AM CAR ANTENNAS OF THE 60S.

[wibgradio99]

Years ago, back in the 60s, before any of you were born, only old goats like David, Frank and myself might remember , the car antenna was always three or four sectioned, mounted on the front fender, the more you pulled the antenna up the stronger the signals. Remember, most cars only had AM radios, many with tubes. Some cars had two antennas in the back, and others had two in the back plus one on the front fender. People would boast, who had the larger antenna and some would even put ornaments on the masts, Now the question, my 2022 explorer has a very small flat black box on the roof, 2inx2inx1/2in, thats it. I imagine its for AM/FM and Sirius XM, The AM reception is fantastic, every click a different station, many over 50 miles away, so what's the reason, is the antenna technology that much better, the radio superior, the signals broadcasting different. Am I on the wrong forum with this.

 

[davideduardo]

Years ago, back in the 60s, before any of you were born, only old goats like Eduardo, Frank and myself might remember , the car antenna was always three or four sectioned, mounted on the front fender, the more you pulled the antenna up the stronger the signals. Remember, most cars only had AM radios, many with tubes. Some cars had two antennas in the back, and others had two in the back plus one on the front fender. People would boast, who had the larger antenna and some would even put ornaments on the masts, Now the question, my 2022 explorer has a very small flat black box on the roof, 2inx2inx1/2in, thats it. I imagine its for AM/FM and Sirius XM, The AM reception is fantastic, every click a different station, many over 50 miles away, so what's the reason, is the antenna technology that much better, the radio superior, the signals broadcasting different. Am I on the wrong forum with this.

Flashback.

In the mid to late 60's I was in Ecuador. If we went to a movie, a club or a restaurant at night, we'd park the car, detach the windshield wipers and the radio antenna and put them inside the car. Afterwards, we'd reverse the process. Otherwise, both would be stolen and we could buy a "replacement" at the corner for the equivalent of $4 to $5.

Nobody had hubcaps or hood ornaments.

We'd make our own, or buy, pre-assembled detachable radio antennas. They were generally just a straightened coat hanger with a plug that you inserted into the car's antenna "jack" which a mechanic had made.

You could tell the buses that went from city to city as they had two little plastic pipe rods at the front and back of the roof, with a wire between them. That was the antenna that insured reception outside of the cities.

 

[Rich_M]

Years ago, back in the 60s, before any of you were born, only old goats like David, Frank and myself might remember , the car antenna was always three or four sectioned, mounted on the front fender, the more you pulled the antenna up the stronger the signals. Remember, most cars only had AM radios, many with tubes. Some cars had two antennas in the back, and others had two in the back plus one on the front fender. People would boast, who had the larger antenna and some would even put ornaments on the masts, Now the question, my 2022 explorer has a very small flat black box on the roof, 2inx2inx1/2in, thats it. I imagine its for AM/FM and Sirius XM, The AM reception is fantastic, every click a different station, many over 50 miles away, so what's the reason, is the antenna technology that much better, the radio superior, the signals broadcasting different. Am I on the wrong forum with this.

The shark fin on the roof is likely SXM, cellular and GPS, FM is in the glass and looks like a defroster line and may be interwoven with the defroster elements. AM - no idea, you can stash a ferrite bar anywhere since it doesn't need line of sight, only needs to be away from electrical interference.

 

[wibgradio99]

Then those gigantic AM car antennas weren't really that effective way back when, but they did improve reception when extended fully. If I recall, wasn't windshield antennas tried back in the 70s and were so bad they were eliminated the next year. I remember a friend of mine had a 68 impala with FM, the slide bar and the antenna was a fixed thin 36 inch, no sections.

 

[Kemosabe]

Flashback.

In the mid to late 60's I was in Ecuador. If we went to a movie, a club or a restaurant at night, we'd park the car, detach the windshield wipers and the radio antenna and put them inside the car. Afterwards, we'd reverse the process. Otherwise, both would be stolen and we could buy a "replacement" at the corner for the equivalent of $4 to $5.

A couple of our cars had motorized telescoping antennas that were retracted completely when the radio was off.

Nobody had hubcaps or hood ornaments.

Imagine what could have befallen William van Alen's Chrysler Building had it been built in Ecuador.

 

[JH_Radio]

First of all, your radio is DSP tuned.
Second, remember the car is grounded which helps.
Third I'm sure there's an amp before the antenna which helps.
4th, see why I'm getting an outdoor AM antenna for my roof?
I have it but it needs to be replaced.
I want to get that kinda reception I can get in the car in my house!
and literally nothing helps.

 

[TheBigA]

The AM reception is fantastic, every click a different station, many over 50 miles away, so what's the reason, is the antenna technology that much better, the radio superior, the signals broadcasting different.

When the only electronic device in the car is an AM radio, the manufacturer puts more care into it. The radios were likely still made in the USA at that point.

Antenna boosters were also available, both inline and in the antenna itself.

 

[landtuna]

Years ago I had a '65 Chevy Corvair which had a Delco AM-only radio. When the car died I exhumed the radio and built a wooden box for it and the one speaker. Attached the car antenna to the box. Ran it on a 12v battery for awhile then introduced a transformer and powered off the house service. It had beautiful mono sound and great selectivity. It was a very good DX'er to boot. Who would-a thunk it?

 

[semoochie]

Those long antennas did wonders for low frequencies! KFI came in like a local in San Diego, KFRC in Sacramento, etc.

 

[davideduardo]

Those long antennas did wonders for low frequencies! KFI came in like a local in San Diego, KFRC in Sacramento, etc.

Considering that wavelengths at the bottom of the dial are around 1,500 fee long, the difference between 12 inches and 24 inches is minimal in matching the frequency. More likely is the fact that the same power on a low frequency does much better in coverage than up on a high dial position. 1 kw on 550 is about the same as 50 kw in 1500.

 

[semoochie]

Considering that wavelengths at the bottom of the dial are around 1,500 fee long, the difference between 12 inches and 24 inches is minimal in matching the frequency. More likely is the fact that the same power on a low frequency does much better in coverage than up on a high dial position. 1 kw on 550 is about the same as 50 kw in 1500.

I know it's nowhere near a quarter wave but AM lost a lot of coverage when we dropped from four feet or so to 31 inches to accommodate FM!

 

[kevtronics]

Flashback.

In the mid to late 60's I was in Ecuador. If we went to a movie, a club or a restaurant at night, we'd park the car, detach the windshield wipers and the radio antenna and put them inside the car.

When my Aunt visited Czechoslovakia in the late '80s, she had the windshield wipers stolen from the VW Jetta she was renting. Being a Western car probably made it a target. If it was a Škoda, they wouldn't have bothered.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I forget which car. We had a '68 Chevy and a '63 Ford. The antenna was a standard one on the hood with no special features. But we got an orange 76 ball to put on top from what was called Union 76 after they changed to Pure.

 

[wibgradio99]

and you forgot in the mid sixties the Atlantic Red Ball that slid on antennas signifying you received top to bottom red ball service with your gas purchase. Times have sure changed, now when you pull in for gas they take 5 minutes to come over and that is if you can understand them and visa versa.

 

[TheBigA]

Times have sure changed, now when you pull in for gas they take 5 minutes to come over and that is if you can understand them and visa versa.

The concept of a "service station" went away with self-pump, which is how gas is sold in Pennsylvania. You don't have to wait for an attendant. You pump your own gas. Atlantic became ARCO, and then went out of business, with its assets being bought by Sunoco.

 

[The New Chico]

I had the "T In the Windshield" in my '73 El Camino. Worked pretty well if you were pointed towards or away from town, really poorly if you had the misfortune of driving perpendicular to the station, though.

 

[landtuna]

I forget which car. We had a '68 Chevy and a '63 Ford. The antenna was a standard one on the hood with no special features. But we got an orange 76 ball to put on top from what was called Union 76 after they changed to Pure.

I worked at a Union 76 gas station for a few months following my navy service in '66 during the time they gave away those '76 antenna balls'. I never in my life have witnessed such a demand for a trinket in my life. We'd have drivers come in for gas but only if we'd give them a ball. I had people drive away saying they were going to another 76 station until they found one that had them.

 

[landtuna]

The concept of a "service station" went away with self-pump, which is how gas is sold in Pennsylvania. You don't have to wait for an attendant. You pump your own gas. Atlantic became ARCO, and then went out of business, with its assets being bought by Sunoco.

Now, instead of tires and fan belts, most 'gas' stations sell fuel and fast food snacks.

 

[Mikey Radio]

Now, instead of tires and fan belts, most 'gas' stations sell fuel and fast food snacks.

The issue is that few gas stations can offer a general "mechanic" like they did back in the day. Now with so much computerized and specialty equipment required to diagnose and repair newer vehicles, the cost of just keeping up with the tools, technology, required equipment and training/certification of staff is cost prohibitive. That's to say nothing of insurance requirements, salaries and the like. It's also a case where there's so much competition now that the mom and pop gas stations simply can't compete in many cases, aside from maybe basic mechanical work, radio or window tint installation, tire changes and repair and the like.

Where I grew up, there were probably 1/2 dozen "service stations" in that city when I was young, most of them located in gas stations, and there was 1 locally owned auto parts store. Now there are 3 national chain auto parts stores and 2 national chain lube/brake/tire shops. The smaller, independent guys working out of gas stations had too much competition to stay in the game. Most gas stations make very little on the sale of fuel, and that's where mini-marts, convenience foods and ATMs came in to help them clear a bit of profit. Where I live now, some gas stations have gotten creative. One sells really nice quality wines and craft beers, and they'll fill up or sell you a growler of one of a number of beers on tap. Another has removed the service bays, re-decorated the interior really nicely and in their place they have a high-end wine shop in the back, a cafe with fresh pastries and cakes in the front and a pretty outstanding Spanish restaurant. It seems funny to go park at a gas station and go inside to eat, but that restaurant is always packed, sometimes with a line.

 

[semoochie]

and you forgot in the mid sixties the Atlantic Red Ball that slid on antennas signifying you received top to bottom red ball service with your gas purchase. Times have sure changed, now when you pull in for gas they take 5 minutes to come over and that is if you can understand them and visa versa.

I live in Oregon and you aren't allowed to pump your own gas here. I thought New Jersey was the only other state with such a prohibition.