Question about radio antenna reception

[Scott alcorn]

1st.. I'm getting just under 20 miles to the gallon woohoo
2nd my factory radio is losing signal on most stations however I have a short antenna ... is the antenna not long enough or is the tuner going out in the radio as always TIA

 

[rasband]

The short antenna replacements are known to have less than stellar reception, I’d bet that’s the issue.

Congrats on the MPG!

 

[Jeffreybomb]

It’s your antenna.

I bought a “stubby” antenna for my F150 because the stock antenna kept smacking on beams in my parking garage at work. Recommendations said, “Great reception, even with its size!”

It was trash.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Short antennas are barely better than nothing and nowhere close to working even close to as well as the factory antenna length does. Unless you're a style over function type go back to a factory length antenna. Short antennas just don't/cannot work as well as taller antennas do. Stubby antennas are a waste of $$$ if you listen to the radio much... especially FM stations.

 

[Scott alcorn]

Ok so what's the stock length as I bought it without an antenna ... the one on it now I thing is like 16 inch

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Ok so what's the stock length as I bought it without an antenna ... the one on it now I thing is like 16 inch

31" (or very close) like the TJ and cars come with is best for FM reception which will work fine for the AM band too.

To be more precise, 31.75" peaks the antenna for the midpoint of the FM radio band which also works fine for the entire AM band.

 

[Jeffreybomb]

I bought a 28” antenna and it works great. I can pick up stations that are 60 miles away from my house.

 

[Steel City 06]

Be sure your antenna is vertical or close to vertical for best reception. Most radio signals are broadcast from vertical antennas, thus the signals are polarized.

AM and FM radio is vertically polarized by convention. (TV signals are horizontally polarized.)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarization_(waves)#Radio_transmission_and_reception