"Frank Dresser" ) writes:
"mary" wrote in message
...
This is not a short-wave question, but I thought people here would know
the
answer. When I was a kid in the fifties, it seemed as if people who had
radios in their cars had this rubber thing hanging from the bottom of the
car. When I asked my parents what it was for they said it helped provide
better radio reception. Somehow I remember every car having one, but then
maybe not. Anyone remember what it was all about. Our car did not have one
because my father would never get a car with a radio.

Thanks

Tom



Did the rubber thing extend from the car's chassis to the street? If so, it
may have been some sort of anti-static strap. The Radio Amateur's Handbooks
of that era would mention that the tires could devlop a static charge which
would interfere with radio reception, but recommended an anti-static powder
to be put in the tires.

Frank Dresser


I saw something like that just the other day. I didn't notice any
particularly big antenna on the car (ie not likely they were using
AM shortwave). I knew about the scheme, it never occurred to me that
it was in the past tense.

Mine you, maybe it was simply the car falling apart.

Michael