replacing the antenna on a car.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 7:23 pm

Dunno how many of our car people even visit this place anymore, but eh.

Does anyone know how to replace the antenna, let alone the wiring for it, on a 1997 Saturn?

EDIT: I've got the radio working again

however I'd still like to know how the antenna+wire gets replaced since the stinger was bent out of place and I had to bend it back into place.

Yes, it was due to an undone connection in the passenger side infront under the glove box.

On another note, I never knew the AM side was controlled by the external antenna. I thought it was an internal one, given most of your household radios and boom boxes have an internal AM antenna.

Post by **grinvader** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:31 pm

...

AM "antennas" are usually (relatively to the rest) huge crosses holding circles of wire. Waves are too low frequency to hit a thin FM antenna, and reception can improve if you rotate the WHOLE cross+wire circles (i.e., your whole reciever) in the right direction so it captures the waves best.

The alternative is a -thick- ferrite rod wrapped in several wire layers. You still rotate the whole thing to improve reception.

So yeah, I kinda call bullshit on your "am antenna is controlled by a tiny piece of steel waving outside my hood which lacks guns and thus sucks greatly"

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:17 pm

grinvader wrote:AM "antennas" are usually (relatively to the rest) huge crosses holding circles of wire. Waves are too low frequency to hit a thin FM antenna, and reception can improve if you rotate the WHOLE cross+wire circles (i.e., your whole reciever) in the right direction so it captures the waves best.

The alternative is a -thick- ferrite rod wrapped in several wire layers. You still rotate the whole thing to improve reception.

I know, this is what I meant when I said that a majority of household radioes (eg: boom boxes, TV/radio setups, hand-held radios, etc) have internal AM antennas.

However, the radio reciever in the car, internally, has neither setup (unless it's integrated into the outside antenna?)

Also I'm not trying to sound lime an ass or anything.

Post by **Nach** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:24 pm

You can also setup your own antenna if you don't like the one it comes with.

My father who used to dislike the bad reception; stuck like a 6' antenna on the back bumper, and just ran in a wire through a hole in the trunk and through the back seat. Used to get great reception after that, except had to be careful about certain low passes.

Post by **grinvader** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 12:15 am

I'm pretty sure the AM antenna of a car is the damn car.

Post by **Nach** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 1:17 am

grinvader wrote:I'm pretty sure the AM antenna of a car is the damn car.

Well, I don't know if it was AM or not, I'm not really knowledgeable in these things.

The only thing that I do know was that it was used in conjunction with UHF.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:23 pm

OK so back to the matter at hand, does anyone know how to replace (and NOT retro-fit to above the door or on the trunk) the antenna cabling? I've tried disconnecting the antenna underneath the glove box and removing the right fender to get to the antenna cord. Tugged at both places, no deal either way.

funkyass · Post by **funkyass** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:30 am

there are forums on the web that are more knowledgeable about these things.

Hell, did you even try google?

creaothceann · Post by **creaothceann** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:37 am

http://zip.4chan.org/o/imgboard.html

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:53 am

funkyass wrote:there are forums on the web that are more knowledgeable about these things.

Hell, did you even try google?

Tried google and there's a site called http://www.saturnfans.com. I posted the same question there, didn't get a response yet

That said, for the most part I'd get results for everything not Saturn, saturns not in my model year, buying antennas, power antenna removal, etc.

EDIT: On another note, my post on saturnfans seems to be getting some attention and they gave me detailed instructions and youtube videos on how to remove the antenna.

Post by **grinvader** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:47 pm

creaothceann wrote:/o/

lol

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:49 am

***UPDATE***

Turns out that the cable that plugs into the connector at the bottom of the glove box, runs all the way into the radio deck. That certainly explains why it wouldn't budge the first time I tried this :/

in any case, now I need to seek out a double male ended cable (one end plugs into the deck, the other plugs into the connector underneath the glove box.) Why the fuck must people ghetto-rig their vehicles when they do aftermarket setups

Post by **grinvader** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:10 pm

because 米

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:13 pm

grinvader wrote:because 米

Yeah, really. :/