Need Help With a Stereo Antenna

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retroron

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I decided to remove the fender antenna (for the smooth look), and my original thought was to install a sharks fin antenna on the roof. After I thought about it for awhile I decided not to do that. So here's my problem: I need an antenna that I can install in the dash in an area about 6X4X4 where the speaker grill used to be. I'm using the box area for my speedo GPS and there is room for a small radio antenna. It would see the sky so reception wouldn't be an issue. I know a Sirius satellite size antenna will fit along side the GPS unit but I don't know if it will receive anything other than satellite signals. An other possibility is to get a shark roof mount antenna and modify it to fit in the box area. Any and all thoughts/help would be appreciated.
 
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Been watchin hidden antennas myself just waiting for someone to give their thoughts and expweience but nothing so far. I will be keepibg a close eye on thread!
Rod
 
I also removed my antenna (and the hole in the fender where it used to be):D
I'm getting a windshield style amplified FM antenna, since they are small and get better reception than the originals on the fender.
Remember the old FM signal boosters?
Same thing built into a small antenna, and just so you know, seeing sky doesn't matter with RF signals.
 
TrailBeast, Not to argue, but I had a hidden antenna in my 37 Ford coupe. The product literature promised "unparalleled reception". Unparalleled reception wound up any thing within 1/4 mile of the closest station! Seeing the sky does matter if your using a GPS unit for your speedo, at least it did for me, and that is what mfg. recommends.
Rod, I think I'm going to buy shark fin antenna and see what it takes to make it fit my dash cutout. I'll keep you all advised.

IMG_0903.JPG
 
I realize that guys but I thought this quote meant he wanted to add a radio antenna after removing the original from the fender.
So apparently we are talking a Sirius radio GPS receiver then.

"I'm using the box area for my speedo GPS and there is room for a small radio antenna."
 
More on the shark fin: It looks like the body of the antenna is some kind of composite so I'm hoping that the electronics are in the base and the top, the "fin", is just composite material. If that's the case, I might be able to trim it to fit. Stay tuned, news next week.
The reason the sky is important is if the GPS can't "see" the sky, e.g. you bury the unit under the dash, the signal is attenuated. I know, I tried it. Besides, this is why you build them isn't it?
 
TrailBeast, Not to argue, but I had a hidden antenna in my 37 Ford coupe. The product literature promised "unparalleled reception". Unparalleled reception wound up any thing within 1/4 mile of the closest station! Seeing the sky does matter if your using a GPS unit for your speedo, at least it did for me, and that is what mfg. recommends.
Rod, I think I'm going to buy shark fin antenna and see what it takes to make it fit my dash cutout. I'll keep you all advised.

View attachment 1715049557

I have had reception quality issue's with a multitude of different types and had the same problems with some of them.
Others were great, so it's kind of a roll the dice crapshoot, but the one I'm going to give a try is one that goes at the top of the windshield behind the mirror. (amped of course) and see how it does.
Apparently I misunderstood the intention of what you were wanting to do.:D
 
I realize that guys but I thought this quote meant he wanted to add a radio antenna after removing the original from the fender.
So apparently we are talking a Sirius radio GPS receiver then.

"I'm using the box area for my speedo GPS and there is room for a small radio antenna."
TrailBeast, you are correct in what you've said, but I'd rather not have satellite radio if I can get an FM antenna that will fit in the cutout I've made. What I don't want is a windshield glued antenna the looks funky. What I want is to locate both the speedo GPS and the FM antennal in the dash cutout. The satellite radio is great but the cost does not make sense for a car that is not driven daily. Does that make any sense to you?
 
TrailBeast, you are correct in what you've said, but I'd rather not have satellite radio if I can get an FM antenna that will fit in the cutout I've made. What I don't want is a windshield glued antenna the looks funky. What I want is to locate both the speedo GPS and the FM antennal in the dash cutout. The satellite radio is great but the cost does not make sense for a car that is not driven daily. Does that make any sense to you?

I'm AFU now. :D
So you were talking about adding an FM antenna, and I said something like FM doesn't need to see the sky for it's signal and then was told GPS does.
I don't get it, because I know how they all work but I must be missing something in the translation I guess.

Never mind, carry on.:D
 
Years ago I ran a commercial fishing boat off the Calif Central Coast. To communicate we used VCB radios and we made our own antennas by string about 3 yards of co-ax as I remember between insulators between the mast and the wheel house. I'm guessing the same principle is used in the shark fin antenna; anyway, we'll soon find out!
 
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I'm AFU now. :D
So you were talking about adding an FM antenna, and I said something like FM doesn't need to see the sky for it's signal and then was told GPS does.
I don't get it, because I know how they all work but I must be missing something in the translation I guess.

Never mind, carry on.:D
Satellite signals are direct line of sight, that's why you loose the signal when you go under overpasses. And I think the satellite signal bandwidth is different than the RF. Good dialogue please stay in the loop.
Ron
 
Satellite signals are direct line of sight, that's why you loose the signal when you go under overpasses. And I think the satellite signal bandwidth is different than the RF. Good dialogue please stay in the loop.
Ron

Dog gone it I know exactly how each type works.:D
And yes they are made to receive their specific signals, and they are different.
See what I mean that I must have missed something?

I'll probably regret asking this with the above track record:D, but were you saying that you would like to use the one antenna for both?
 
Dog gone it I know exactly how each type works.:D
And yes they are made to receive their specific signals, and they are different.
See what I mean that I must have missed something?

I'll probably regret asking this with the above track record:D, but were you saying that you would like to use the one antenna for both?
No, I already have the speedo GPS antenna, what I'm try to find or create is a FM antenna that's about the same size and shape as Sirius satellite antenna. Does that make sense to you?
 
No, I already have the speedo GPS antenna, what I'm try to find or create is a FM antenna that's about the same size and shape as Sirius satellite antenna. Does that make sense to you?

That's exactly what I got from your post.
Totally, sorry if it looked/looks like I'm messing with you because I honestly am not.
I just didn't get why I was told GPS needs line of sight when what was being asked was about an FM antenna.

Never mind, I'm over it. :D
Thanks for taking the time.
 
That's exactly what I got from your post.
Totally, sorry if it looked/looks like I'm messing with you because I honestly am not.
I just didn't get why I was told GPS needs line of sight when what was being asked was about an FM antenna.

Never mind, I'm over it. :D
Thanks for taking the time.
No offense taken my friend, I was concerned that I was not communicating well enough. The GPS/FM antenna goes back to first post where I was describing the dash cutout with room for both antennas, that's all. So tomorrow I'm going to try and find a sharks fin FM antenna and see what gives. Any information you may have or know would be appreciated though.
 
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No offense taken my friend, I was concerned that I was not communicating well enough. The GPS/FM antenna goes back to first post where I was describing the dash cutout with room for both antennas, that all. So tomorrow I'm going to try and find a sharks fin FM antenna and see what gives. Any information you may have or know would be appreciated though.

Yep, that's exactly what I thought you were asking.
Sorry, I already mentioned the only thing I knew of for sure that might do what you wanted and get a decent signal because they are generally pretty small and flexible.
 
Yep, that's exactly what I thought you were asking.
Sorry, I already mentioned the only thing I knew of for sure that might do what you wanted and get a decent signal because they are generally pretty small and flexible.
TrailBeast, I still haven't closed on an antenna, but found this on the net. For me it explained a lot.
"Both terrestrial radio and satellite radio use omnidirectional antennas, which can be contrasted with the directional antennas used by satellite television services. However, your existing car antenna that’s designed to receive AM and FM signals isn’t capable of receiving satellite radio transmissions.

The issue is that the FM broadcast band occupies part of the very high frequency (VHF) radio spectrum, the AM band utilizes part of the medium frequency (MF) band, and satellite radio occupies the S band.

Although there are slight variations between different countries and regions, the North American bands are:


AM radio: 535 kHz to 1705 kHz

FM radio: 87.9 to 107.9 MHz"

Satellite radio: 2.31 to 2.36 GHz

Does that help at all?
 
I don't live right-- I went to the local car stereo shop and tried to explain to them what I was trying to accomplish. I would have gotten frustrated, but TrailBeast and I already had a "who's on first" conversation last night so the one day wasn't so bad. So after I finally got the fellow to separate FM/AM connections from GPS and satellite connections in his thinking (thank you TrailBeast) he finally picked on the part about me trying to use a 2007 Chrysler 300 low profile antenna. I re-asked the question, "will this antenna receive FM signals?" and how could I tell without hooking it up, since I haven't bought the head unit. He said that GPS and satellite antenna cable connectors are entirely different than the standard FM/AM coax connector. So if it looks like an FM coax connector its most likely is.

Monday I'll go to my fabricators shop and retrieve the 300C low profile antenna, go on to the stereo shop and try and confirm I have an antenna that will work as well as fit in my 4X4X6 dash opening. I'll keep you all informed. Meanwhile there's cold one in the box waiting for me.
 
Been watching some of the comments here so far. First let me say your 37 coupe is awesome looking. The color combo's are great together.
Im not sure what the shark fin antenna is. What I was looking at is a hidden antenna as well, Here's a link to one that I was looking at.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/res-hpa1/reviews/
There are ones that are more expensive but from reading reviews a lot seems to depend on the unit you are going to be using. Im only concerned with the FM reception and it sounds as though these will work better on FM than on AM. Let me know how you make out once you decide what to use. I have at least a year before I will even be close to having my car on the road.
One last thing, I use XM/Sirius every day. I lose reception when I get into wooded areas, High banks on the side and underpasses. My XM radio I can pull out and put into my vette convertable, or my lexus. I connect it thru a cable to the sterio in either one and just sit it on my top dash. I find reception changes with the direction Im heading. If I am traveling in the direction away from a satellite and the roof blocks a direct path to the radio inside the car I lose reception. Now the radio I use has its own antenna built into it so I dont always have to have the XM antenna hooked up but Its not near as efficient with the auxillary antenna.
Keep your progress updated.
Best of Luck
Rod
 
Been watching some of the comments here so far. First let me say your 37 coupe is awesome looking. The color combo's are great together.
Im not sure what the shark fin antenna is. What I was looking at is a hidden antenna as well, Here's a link to one that I was looking at.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/res-hpa1/reviews/
There are ones that are more expensive but from reading reviews a lot seems to depend on the unit you are going to be using. Im only concerned with the FM reception and it sounds as though these will work better on FM than on AM. Let me know how you make out once you decide what to use. I have at least a year before I will even be close to having my car on the road.
One last thing, I use XM/Sirius every day. I lose reception when I get into wooded areas, High banks on the side and underpasses. My XM radio I can pull out and put into my vette convertable, or my lexus. I connect it thru a cable to the sterio in either one and just sit it on my top dash. I find reception changes with the direction Im heading. If I am traveling in the direction away from a satellite and the roof blocks a direct path to the radio inside the car I lose reception. Now the radio I use has its own antenna built into it so I dont always have to have the XM antenna hooked up but Its not near as efficient with the auxillary antenna.
Keep your progress updated.
Best of Luck
Rod
Rod, Thank you for the kind words about the coupe. This entire discourse started because I want a "hidden" antenna that works. So, what I've found so far, is a Chrysler 300C low profile antenna the may fit the bill. I ruled out satellite radio because I won't be using the car everyday. The cost of Sirius is too much just for occasional use. I'm about a month away from all the paint and body being done, which will drive the sound system & antenna. A shark fin antenna is what you see on BMWs, Fords, Chevys, etc. I'll update the post and add some pictures as I complete the car.
Ron
 
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