AM/FM Radio - Antennae - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

PHOENIX · 02-24-2005, 04:18 PM

I have the antennae in the wind shield.
The FM radio sounds fairly good most of the time.
The FM is not as loud as from the CD, but good enough.
The AM radio cuts in and out all the time.
Im in the city where I should easily get AM radio.
Everything seems to be connected well.
Is this common for in the windshield antennaes?
Do I need some sort of booster?
What do you guys think?

BTW my radio is a Panasonic CD player.
I used to never listen to the radio, I always listen to CD's.
But lately I have been listening to the radio more and more
and noticed the problem. Never noticed it before, but then
again I pretty much never listened to the radio (AM/FM).

80BIG10 · 02-24-2005, 04:27 PM

I also have the antennea in the windshild and have no problems with AM/FM. Infact I get reseption further into the country than I did with my 2000 Silverado (about 30 more minutes before it cuts out now).

Mike76251 · 02-25-2005, 09:42 AM

The windshield antenna doesn't work with your AM radio........that's for FM.
Most (if not all) radios have the AM antenna built-in.............. because:
The FM wavelength is much higher than the AM wavelength, this means the antenna for AM has to be much longer than the one for FM.
You know how long a FM antenna should be? Just look at a antenna on a fender of a car.........3 or so feet.
The AM antenna has to be 5'-6' feet long (or longer) so it wouldn't fit on most cars.
The manufactors get around this space limitation by installing a coiled-up copper antenna in the radio's chassis.

In other words.............the only thing that will fix your AM reception is a VISA card.
Think Sony.

PHOENIX · 02-25-2005, 10:16 AM

Didnt know that.

What do you think about this?
Same radio different car, no problem.

Mike76251 · 02-25-2005, 12:22 PM

How much steel was around the radio in the other car? (blocking the signal)

PHOENIX · 02-25-2005, 12:28 PM

Very similar to my truck.
I wouldnt say any more or less.

So the am signal doesnt use the antennae at all?
I can unhook the antennae and the signal should not change?

thanks.

Mike76251 · 02-27-2005, 12:22 AM

Cars usually have much less metal in the dash area than our trucks.........unless it was like my 1962 Starfire, only 6 pieces of plastic on the whole thing.

You should notice no loss of AM reception with the stock antenna unhooked unless panasonic uses the antenna as a ground plane or something.

CbHeEaVsYt · 02-27-2005, 01:47 AM

every radio ive ever installed/used has had to have the radio antenna hooked up for either am or fm to even work and ive installed ALOT 3 in my truck alone

jvc sony pioneer kenwood all of the most were cd player/mp3 player/wma

i just dont know

Cb

02-24-2005, 04:18 PM	#1
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	AM/FM Radio - Antennae I have the antennae in the wind shield. The FM radio sounds fairly good most of the time. The FM is not as loud as from the CD, but good enough. The AM radio cuts in and out all the time. Im in the city where I should easily get AM radio. Everything seems to be connected well. Is this common for in the windshield antennaes? Do I need some sort of booster? What do you guys think? BTW my radio is a Panasonic CD player. I used to never listen to the radio, I always listen to CD's. But lately I have been listening to the radio more and more and noticed the problem. Never noticed it before, but then again I pretty much never listened to the radio (AM/FM). __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

02-25-2005, 10:16 AM	#4
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	Didnt know that. What do you think about this? Same radio different car, no problem. __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

02-25-2005, 12:28 PM	#6
PHOENIX Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 4,703	Very similar to my truck. I wouldnt say any more or less. So the am signal doesnt use the antennae at all? I can unhook the antennae and the signal should not change? thanks. __________________ * AVOID: LOPER'S PERMORANCE / LOPERSPEED.COM OF PHOENIX, AZ & COTTMAN TRANSMISSION *

02-27-2005, 01:47 AM	#8
CbHeEaVsYt Pick up man Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: trenton mi Posts: 135	every radio ive ever installed/used has had to have the radio antenna hooked up for either am or fm to even work and ive installed ALOT 3 in my truck alone jvc sony pioneer kenwood all of the most were cd player/mp3 player/wma i just dont know Cb __________________ heres sum pics of my truck 82 silverado c10 heres my baby 1990 k1500 check out this 1957 chevrolet for sale

02-24-2005, 04:27 PM	#2
80BIG10 3 lefts make a right Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Texas Hill Country Posts: 150	I also have the antennea in the windshild and have no problems with AM/FM. Infact I get reseption further into the country than I did with my 2000 Silverado (about 30 more minutes before it cuts out now).

02-25-2005, 09:42 AM	#3
Mike76251 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,499	The windshield antenna doesn't work with your AM radio........that's for FM. Most (if not all) radios have the AM antenna built-in.............. because: The FM wavelength is much higher than the AM wavelength, this means the antenna for AM has to be much longer than the one for FM. You know how long a FM antenna should be? Just look at a antenna on a fender of a car.........3 or so feet. The AM antenna has to be 5'-6' feet long (or longer) so it wouldn't fit on most cars. The manufactors get around this space limitation by installing a coiled-up copper antenna in the radio's chassis. In other words.............the only thing that will fix your AM reception is a VISA card. Think Sony.

02-25-2005, 12:22 PM	#5
Mike76251 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,499	How much steel was around the radio in the other car? (blocking the signal)

02-27-2005, 12:22 AM	#7
Mike76251 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,499	Cars usually have much less metal in the dash area than our trucks.........unless it was like my 1962 Starfire, only 6 pieces of plastic on the whole thing. You should notice no loss of AM reception with the stock antenna unhooked unless panasonic uses the antenna as a ground plane or something.



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