Give me your oppinions on using a hidden antenna vs putting in a power unit.

Is the reception good?
Best mounting place (out of sight)?
Any noise interferance?

I have to decide soon on leaving the hole on cowl for the power unit, frenching-in the hole or smoothing the cowl and using the hidden antenna instead.

Ed

 

Someone drilled the hole in my cowl in the wrong place, and did a crappy job, too, so I welded it up. I'll either use an antenna under/inside the running board, or (would look cool, I think) in the center of the roof right above the windshield, slanted back (kind of retro/Euro style). I haven't had the courage to drill my roof, so I will likely do the running board trick...

I'm in an area where there is line-of-sight to the broadcast antennas for 75 miles in every direction, no hi-rises to block it. Your mileage may vary etc.

 

I have been toying with the idea of mounting it in one of the front stake pockets; using removable coverplate and having retractable antenna

Tom

 

I had one of the magic Dakota Digital stick on units on my '55. It probably worked better than just a piece of coax, but i would not venture to say how much. I ended up going back oem style.

 

I installed my antenna above the windshield and hidden under the headliner. It works great for F.M. reception but not on A.M. This was not an issue for me as I just listen to mostly oldie stations on F.M. or my C.D. player.

 

Mine does not have an antennae. It has a rubber plug out on the cowl where I assume one was at one time. I can't understand a radio anyway, so it will never have an antennae as long as I have it.

 

I have heard that the hidden antennas work OK for FM, but not for AM. I usually like to listen to AM, so the hidden antenna (and its price) didn't sound too good.

The PO had installed one of those rubber antennas in the stock hole in the cowl. It worked very well. I filled the cowl hole and plan to try mounting the rubber one in the driver front wheel well. I'll mount the base into the cab support arm and point it forward along the ground. If that turns out not to work well, I'll go to plan B before I install the interior.

 

My 48 never had a radio in it so rather than drill a hole in the cowl for an antenna I hid mine under the headliner over the passenger side door. It seems to work there fine.

 

I mounted an aftermarket rubber whip antenna in my passenger front wheel well on my '51. I drilled holes to mount the base and run the cord up high and mounted the antenna pointing down. I have fiberglass front fenders, which may not interfere as much as steel, but I have great reception with it.

 

I mounted mine off the frame in rubber insulators under my fiberglass running board. Just a normal cowl type unit. It does ok as far as AM goes, but not real good. I am like Randy and do like some am stuff, so I will be changing to a cowl mount soon. It works super for FM though.

 

Here's the deal to think about: Radio signals are broadcast from a vertical antenna where they waves radiate out from the sides in all directions, virtually no waves radiate out from the tip of the antenna. Those waves are traveling in a plane parallel to the antenna. To capture the waves most efficiently and acurrately the receiving antenna should also be oriented parallel to the transmitting antenna i.e. vertically, and away from any reflecting or absorbing material. The ideal location would be right in the middle of the roof.
When you mount the antenna horizontally, the majority of the signal it will pick up is those waves that have been rotated by reflection in their travels. Rotation and reflection can also add distortion and noise. AM signals being a different type signal are not reflected and rotated like FM signals, hence they are not picked up very well by a horizontal antenna.
I like the idea of the flush retracting antenna mounted in a stake pocket, but I think the retracting mechanism on most will present space issues.
The best answer for those who don't want a visible antenna is to use a hidden antenna for receiving strong local FM stations to get the news, weather, time, and use digital satellite for actual listening and entertainment. Since satellite signals are digital the receiving antenna is very small and inconspicuous.

 

I haven't gotten as far as installing a radio or antenna yet. I do know that you don't need an antenna in in the Albuquerque, NM area at all. Trust me on this, there is not a radio station worth listening to in a 200 mile radius!!!! Clear Channel Communications is the enemy.

Oops, sorry, got a little off topic there.....

Bobby

 

I live on the plains of S.Dakota, nearest radio station is 40 miles, nearest large city is 100 miles (60,000). I installed a hidden antennae I bought at Checkers for $15 or so, on my windshield above the rear view mirror, hardly noticeable but not hidden. It works great and I can pick up everything I used to in our other cars. We are pretty limited for programming so I subscribe to XM Radio and it is very nice out here in the boonies.

fifty2f1

 

That seems to be the secret, not hidden. Mine will soon be proudly displayed as in days of old. Same as my late model F150.

 

I like the stock location. Another idea that looks cool is to mount it on the back side of the cab down low just outside the bed. My buddy has it mounted that way on his 56 and it works great. Jag