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Is there an Radio Aerial alternative?

Started by mrkozzy, 02 March 2013, 06:19 AM

mrkozzy

One of the silliest questions I've had to ask........
when the panel shop did some rust repairs last year, I left the instruction to find and repair "every" hole or paint bubble, about to become a rust hole.

At the time the car was left in the shop, I had taken out and thrown away the old decrepit radio aerial off the back fender  (cos the radio wasn't working anyway).
Sure enough, many many days later after the vehicle was returned, I stood at the rear of the car wondering what was different.
The porcupines at the panel shop had welded up and nicely painted my aerial hole also!!! Can you believe it????

suffice to say I'm rather attached to the no hole look and am wondering is there any quality "interior or windscreen mount" radio aerial system that someone can recommend? I'd rather not drill the rear panel again however if I have to.......I have to.

Any suggestions / experiences?
MrKozzy

Depa77450sel

When I was growing up my parents had a fiat argenta, that had the antenna inside the front windscreen the reception never dropped whenever it went in tunnels or underground carparks ect. I have no idea how you could get that done for your car but it's a suggestion. Good luck man.
1976 450SEL off the road for now
1977 450SEL ZMQ642 (SOLD)
1979 450SEL  W116MB (SOLD)
2003 C180 KOMPRESSOR (WRITTEN OFF )
2005 C200 KOMPRESSOR  (SOLD)
2010 E250 CGI current daily

AndreasF

Yepp, I just ordered one of these antennas for my MGA. It's a Bosch Autofun (no joke) antenna for the windscreen.
Or you are using a nice and cheap alternative: a clothes hanger, made from a wire  ;)
350SE (silver) from 1979 (sun roof, air condition, central locking, Becker Mexico, ....)

oversize

Alpine sell one for their digital radios, but I'm not sure how well it'd work with an analog unit
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

Casey

Clearly you need one of these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Special-Antenna-Mount-for-Windshield-Nice-HMMWV-M1114-/360436595349

Seriously though, I would not expect any windshield antenna to get very good reception (have you tried the radio in a new rental car without a "real" antenna?  They suck!), and they certainly won't be adjustable as the originals were.

Also, I believe they are FM only, so you'll lose AM.

Tony66_au

I have used the Bosch Autofun before (On an old Rolls Royce I had) and it did very very well.

Freeway car radio got the unit in for me and I attached it to the rear window where it worked well for years.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BOSCH-Universal-car-windscreen-aerial-antenna-FM-AM-/150653041240?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item23139efa58

Tony66_au

Quote from: Casey on 03 March 2013, 08:51 AM
Clearly you need one of these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Special-Antenna-Mount-for-Windshield-Nice-HMMWV-M1114-/360436595349

Seriously though, I would not expect any windshield antenna to get very good reception (have you tried the radio in a new rental car without a "real" antenna?  They suck!), and they certainly won't be adjustable as the originals were.

Also, I believe they are FM only, so you'll lose AM.


First up they work fine, they work well on AM or FM.

And what may or may not work in the USA may well work fine here where the airways are not so crowded and the broadcasters use higher powered transmitters.

When installed as per manufacturers suggestion they are both horizontally and vertically polarised and yet they dont seem to be as prone to interference usually caused with a horizontally polarised aerial.

A reasonable alternative!

shadetree77

we have a in glass antenna on our subaru and it works great. it picks up better than the hirschmann in my W126
1979 300SD
1983 300SD
1991 420SEL

mrkozzy

well looks like I have some options...............let the homework begin.

Thanks guys
MrKozzy

Tony66_au

No Probs!

And for $50 its worth a shot anyway.

AndreasF

My "autofun" arrived yesterday, 29 Euros incl. Shipping at amazon:





I will install it on one of the next weekends, waiting for a warm and sunny day to install it.
350SE (silver) from 1979 (sun roof, air condition, central locking, Becker Mexico, ....)

mrkozzy

AndreasF Looks impressive.
I look forward to an update and await your opinion.
I would appreciate a picture of the finished mount, so I can judge for myself (asthetics)

I on the other hand am NOT in a hurry. Its summer here 8) and we are experiencing our 2nd week in the high 30's ('c). 8)
For me its been too hot  8) to do anything to the car..................
MrKozzy

atatexan

The "no body holes" look very tempting when I scrape up the funds to repaint mine. The aftermarket (blasphemy) Blaupunkt is about to leave and be replaced by a very cool Gelhard Radio Classic 40 with ultra modern innards (CD player, MP3, iPhone/Pod, Bluetooth) with a classic faceplate. A good antenna will be good.
1975 Euro 350SE
1992 Euro C124 300CE-24 Sportline 5-speed Getrag
2002 R170 SLK320 6-speed
1986 190E 2.3-16 - sold
1987 W126 300SDL -sold
1994 E420 - sold
1968 W108 250SE - sold
1962 W111 220Sb - sold
1969 Porsche 911T, 911S
1980 911SC
1974 Citroen DS23

carl888

Kozzy, three options!

1. Drill a new hole!

2. Connect the antenna up to the rear window demister.

3. Affix a window antenna.

Next time you come to the factory I can show you both, option 2 is on the BMW (I filled in the original antenna hole like you did), option 3 on the 308 (Was filled in by the previous owner).  Both work well, HOWEVER no good for AM.  FM only.