Aerial

[mohitos]

Hi all,

What aerials do people have on their cars ? Anyone successfully fitted an electric aerial ? I have a bit of an unsightly item on mine - would love to replace with an electric aerial if possible.

[RayTVR]

A fully electric aerial was an option - relay behind the radio and mounted on the drivers side rear wing with good access from the boot

[marceli]

I've got electric areal, but I don't know is it TVR option or someone add this. Works great - I've got fun every time I've turn the radio on

[v8s4me]

Mine's electric.

[orange_dodo]

Okay, what's an electric aerial? As in electrically retracting?

I'm not sure why an external aerial is needed at all, fibreglass cars can have internal aerials as long as they are shielded from the crap electric isolation from the ignition system.

Saying that I'm not an electrical engineer.

[marceli]

orange_dodo said:

Okay, what's an electric aerial? As in electrically retracting?

Retracting? Mine is electrically erecting

[techbotics]

I filled my hole ariel is cable tied up in boot seems to work fine.

Cheers D S3

[phillpot]

techbotics said:

I filled my hole ariel is cable tied up in boot seems to work fine.

Cheers D S3

Same here, think that's how it was done as standard on Chimaera's

[gifdy]

That'll work but you won't get the best reception in locations where the signal is weak. Most aerials for cars are unbalanced - they use the metal car body to work against. When they're mounted to a fibreglass car you should have some sort of wire mesh on the inside of the body which is grounded. This gives them a ground plane to 'push against'.

The alternative is a windscreen mount antenna which are typically balanced and don't need a ground plane. You can stick these on the inside of the body without the wire mesh and you should get good reception.

That said, in most areas the signal is strong enough that a wire coat hanger will work. I use a balanced antenna as I occasionally travel up to North Scotland where the hills get in the way !