Car radio whip antenna question
 

I've seen some car radio whip antennas that look like they have a wire wrapped
around them. The wraps are not close but lazily spiral down the length of the
antenna.

Does this help reception? Is the coil attached somehow to the car or just the
antenna itself?

twitch

Car radio whip antenna question
 

On Jun 10, 12:55*pm, Twitchell wrote:
I've seen some car radio whip antennas that look like they have a wire wrapped
around them. *The wraps are not close but lazily spiral down the length of the
antenna.

Does this help reception? *Is the coil attached somehow to the car or just the
antenna itself?

twitch

My antenna on my minivan is like that.

I think the supporting whip is fiberglas/or some insulating material,
and the wire is the actual electrical element; and in the interest of
saving length and providing strength, they wrap the wire around the
slightly shorter antenna pole. The wire is then connected to the lead
of the antenna. It works fine, about as good as a metal whip of
similar length. Antennas for cars are pretty uncomplicated
critters... :-)

Car radio whip antenna question
 

bpnjensen wrote:

On Jun 10, 12:55 pm, Twitchell wrote:
I've seen some car radio whip antennas that look like they have a wire
wrapped around them. The wraps are not close but lazily spiral down the
length of the antenna.

Does this help reception? Is the coil attached somehow to the car or
just the antenna itself?

twitch

My antenna on my minivan is like that.

I think the supporting whip is fiberglas/or some insulating material,
and the wire is the actual electrical element; and in the interest of
saving length and providing strength, they wrap the wire around the
slightly shorter antenna pole. The wire is then connected to the lead
of the antenna. It works fine, about as good as a metal whip of
similar length. Antennas for cars are pretty uncomplicated
critters... :-)


It adds inductance.

I think the Fanfare antenna has such a special spool that ? makes it better
?.


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Car radio whip antenna question
 

On Jun 10, 1:15*pm, user wrote:

It adds inductance. *

Really? That's a pretty loose coil on those things, how much
inductance can it have? And frankly, do the auto manufacturers
actually *think* about things like this when car radio technology is
already so implicitly satisfactory?

We are talking about the same thing, right? Just a loose wrap of wire
on the nonconducting whip core vs. an actual compact coil?

Bruce
******

I think the Fanfare antenna has such a special spool that ? makes it better
?.

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What's on Shortwave guide: choose an hour, go!http://shortwave.tk
700+ Radio Stations on SWhttp://swstations.tk
300+ languages on SWhttp://radiolanguages.tk- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Car radio whip antenna question
 

In article ,
bpnjensen says...

On Jun 10, 12:55=A0pm, Twitchell wrote:
I've seen some car radio whip antennas that look like they have a wire wr=
apped
around them. =A0The wraps are not close but lazily spiral down the length=
of the
antenna.

Does this help reception? =A0Is the coil attached somehow to the car or j=
ust the
antenna itself?

twitch

My antenna on my minivan is like that.

I think the supporting whip is fiberglas/or some insulating material,
and the wire is the actual electrical element; and in the interest of
saving length and providing strength, they wrap the wire around the
slightly shorter antenna pole. The wire is then connected to the lead
of the antenna. It works fine, about as good as a metal whip of
similar length. Antennas for cars are pretty uncomplicated
critters... :-)

I was wondering if I could improve my portable radio FM reception by wrapping it
like the car antenna by just wrapping it with a wire.

Car radio whip antenna question
 

On Jun 10, 2:06*pm, Twitchell wrote:
In article ,
bpnjensen says...







On Jun 10, 12:55=A0pm, Twitchell wrote:
I've seen some car radio whip antennas that look like they have a wire wr=
apped
around them. =A0The wraps are not close but lazily spiral down the length=
of the
antenna.

Does this help reception? =A0Is the coil attached somehow to the car or j=
ust the
antenna itself?

twitch

My antenna on my minivan is like that.

I think the supporting whip is fiberglas/or some insulating material,
and the wire is the actual electrical element; and in the interest of
saving length and providing strength, they wrap the wire around the
slightly shorter antenna pole. *The wire is then connected to the lead
of the antenna. *It works fine, about as good as a metal whip of
similar length. *Antennas for cars are pretty uncomplicated
critters... :-)

I was wondering if I could improve my portable radio FM reception by wrapping it
like the car antenna by just wrapping it with a wire.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Where do you use your radio? If it's inside a building with a heavy
metallic or masonry contruction, that may be the problem.

To your question - my guess is not. FM wavelengths are fairly short -
about 1 meter in length - and your antenna is probably a pretty good
length already if it is a half-meter or so (roughly 20 inches or a bit
more). Wrapping a wire around it would not affect its resonant
wavelength, and attaching a wire to it may or may not help, but too
long an antenna is not terribly helpful as a rule either.

A better choice might be to either take the radio to a place where
there is interfering metallic or masonry building in the way, or make
an external antenna for it.

Car radio whip antenna question
 

On Jun 10, 3:55*pm, Twitchell wrote:
I've seen some car radio whip antennas that look like they have a wire wrapped
around them. *The wraps are not close but lazily spiral down the length of the
antenna.

Does this help reception? *Is the coil attached somehow to the car or just the
antenna itself?

twitch

Hmm, I've never seen that. I have seen the radio whips that have wire
around them but they are then encased in plastic, like some CB
antennas are.

Car radio whip antenna question
 

On Jun 10, 4:01*pm, bpnjensen wrote:
On Jun 10, 12:55*pm, Twitchell wrote:

I've seen some car radio whip antennas that look like they have a wire wrapped
around them. *The wraps are not close but lazily spiral down the length of the
antenna.

Does this help reception? *Is the coil attached somehow to the car or just the
antenna itself?

twitch

My antenna on my minivan is like that.

I think the supporting whip is fiberglas/or some insulating material,
and the wire is the actual electrical element; and in the interest of
saving length and providing strength, they wrap the wire around the
slightly shorter antenna pole. *The wire is then connected to the lead
of the antenna. *It works fine, about as good as a metal whip of
similar length. *Antennas for cars are pretty uncomplicated
critters... :-)

I can't believe I have never seen that before. Wouldn't there be a
chance for eventually the wire to work itself free, is it glued or
clipped to the whip?

Car radio whip antenna question
 

On Jun 10, 5:06*pm, Twitchell wrote:
In article ,
bpnjensen says...







On Jun 10, 12:55=A0pm, Twitchell wrote:
I've seen some car radio whip antennas that look like they have a wire wr=
apped
around them. =A0The wraps are not close but lazily spiral down the length=
of the
antenna.

Does this help reception? =A0Is the coil attached somehow to the car or j=
ust the
antenna itself?

twitch

My antenna on my minivan is like that.

I think the supporting whip is fiberglas/or some insulating material,
and the wire is the actual electrical element; and in the interest of
saving length and providing strength, they wrap the wire around the
slightly shorter antenna pole. *The wire is then connected to the lead
of the antenna. *It works fine, about as good as a metal whip of
similar length. *Antennas for cars are pretty uncomplicated
critters... :-)

I was wondering if I could improve my portable radio FM reception by wrapping it
like the car antenna by just wrapping it with a wire.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If you really want to improve your car's FM performance that bad you
have two alternatives IMO. Number one, simply replace your antenna
with an antenna just for AM or number two - go up to your local
Autozone or whatever you have in your area and buy one and add it on
yourself. There really is nothing to it unless you may have a physical
disability like a bad back or something like that. Add on a switcher
and your good to go. All cars should be done that way from the factory
IMO.

Car radio whip antenna question
 

On Jun 10, 2:27*pm, Gregg wrote:
On Jun 10, 4:01*pm, bpnjensen wrote:





On Jun 10, 12:55*pm, Twitchell wrote:

I've seen some car radio whip antennas that look like they have a wire wrapped
around them. *The wraps are not close but lazily spiral down the length of the
antenna.

Does this help reception? *Is the coil attached somehow to the car or just the
antenna itself?

twitch

My antenna on my minivan is like that.

I think the supporting whip is fiberglas/or some insulating material,
and the wire is the actual electrical element; and in the interest of
saving length and providing strength, they wrap the wire around the
slightly shorter antenna pole. *The wire is then connected to the lead
of the antenna. *It works fine, about as good as a metal whip of
similar length. *Antennas for cars are pretty uncomplicated
critters... :-)

I can't believe I have never seen that before. Wouldn't there be a
chance for eventually the wire to work itself free, is it glued or
clipped to the whip?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Picture a thin pole (the whip) with a very gently coiled wrap of wire,
a turn every inch or so, from top to bottom. Then, the entire thing
is covered with a wrap of something like shrink-wrap to hold it
altogether. Unless the antenna is traumatized, the wire is pretty
much set for life.