09-05-2005, 03:28 PM
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#1
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Smyrna, Georgia
Posts: 2,383
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Anyone change out their antenna?
I am looking to swap the giant antenna mast on my truck for a shorter, maybe rubber one. Mine gets loose after being on the road, and I drag it on things fairly often as I have to park outside and sometimes under a tree. Anyone know of some shorter replacements? Why did they stop putting the antennas in the windshield glass like they did in the 70's and the 80's?
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"When I step on the gas, I want people to think the world is coming to an end!" - Homer Simpson
2002 ECSB, Nelson Tune, LS1 electric fans, 145A alternator, K&N FIPK, 160º T-stat, TB coolant bypass, Corvette servo, 4 headlight mod, blue LED gauge cluster
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09-05-2005, 06:19 PM
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#2
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Preston, Georgia
Posts: 2,154
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Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
I've replaced one on a Tahoe, but used a factory replacement. It wasn't fun at all though.
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1998 ECSB Z71
Whelen LED's
Kenwood 2-way
"BIG 3"
2500+ watt audio
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09-05-2005, 07:09 PM
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#3
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The Alamo, Texas
Posts: 1,057
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Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
My '05 has a tool in the glove box so you can tighten it or remove it for the carwash. I took it off as long as the 3 month free XM is on...
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09-05-2005, 07:39 PM
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#4
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AF Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Huntsville/Houston, Texas
Posts: 7,785
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I've had two of them. That will always be the first to go for me on any truck I own. I hate the stock antenna's.
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09-05-2005, 08:40 PM
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#5
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Smyrna, Georgia
Posts: 2,383
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Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
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Originally Posted by TexasF355F1
I've had two of them. That will always be the first to go for me on any truck I own. I hate the stock antenna's.
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Well, would you mind sharing? I'd like to know what you used
__________________
  
"When I step on the gas, I want people to think the world is coming to an end!" - Homer Simpson
2002 ECSB, Nelson Tune, LS1 electric fans, 145A alternator, K&N FIPK, 160º T-stat, TB coolant bypass, Corvette servo, 4 headlight mod, blue LED gauge cluster
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09-05-2005, 11:52 PM
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#6
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AF Newbie
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: san angelo, Texas
Posts: 2
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if you go to circuit city and ask them for an amplified antenna they will have one made by metra. i am an installer at ccity and i put one on my truck and have had no problems at all. its a box about 6" long 1 3/4 wide and has a sticky pad so you can put where you like.i have mine inside dash where you cant see and have had no problems.got rid of mast on outside.hope that helps
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09-06-2005, 12:14 AM
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#7
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Smyrna, Georgia
Posts: 2,383
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Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
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Originally Posted by atlsilver
if you go to circuit city and ask them for an amplified antenna they will have one made by metra. i am an installer at ccity and i put one on my truck and have had no problems at all. its a box about 6" long 1 3/4 wide and has a sticky pad so you can put where you like.i have mine inside dash where you cant see and have had no problems.got rid of mast on outside.hope that helps
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That would be alright, but I'm really just looking for a shorter mast to screw back on to the factory stud.
__________________
  
"When I step on the gas, I want people to think the world is coming to an end!" - Homer Simpson
2002 ECSB, Nelson Tune, LS1 electric fans, 145A alternator, K&N FIPK, 160º T-stat, TB coolant bypass, Corvette servo, 4 headlight mod, blue LED gauge cluster
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09-06-2005, 01:36 AM
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#8
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AF Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: seattle, Washington
Posts: 30
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Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
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Originally Posted by BlenderWizard
Why did they stop putting the antennas in the windshield glass like they did in the 70's and the 80's?
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Because that antenna configuration favored the FM band and did not work well on The AM broadcast band. The people that represented the AM stations were able to get it changed back to the "whip" style. It is now designed bettter for both frequency ranges.
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09-06-2005, 01:44 AM
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#9
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: mechanicsburg, Illinois
Posts: 739
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Re: Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
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Originally Posted by Hurricane145
Because that antenna configuration favored the FM band and did not work well on The AM broadcast band. The people that represented the AM stations were able to get it changed back to the "whip" style. It is now designed bettter for both frequency ranges. 
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there are some cars out there with antennas in the rear windows, but who listens to am anyways?? its like cassettes outdated! i would check autozone or similar store for a short wip antenna. maybe even ebay.
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09-06-2005, 06:50 AM
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#10
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AF Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Avonmore, Pennsylvania
Posts: 58
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The windshield antenna favored the am band and had poor performance with the fm band. For good reception, a FM antenna needs to be 30" long, the size of the wavelength of the FM broadcast.
One car that has/had a rear glass antenna is the Gran Prix 97+. Mostly the GTP's and GT's. Those cars with the glass mount antenna also have a signal booster for proper reception.
You'll find that cars with short antenna from the factory will have a signal booster for performance. My wife's Toyota Matrix has an antenna that's about a foot long on the roof and it also uses a booster.
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09-06-2005, 04:27 PM
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#11
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: mechanicsburg, Illinois
Posts: 739
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Re: Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
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Originally Posted by BlenderWizard
That would be alright, but I'm really just looking for a shorter mast to screw back on to the factory stud.
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here is one that just screws on and looks short. its only 9.99.
http://www.antennax.com/
they have pics of it installed on trucks too so you can see what it will look like when you get it.
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09-06-2005, 06:03 PM
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#12
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AF Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Huntsville/Houston, Texas
Posts: 7,785
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Re: Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
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Originally Posted by BlenderWizard
Well, would you mind sharing? I'd like to know what you used
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My fault. My first one I had was made by Trenz. Then I bought one by a company called Autotecnica for my dad but he never used it so i did. Now I'm about to put my Trenz back on because my current one is starting to rust a bit.
Link from sportruck.com (I have Style 3)
http://www.truckshop.com/home.php?cat=359
Sportin, millions upon millions listen to AM. I'm 23 and listen to AM more than FM. Mostly the sports stations though, but my cd player is pretty much in infinite use.
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09-06-2005, 06:47 PM
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#13
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Smyrna, Georgia
Posts: 2,383
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Re: Re: Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
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Originally Posted by sportin83
here is one that just screws on and looks short. its only 9.99.
http://www.antennax.com/
they have pics of it installed on trucks too so you can see what it will look like when you get it.
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Is this what you got? http://www.antennax.com/products/description_ax01.htm
__________________
  
"When I step on the gas, I want people to think the world is coming to an end!" - Homer Simpson
2002 ECSB, Nelson Tune, LS1 electric fans, 145A alternator, K&N FIPK, 160º T-stat, TB coolant bypass, Corvette servo, 4 headlight mod, blue LED gauge cluster
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09-06-2005, 07:10 PM
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#14
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: mechanicsburg, Illinois
Posts: 739
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by BlenderWizard
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there is that one and then i also saw a short metal one for 15 bucks , says they screw right onto factory stud. they say they keep the same reception quality and work direct bolt on. or your money back within 30 days. seems like a good deal to me.
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09-06-2005, 08:40 PM
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#15
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AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Smyrna, Georgia
Posts: 2,383
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Re: Anyone change out their antenna?
the one I posted seemed to be pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Thank you very much for finding that for me, I ordered one earlier
__________________
  
"When I step on the gas, I want people to think the world is coming to an end!" - Homer Simpson
2002 ECSB, Nelson Tune, LS1 electric fans, 145A alternator, K&N FIPK, 160º T-stat, TB coolant bypass, Corvette servo, 4 headlight mod, blue LED gauge cluster
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