I've run numerous Alpine HU in my jeeps and have never had a problem with FM reception. That was until the install of my last Alpine HU, The FM reception on my ILX HU is horrible, I have problems picking up local FM stations.
I've got a new car that does not have an antenna or a radio. It only has a button to push and radio comes on. But it does have 14 speakers.
So no radio or antenna, but if you push a button the radio comes on? That's an interesting contradiction for you to go reconcile
Pretty sure he was kidding - non of my vehicles look like they have a radio either. Well, except the TJ….
