About Car Radio Antennas

Car radio antennas are needed to pick up the radio signals as they move through the air. An antenna must be attached to the receiver by wires hung on harnesses. When radio frequencies hit the antenna on a car, they travel through the metal to the antenna wires. Most car antennas can pick up AM and FM frequencies.

History

Shortly after the first Model T hit the road, drivers began to demand entertainment in the form of news and music as they drove. The first antennas that could pick up radio signals for car radios were nearly 45 inches when fully extended. They were scoping and had to be manually adjusted when entering a garage or going under a low-hanging bridge. The tall, metal antennas often broke until they were attached to power assemblies of their own and could rise up when the car was started and lower when the ignition was turned off.

Advancements

Newer cars have a more low-profile antenna that is often built into the windshield or rear window of the car. Even small hood or roof-mounted antennas are small and stable. They work with an amplifier that boosts the signal once it hits the antenna. Antenna plugs are mostly standard sizes, allowing motorists to install a new radio in the vehicle, but there are odd shapes, which can easily take a different plug with the use of a plug adapter.

Adapters

Car antennas can be adapted to serve a variety of purposes and to boost the entertainment value of the radio. Antenna boosters can help to improve reception in areas that don't get a good radio signal. Extension cables are available to allow installation of after-market radios that need longer wires than came with the factory-installed unit. FM modulators can be used to attach MP3 players and video machines into the car antenna. Replacement antennas are commonly available through the dealer and a host of other retail and online outlets.

Satellite

Small round antennas are placed on the roofs of cars to pick up the satellite signals for XM and Sirius radio. The receiver is typically placed on a corner of the roof near the windshield to provide the best reception. Wires run from the antenna to the back of a receiver that's mounted in or on the dashboard. Satellite radios can be installed in the dash or mounted on holders for mobile receivers.

GPS

Global positioning satellite (GPS) systems are hooked up to special car antennas to receive navigation signals. Units that have the satellite GPS and radio signals incorporated into one can be installed to run all the communication devices in a car. The computerized systems can receive Bluetooth audio signals for the phone, satellite radio signals and GPS video. The car entertainment systems are being built into newer models and can easily be added to any vehicle to replace the existing radio and antenna.

Resources

• Car Antennas