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NeilH011
 
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Default FM radio antenna height for car... ?

The height of the stock FM radio antenna on a new car I bought is about 31"
high. It hits some things that hang from the garage ceiling so I'd love to
be able to shorten the antenna. I realize that doing so will most likely
decrease the quality of reception etc. Someone mentioned that if I shorten
the antenna I would need to keep it at a certain specific length... a
multiple of something... in order for it to work effectively...? Is this
true? I was just going to hack off maybe 6"... thus the total height would
now be 26" as opposed to 31"... but, is there some formula or rule about
antenna height that I need to pay attention to? I don't mind if I reduce
the overall effectiveness of the antenna by a little bit. If I cut 20% of
the length off the antenna, will I simply loose 20% of the antenna's
effectiveness? Thanks.


If it's a screw-in type why not replace it? You can find aftermarket ones that
are much shorter (right at about a foot long) that have the requisite length
of wire wrapped in a coil around the shorter antenna shaft. I've seen 'em in
different colors too, so you can get a plain black one or a flourescent lime
green one if you want : )

NeilH
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Scott Dorsey
 
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Default FM radio antenna height for car... ?

WideGlide wrote:

The height of the stock FM radio antenna on a new car I bought is about 31"
high. It hits some things that hang from the garage ceiling so I'd love to
be able to shorten the antenna. I realize that doing so will most likely
decrease the quality of reception etc. Someone mentioned that if I shorten
the antenna I would need to keep it at a certain specific length... a
multiple of something... in order for it to work effectively...? Is this
true? I was just going to hack off maybe 6"... thus the total height would
now be 26" as opposed to 31"... but, is there some formula or rule about
antenna height that I need to pay attention to? I don't mind if I reduce
the overall effectiveness of the antenna by a little bit. If I cut 20% of
the length off the antenna, will I simply loose 20% of the antenna's
effectiveness? Thanks.


Most car antennae aren't resonant anyway. They are shorter than a quarter
wave and go into a high-z input rather than have a normal antenna system
where the antenna resonates in the band and feeds a low-Z input.

This is part of why car radio reception is so crappy.

Anyway, you could trim it down. Or you could stop at your local truckstop
and get a wound fibreglass FM antenna that will be shorter AND give you
better reception.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
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dt king
 
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Default FM radio antenna height for car... ?

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
WideGlide wrote:

Anyway, you could trim it down. Or you could stop at your local

truckstop
and get a wound fibreglass FM antenna that will be shorter AND give you
better reception.


Good chance to pick up a new CB radio, extra large belt buckle, ball cap,
and one of those salted pecan rolls, too.

Love those nut rolls.

dtk

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Kurt Albershardt
 
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Default FM radio antenna height for car... ?

dt king wrote:

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...

WideGlide wrote:

Anyway, you could trim it down. Or you could stop at your local
truckstop
and get a wound fibreglass FM antenna that will be shorter AND give you
better reception.



Good chance to pick up a new CB radio, extra large belt buckle, ball cap,
and one of those salted pecan rolls, too.

Love those nut rolls.



I got a really nice DC microwave (and one for a friend) there a couple
years back. Saved me buying an inverter and kept me 60Hz-free in my
camper. Of course most popup truck campers can't handle the 72A draw
very well, but I've got batteries taking up the space where I left out
propane.



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