cutting antenna, quick question
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 921
From: South Carolina
RE: cutting antenna, quick question
When I cut mine i started small and worked my way down first I took off 6 inches then a little more who cares what size it is really as long as you like the way it looks.
6th Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,182
From: PA to KY ('07) to IL ('09) to MS ('10) to FL ('11)
RE: cutting antenna, quick question
ORIGINAL: sevenleaf
...who cares what size it is really as long as you like the way it looks.
...who cares what size it is really as long as you like the way it looks.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 853
From: Lake Worth, FL.
RE: cutting antenna, quick question
I knocked the tip off my antenna, cut it down to 14", ground the end of antenna down so that the original tip fit, drop of super glue and installed back on car.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 474
From: Missouri
RE: cutting antenna, quick question
Thanks for all the suggestions. LOL...certainly not the height of any "technical" questions, but yeah, I wanna do it right and make sure it looks ok (and since I've never done it before, I didnt want to find out too late there actually was something like a "right and wrong way" to do it).
Andretti
Andretti
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 921
From: South Carolina
RE: cutting antenna, quick question
ORIGINAL: Nuke
It's been decades since I did any antenna design but optimum performance is based on fractions and multiples of the wavelength. For an automobile's FMreceiver, it's not that critical and you'd be hard pressed to notice any degradation in reception performance if you're not dead-on a multiple.
ORIGINAL: sevenleaf
...who cares what size it is really as long as you like the way it looks.
...who cares what size it is really as long as you like the way it looks.
That part you lost me.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 921
From: South Carolina
RE: cutting antenna, quick question
I thought the only thing that matters is how close you are to the radio stations or a repeater antenna. The farther away you are the smaller your antenna the greater loss of signal. It only makes sense. If you live near an antenna you should have no problems with a stub of an antenna.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 941
From: Dallas, TX area
RE: cutting antenna, quick question
ORIGINAL: sevenleaf
That part you lost me.
ORIGINAL: Nuke
It's been decades since I did any antenna design but optimum performance is based on fractions and multiples of the wavelength. For an automobile's FMreceiver, it's not that critical and you'd be hard pressed to notice any degradation in reception performance if you're not dead-on a multiple.
ORIGINAL: sevenleaf
...who cares what size it is really as long as you like the way it looks.
...who cares what size it is really as long as you like the way it looks.
That part you lost me.
The bottom line: the exact length is not that critical. 14" works a little better if you're in an area that is further from stations, but 8" works almost as well. The nice thing is that you can pretty much make it the length that looks good to you.
Cut & Paste Expert
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 13,322
From: NW Arkansas
RE: cutting antenna, quick question
ORIGINAL: Andretti
Sure, it is....not life threatening in any way, but I was just curious how "others" did it.
And yea sevenleaf, I plan on doing that too.
Andretti
ORIGINAL: marcuskeeler
This isn't a serious post is it? [&:]
This isn't a serious post is it? [&:]
Sure, it is....not life threatening in any way, but I was just curious how "others" did it.
And yea sevenleaf, I plan on doing that too.
Andretti
Shorter means easier eye pokin out. [:@]
Cut & Paste Expert
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 13,322
From: NW Arkansas
RE: cutting antenna, quick question
ORIGINAL: wthalliii
Radio waves have a specific wavelength that depends on the frequency. Antennas work best if their length is an even submultiple of the wavelength. For example, half or a quarter. But in the case of a car radio, it turns out to not be that critical, partially because of the amount of power used by radio stations.
The bottom line: the exact length is not that critical. 14" works a little better if you're in an area that is further from stations, but 8" works almost as well. The nice thing is that you can pretty much make it the length that looks good to you.
ORIGINAL: sevenleaf
That part you lost me.
ORIGINAL: Nuke
It's been decades since I did any antenna design but optimum performance is based on fractions and multiples of the wavelength. For an automobile's FMreceiver, it's not that critical and you'd be hard pressed to notice any degradation in reception performance if you're not dead-on a multiple.
ORIGINAL: sevenleaf
...who cares what size it is really as long as you like the way it looks.
...who cares what size it is really as long as you like the way it looks.
That part you lost me.
The bottom line: the exact length is not that critical. 14" works a little better if you're in an area that is further from stations, but 8" works almost as well. The nice thing is that you can pretty much make it the length that looks good to you.
and getting the antenna to accept a load during transmitting.
I have never heard of setting the SWR for reception.
In fact you have to be transmitting to set the SWR.
Reception does not depend on the length of the antenna after
a certain length.