Is There A Better Antenna? - Page 4 - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

sid325 · 04-26-2013, 01:08 AM

I'm curious if the 9" would offer an improvement?

**Just ordered both, for $16ish delivered what the heck...

EAGLE5 · 04-26-2013, 03:16 AM

Probably would. I don't notice the long antenna. Against all the red, it doesn't draw the eye at all.

tedddee · 06-26-2013, 02:09 AM

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Kuryakyn-Function-Flexible-Antenna-Mount/dp/B0022ZWNKG/ref=zg_bs_172533_39"]Amazon.com: Kuryakyn Dual Function Flexible Antenna Tour Pak Mount 865: Automotive[/ame]

Wonder if these would be the same thread? Looks like it's a bit better quality.

HooverFish · 06-26-2013, 03:17 AM

That one from the ebay store is pretty much exactly like the one I had on my '05 tC and it was OEM...

#288 · 06-30-2013, 08:59 PM

Until a better solution (subjective) is found I'm sticking with the antenna from my daughters Mazda2. Just Whip it.

Zinger · 09-07-2014, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WRM

,

While the total length of the antenna is 18", you will notice that the wire is wrapped around the mast. How long would it be if it wasn't wrapped, I don't know. I do know that it picks up FM better than the stock antenna, at least in Los Angeles.

If you type "18 inch fuba antenna" in ebay the first seller should be "raderra". It was only $10.99 with free shipping. The antenna fits just like OEM.

Just double checking. Is this the one you are talking about - http://www.ebay.com/itm/370553878635? It doesn't list as being compatible, but is the only 18" FUBA Antenna I could find. Thanks!

Jman1759 · 09-13-2014, 02:10 PM

I just got a fuba for Subaru off eBay and it works awesome. I have mounted it under the rear deck as I am shaving the stock antenna hole. It still gets hd channels and works awesome. (PW JDM cf rear deck not stock)

navanodd · 10-20-2014, 07:07 AM

Installed the eBay 18" antenna yesterday. Seemed to pick up stronger signal in my underground parking but the true test will be next time I make a road trip back home from Halifax to Sydney.

Once I confirm that it's working properly my plan is to go back to the stock antenna and put the big one in for roadtrips. I've been fine with the FM signal when in the city, just not when travelling.

On a side note, does anyone know why all cars have external antennas or sharkfins now? My Accord back in 2001 had the antenna built into the rear window and it worked amazing. Seems like some backwards progress to me.

mid_life_crisis · 10-30-2014, 11:27 AM

The "wire" wrapped around the antenna has nothing to do with reception.

From http://www.theautochannel.com/mania/industry/Transcripts/2000/118.htm
[Why'd They Do That? - Car Antennas]
John McElroy, American Driver
"And, finally tonight, in a segment we like to call “Why’d they do that, I’m going to attempt to explain why all car antennas are not alike. While many antennas are smooth, have you ever noticed how some others look like they have a wire wrapped around them, or have a spiral groove in them? You know what that’s for? It’s to cut down on wind noise and vibration. That spiral shape actually helps the antenna slice through the wind more easily, so it’s quieter. When an antenna is mounted on the front fender, as the wind comes off it, that noise is actually directed right at the driver. These spiral-type antennas direct the noise off to the side of the car. And you know how automotive engineers test these antennas to see how quiet they are? They go outside and swish them around like swords!"

ArgentoAtl · 06-14-2015, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zinger

Just double checking. Is this the one you are talking about - http://www.ebay.com/itm/370553878635? It doesn't list as being compatible, but is the only 18" FUBA Antenna I could find. Thanks!

I have not found a conclusive way to experiment to see if the 18" FUBA antenna could be better than the OEM antenna (largely because my residence is pretty close to the stations I listen to), but yesterday I did the following. I found a very weak FM station by scanning. Then I removed the OEM antenna and the reception disappeared. Then as I was replacing the antenna, and it was still 2 inches away from the car roof, I noticed the reception got pretty good again before I even reattached the antenna. So that suggests to me that the antenna is very important and I decided to order from eBay today. I hope the improvement is real for when I am between cities on the highway.

Brian in Atlanta

White64Goat · 06-14-2015, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

The "wire" wrapped around the antenna has nothing to do with reception.

From http://www.theautochannel.com/mania/industry/Transcripts/2000/118.htm
[Why'd They Do That? - Car Antennas]
John McElroy, American Driver
"And, finally tonight, in a segment we like to call “Why’d they do that, I’m going to attempt to explain why all car antennas are not alike. While many antennas are smooth, have you ever noticed how some others look like they have a wire wrapped around them, or have a spiral groove in them? You know what that’s for? It’s to cut down on wind noise and vibration. That spiral shape actually helps the antenna slice through the wind more easily, so it’s quieter. When an antenna is mounted on the front fender, as the wind comes off it, that noise is actually directed right at the driver. These spiral-type antennas direct the noise off to the side of the car. And you know how automotive engineers test these antennas to see how quiet they are? They go outside and swish them around like swords!"

Just saw one of those Extreme Engineering shows and they were showing the largest suspension bridge in the world and how they wrapped one of those twisted cables on the outside of the suspension cables to stop the wind buffeting and vibration to the suspension cables. How about that....

ArgentoAtl · 06-19-2015, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArgentoAtl

I have not found a conclusive way to experiment to see if the 18" FUBA antenna could be better than the OEM antenna (largely because my residence is pretty close to the stations I listen to), but yesterday I did the following. I found a very weak FM station by scanning. Then I removed the OEM antenna and the reception disappeared. Then as I was replacing the antenna, and it was still 2 inches away from the car roof, I noticed the reception got pretty good again before I even reattached the antenna. So that suggests to me that the antenna is very important and I decided to order from eBay today. I hope the improvement is real for when I am between cities on the highway.

Brian in Atlanta

I received the FUBA antenna today and was really disappointed because the reception is not even as good as the OEM antenna. I would recommend people keep the OEM.

White64Goat · 09-29-2015, 09:21 PM

Installed a 2015 OEM shark fin antenna and it seems a bit better than all the antennas I've experimented with, but still has HD drop out from a station that is only about 30-35 miles away and has a good broadcast antenna.

10-30-2014, 11:27 AM	#51
mid_life_crisis Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: FR-S 10 #103 AT Location: NC Posts: 1,519 Thanks: 101 Thanked 599 Times in 347 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	The "wire" wrapped around the antenna has nothing to do with reception. From http://www.theautochannel.com/mania/industry/Transcripts/2000/118.htm [Why'd They Do That? - Car Antennas] John McElroy, American Driver "And, finally tonight, in a segment we like to call “Why’d they do that, I’m going to attempt to explain why all car antennas are not alike. While many antennas are smooth, have you ever noticed how some others look like they have a wire wrapped around them, or have a spiral groove in them? You know what that’s for? It’s to cut down on wind noise and vibration. That spiral shape actually helps the antenna slice through the wind more easily, so it’s quieter. When an antenna is mounted on the front fender, as the wind comes off it, that noise is actually directed right at the driver. These spiral-type antennas direct the noise off to the side of the car. And you know how automotive engineers test these antennas to see how quiet they are? They go outside and swish them around like swords!" __________________ Necessity may be the mother of Invention but Desperation is quite often the father. “Sex is like Bridge. If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand.” - Mae West Papa said, "son there's a lot of evil temptations out there. Best to try 'em all so you know which ones to avoid."

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04-26-2013, 01:08 AM	#43
sid325 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Drives: Ultramarine FR-S 6MT Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 103 Thanks: 5 Thanked 31 Times in 25 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I'm curious if the 9" would offer an improvement? **Just ordered both, for $16ish delivered what the heck...

09-13-2014, 02:10 PM	#49
Jman1759 Builder Join Date: Jan 2014 Drives: 2014 BRZ - World Rally Blue Location: Kitsap, Washington Posts: 425 Thanks: 105 Thanked 68 Times in 54 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I just got a fuba for Subaru off eBay and it works awesome. I have mounted it under the rear deck as I am shaving the stock antenna hole. It still gets hd channels and works awesome. (PW JDM cf rear deck not stock)

10-20-2014, 07:07 AM	#50
navanodd Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Drives: 2013 BRZ Sport-tech WRB Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 308 Thanks: 95 Thanked 171 Times in 102 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Installed the eBay 18" antenna yesterday. Seemed to pick up stronger signal in my underground parking but the true test will be next time I make a road trip back home from Halifax to Sydney. Once I confirm that it's working properly my plan is to go back to the stock antenna and put the big one in for roadtrips. I've been fine with the FM signal when in the city, just not when travelling. On a side note, does anyone know why all cars have external antennas or sharkfins now? My Accord back in 2001 had the antenna built into the rear window and it worked amazing. Seems like some backwards progress to me.

09-29-2015, 09:21 PM	#55
White64Goat Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 13 BRZ CBS LTD MT, 02 WRX Location: Fred. Co. Md. Posts: 2,351 Thanks: 65 Thanked 1,113 Times in 628 Posts Mentioned: 19 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Installed a 2015 OEM shark fin antenna and it seems a bit better than all the antennas I've experimented with, but still has HD drop out from a station that is only about 30-35 miles away and has a good broadcast antenna.

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