Antennaless antenna?

[JStudrawa]

Thinking about taking out my current metal stick antenna and see what other options are available. New cars have the shark fin type thing on the back of the roof or even an auto antenna?

Mine's all bent and messed up due to someone bending it 90* one night while I was in the movies.

Would like to clean up the look of the car basically.

[Mike8675309]

Sharkfin antennas are for satellite radio. Either Sirius or XM.

I thought all SC's had electric antennas. Usually it's the radio that sends the signal to the antenna to retract when it's off, and raise when it's on. You can get replacement antenna's at auto parts stores. You can pull out the fender liner to get at the stock one.

[JStudrawa]

Nope, I just have the screw in metal one. Hey, the old man didn't spring for options :(

Possible to install a powered antenna myself, or would it require cutting etc?

Consider me a novice when it comes to working on these cars.

[Brad Klein]

I would think the wires were there for it so all you need is to find an antenna and it should bolt right in

[Andy 94SC]

If you have the plain old fixed mast, stick-of-metal style antenna, that is the best reception you are going to get. Styling is another story, but you will be giving up reception if you go with another type of antenna.

You should be able to get a new mast pretty cheap, even from a dealer. It should just unscrew off the car.

[trife86]

im not sure what is involved to do so. but i drive 97 - 2002 crown vic police package's and they have their radio antenna in the back window. looks like the defroster lines but all zig zagged so just a thought

[x182dan]

my moms 97 olds achieva has no radio antenna instead it has to little sensor type things on both sides of the back window about 1in long and .5in wide it works fien but its DEF not as good as a norma antenna

[Andy 94SC]

An in-glass antenna such as that is not something you are going to cook up at home very easily. Cars you see with those type of antenna's have had several months of development with RF specialists, and LOTS of very expensive test equiptment, to determine the size and shape of the pattern on that glass - it's different for each vehicle body. Another part you cannot see is there is also typically and impedance matching module / amplifier tuned to the vehicle body, glass pattern, and the coax cable / radio input impedance. Even with all that they are lucky if they get close to the reception ability of the mast antenna.

Again, spend the $8 - $10 for a new mast and be done.

[JStudrawa]

An in-glass antenna such as that is not something you are going to cook up at home very easily. Cars you see with those type of antenna's have had several months of development with RF specialists, and LOTS of very expensive test equiptment, to determine the size and shape of the pattern on that glass - it's different for each vehicle body. Another part you cannot see is there is also typically and impedance matching module / amplifier tuned to the vehicle body, glass pattern, and the coax cable / radio input impedance. Even with all that they are lucky if they get close to the reception ability of the mast antenna.

Again, spend the $8 - $10 for a new mast and be done.

Thanks for all the responses. Looks like I pull-apart it!

[drummerzrok24]

I took my power one out when I did my lambo doors and put a normal metal one inside my car behind the a-pillar.... works great.