Are you tired of broken am/fm antennas?

[OldFaurt]

There are many ways to fix it, but this worked great for me!
Buy this 3/16 wide copper tape...
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Then run the antenna wire without the antenna still attached across the dash and up the "A" pillar. Then strip and tin the wires so you have the shield and the centre wire visible and BEFORE you stick it to the wind shield, solder the centre wire to the end of the tape, then run a self tapping screw into the "A" pillar as close as possible and wrap the shield wire around the screw and tighten it down!
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Now peel the backing of the tape a little bit at a time (VERY Sticky!) as you go and stick it 3/4 of an inch down below the head-liner.all the way to the other side of the wind shield.
You can barely see it out side the vehicle and it is not a visible problem inside the vehicle.

Now the rocks and bushes and trees won't keep you from listening to your AM/FM stations.

I will see about a connection photo set when I pull the "A" pillar cover next time around.

[4.3LXJ]

I think this is a great idea. I am surprised my antenna is still me

[OldFaurt]

Well, I can get my favourite stations better than I could with the original antenna and I don't worry about it any more. It is also a lot easier to route than through the wheel well!

[bluedragon436]

I actually plan to remove and shave the antenna eventually.. I usually only listen to my iPod when I'm in any of my vehicles... as the radio stations we have suck, and if they do anything other then commercials, it is talking.. But I'll wait till I'm back home in SC to make my full on decision on getting rid of it completely... Heck right now my radio that is in my XJ is about useless... can't wait to take care of that and replace/upgrade it and install speakers and run new speaker wires, as currently only 1 works... sometimes....

[OldFaurt]

I actually plan to remove and shave the antenna eventually.. I usually only listen to my iPod when I'm in any of my vehicles... as the radio stations we have suck, and if they do anything other then commercials, it is talking.. But I'll wait till I'm back home in SC to make my full on decision on getting rid of it completely... Heck right now my radio that is in my XJ is about useless... can't wait to take care of that and replace/upgrade it and install speakers and run new speaker wires, as currently only 1 works... sometimes....

Well This will give you more options and not cause any more holes!

If you do try it, tell me how it works for you!

[bruggz351]

Same idea as the old Mazda Capella we had down here in the '70s. The antenna was actually inside the windscreen. It traveled up the middle, across to one side, turned around and went across to the other side, turned again and went back to the center of the windscreen to go go back down again and out. 😱

A real bugger if you broke a windscreen.

Sent from my FRED

[Mudderoy]

Ha! After seeing this I remember the antenna in my 73 Nova was in the windshield.

[prerunner1982]

Yep, my 82 Chevy Silverado had it in the windshield as well.

[4.3LXJ]

My Subaru has the windshield antenna also. What I wasn't aware of is that you could make one yourself. Great find

[prerunner1982]

Using the same idea as above you could run wire to the center of the top of the windshield and run a strip of foil for the center "conductor" one way with a strip of foil for the shield the other way (Dipole antenna). This is similar to how the one in my truck was except they ran all the way up the center of the windshield and then veered off to each side at the top.

Either way will work though.

[OldFaurt]

I am a bad boy... Before you stick it, clean the area on the glass with rubbing alcohol so that the "STUFF" we sneeze, cough, smoke, seeps out of the Jeep anyway, does not make the tape not stick well! For you NickyG, that Monkey Butt powder over spray... Works great by the way!

[Mudderoy]

Hey Jon this might be a good way to add that 2nd antenna for ARPS. You just need 3.22 feet of space for the antenna! :patriot:

[OldFaurt]

Hey Jon this might be a good way to add that 2nd antenna for ARPS. You just need 3.22 feet of space for the antenna! :patriot:

HEY! Think we could make a Stick-on J-pole? Hmmm!

[rabies]

i just removed mine, use it to whip my cousin when he messes with my tools

[abebehrmann]

You couldn't make a CB antenna like this, could you?

[prerunner1982]

You couldn't make a CB antenna like this, could you?

Sure.... you would just need about a 108" for a radiating element. Not sure how well it would transmit or where you would even mount that much "wire"..... but you could make one.

[abebehrmann]

Sure.... you would just need about a 108" for a radiating element. Not sure how well it would transmit or where you would even mount that much "wire"..... but you could make one.

Interesting... does it have to be straight or could you do like a sideways U on the top of the windshield? If I break another one I might just try this out.

[prerunner1982]

You can bent it around some, but it will change the propagation pattern. Due to size not sure I would plan on using for CB though.

Would work better with 2m (VHF) ham radio as I would only need about 20" for a radiating element.

[OldFaurt]

You can bent it around some, but it will change the propagation pattern. Due to size not sure I would plan on using for CB though.

Would work better with 2m (VHF) ham radio as I would only need about 20" for a radiating element. Though to work well it would need to be vertical where the CB (HF) antenna can be horizontal, though for light of sight comms you would likely also want vertical as others are running vertical antennas.

2M, 70cM both would be fairly easy to create a 1/4 wavelength, but... do you want to radiate say 50 watts on a plane that close to you?
You would be better off with a 1/4 WL antenna, to make one drop one of these SO-239 (http://www.jpmsupply.com/UHF-SO239-Jack-Panel-Mount-p/900021.htm?gclid=CKbTo5y5qcUCFQiqaQodlV8AqA) connectors through a hole in your roof using a little RTV to weather proof and screwed (use stainless screws and nylock nuts) to your roof. Then just solder a piece of 22" stainless in to the wire terminal pointing up, connect the cable to the connector inside. Then nibble it down for good match! instant $3.00 2M antenna!

[prerunner1982]

2M, 70cM both would be fairly easy to create a 1/4 wavelength, but... do you want to radiate say 50 watts on a plane that close to you?

Agreed, but the 4 watts I am currently running for APRS wouldn't be any worse than holding the HT next to my head and transmitting. :smiley-talk029:

[prcjeep]

Big Bend claimed my antenna just last month

[TallGuyJeep]

Big Bend claimed my antenna just last month
A car wash ate mine... [emoji14]