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Car radio in-glass antennas

J

JerseyShor

Seems like every new car I come across has the AM/FM antenna built into the rear glass these days.

Do they work? Not just for local stations but for long(er) distance reception?

Are they comparable to a good whip antenna?

Are some manufacturers better than others?
 
I don't think it's a huge difference. The sensitivity and selectivity of the radio are going to have more to do with performance than the type of antenna in my experience.

Personally I went from a whip with a mediocre radio (1980's Chrysler - bad results) to an in-glass with a good radio (2000s Honda - much better) to a whip with a good radio (2000s Mazda - about even with the Honda). I then replaced the stock radio in the Mazda with a Pioneer Supertuner III, which improved selectivity, but when it comes to sensitivity, the Supertuner + whip is still about even with the stock Honda + glass.
 
JerseyShor said:
Seems like every new car I come across has the AM/FM antenna built into the rear glass these days.

Do they work? Not just for local stations but for long(er) distance reception?

Are they comparable to a good whip antenna?

Are some manufacturers better than others?
Click to expand...

GM - 70's wires in windshield sucked. GM now has metallized antenna on the front windshield. It didn't suck too bad, still not as good as a whip antenna, especially on AM. Some moron rear ended that vehicle, I now have another GM with a whip, and it is sensitive and selective on FM, fairly good on AM.

I going to put my standard on there - a bottom loaded 60 inch whip will really tune up AM, and seems to help FM on other vehicles where I've done the same thing. Makes the electrical length of the AM antenna close to 1/10 the length of a longwire, and couples fairly efficient signal into the AM front end. I don't know why it helps FM, too - maybe the "more metal in the air" principle.
 
Personally, I haven't had a lot of trouble with the "wires-in-the-windshield" setup I have. It works well enough, gets the job done, considering how infrequently I listen to terrestrial radio these days. (My only presets in the truck are KOPB, KBOO and KIG98...) MW is hit and miss. The really strong mediumwave locals like KKAD blast in loud and clear. Of course, if I am trying to listen to distant stations, I have other (better) rigs for that anyways. They all have their own telescoping whip aerials. ;o)

The windshield has two thin copper wires embedded in it, running outwards in a "T" fashion, much like what GM was producing in the 70s. Apparently Ford was still making those in the 90s, as the guy I bought the truck from had the windshield replaced about 15 years ago with a brand-new one.

Yes, a whip aerial would be nice. I'd get one, but there's a very high probability of it breaking off, as I sometimes drive through very wooded areas with many low-hanging branches! Ruined a $150 CB/FM aerial that way a few years ago, doggonnit.....
 
I understand why whip antennas are not used much anymore. Most people aren't Dxers or don't care about listening to stations that aren't in their immediate area. Window antennas for me are horrible if you want to listen to AM that's outside of your immediate area.
 
radioman148 said:
I understand why whip antennas are not used much anymore. Most people aren't Dxers or don't care about listening to stations that aren't in their immediate area. Window antennas for me are horrible if you want to listen to AM that's outside of your immediate area.
Click to expand...

Of course this trend in antennas couldn't have come at worse time for the HD radio folks ---- those inadequate antennas won't allow enough signal strength to decode HD, so they are promoting massive power increases to compensate.

Most ordinary people turn into DX'ers when they take a road trip. Even if they have no idea they are. And when their new whipless car has FM stations drop out 90 miles from town instead of 130, they blame the radio, not the antenna.
 
..and what about these new short antennas, usually perched atop the roof on the rear of cars? Any advantages to those?

G
 
radioman148 said:
ddsparxx said:
Hmmm...I have no problems with my in-glass antenna, it picks up am and fm pretty well.
Click to expand...

As well as a whip?
Click to expand...
I have noticed little or no difference in the whip and the in-glass. I had an old Honda Accord and a Toyota pickup, both with a whip, and currently a 2008 Civic with the in-glass.
 
"...and what about these new short antennas, usually perched atop the roof on the rear of cars? Any advantages to those?"

Aren't those for S-band DAB services (e.g. XM and Sirius) or GPS?

I'd think, if nothing else, that they would be better suited for frequencies in 2-4GHz than terrestrial broadcasts (probably nowhere as good as a BUD, but......you know......... ;o) I don't know how those can even be marginally practical for MW and FM!
 
I had a Buick Wildcat in the 70s with an antenna built into the front windshield. It picked up all the engine noise it could find. I actually replaced it with a whip.
 
upstate29651 said:
..and what about these new short antennas, usually perched atop the roof on the rear of cars? Any advantages to those?

G
Click to expand...

Wife's car has one of these....Mercedes shark fin type. Works great for FM (and weather band). Absolutely TERRIBLE on AM.

I drive a ten year old beater with a GM in-window antenna. Works absolutely fine....every bit as good as a whip antenna on both AM & FM. The technology has come a long way since when these were first introduced. I also drive about 20 rental cars during a typical year....most with in-glass antennas. With a few exceptions, most of them work well. That's certainly true with the GM vehicles.
 
My latest DX catch a few weeks ago where I was picking up canadian stations in north AL was in my moms 2004 Monte Carlo with the FM antenna in the back window. BUT this same radio also picks up the local 100kW stations all over the dial on empty frequencies, so i dunno.
 
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