Another antenna question
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 6
From: Mass Hole
Another antenna question
Hello all, Looking for help, Have custom rear fender on my SG had to remove factory antenna. Getting terrible reception, well none ... Have the Biketronices hidden antenna in the fairing now, also tried putting factory antenna under seat. Anyone have any suggestions. Does a power booster work? Thanks
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 512
Likes: 6
From: Minnesota
I went to Autozone and bought a car antenna something like this; http://www.autozone.com/electrical-a...?checkfit=true.
and zip tied it inside the fairing, so it is completely hidden.
It works better than any hidden antenna I've tried.
and zip tied it inside the fairing, so it is completely hidden.
It works better than any hidden antenna I've tried.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
antennas work best mounted vertical. ( period)
if there is a large flat horizontal surface under them and perpendicular, they work better- like the Earth.
they need a good ground- on bikes with tourpaks, this is the flat metal plate inside the T/P
the length of the antenna is calculated for the wavelength of the radio waves desired...random length will give random results. the length is based on how long the radio wave is, most antennas are 1/2 wave or 1/4 wave.
I use a $12 pepboys stubby- mounted inboard of my saddlebag- it works quite well, not as well as the stock antenna on the tourpak but pretty good.
working with radio gear, I tried a bunch of 'speriments in teh 90's...nothing horizontal under the fairing or anywhere else came close to the vertical antenna.
"amplifiers" not only amplify the radio signal, but also the static and noise by the same ratio...and may pick up the ignition by a greater ratio.
mike
if there is a large flat horizontal surface under them and perpendicular, they work better- like the Earth.
they need a good ground- on bikes with tourpaks, this is the flat metal plate inside the T/P
the length of the antenna is calculated for the wavelength of the radio waves desired...random length will give random results. the length is based on how long the radio wave is, most antennas are 1/2 wave or 1/4 wave.
I use a $12 pepboys stubby- mounted inboard of my saddlebag- it works quite well, not as well as the stock antenna on the tourpak but pretty good.
working with radio gear, I tried a bunch of 'speriments in teh 90's...nothing horizontal under the fairing or anywhere else came close to the vertical antenna.
"amplifiers" not only amplify the radio signal, but also the static and noise by the same ratio...and may pick up the ignition by a greater ratio.
mike
Last edited by mkguitar; Mar 6, 2016 at 01:49 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 6
From: Mass Hole
antennas work best mounted vertical. ( period)
if there is a large flat horizontal surface under them and perpendicular, they work better- like the Earth.
they need a good ground- on bikes with tourpaks, this is the flat metal plate inside the T/P
the length of the antenna is calculated for the wavelength of the radio waves desired...random length will give random results. the length is based on how long the radio wave is, most antennas are 1/2 wave or 1/4 wave.
I use a $12 pepboys stubby- mounted inboard of my saddlebag- it works quite well, not as well as the stock antenna on the tourpak but pretty good.
working with radio gear, I tried a bunch of 'speriments in teh 90's...nothing horizontal under the fairing or anywhere else came close to the vertical antenna.
"amplifiers" not only amplify the radio signal, but also the static and noise by the same ratio...and may pick up the ignition by a greater ratio.
mike
if there is a large flat horizontal surface under them and perpendicular, they work better- like the Earth.
they need a good ground- on bikes with tourpaks, this is the flat metal plate inside the T/P
the length of the antenna is calculated for the wavelength of the radio waves desired...random length will give random results. the length is based on how long the radio wave is, most antennas are 1/2 wave or 1/4 wave.
I use a $12 pepboys stubby- mounted inboard of my saddlebag- it works quite well, not as well as the stock antenna on the tourpak but pretty good.
working with radio gear, I tried a bunch of 'speriments in teh 90's...nothing horizontal under the fairing or anywhere else came close to the vertical antenna.
"amplifiers" not only amplify the radio signal, but also the static and noise by the same ratio...and may pick up the ignition by a greater ratio.
mike
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
usually one 1 antenna is used- when 2 are used in a "diversity" system...a processor switches between which ever antenna has the strongest signal...so only 1 antenna at a time is used.
( ultras have 2 antennas, one for the CB, one for am/fm/wb- they are not interchangeable and each is part of a separate system.)
what we are trying to do is get a high signal to noise ratio...signal being what you want to hear and noise being the static, ignition noise etc. a good signal to noise ratio will be clear and nice to listen to, a poor SNR will not be nice.
mike
( ultras have 2 antennas, one for the CB, one for am/fm/wb- they are not interchangeable and each is part of a separate system.)
what we are trying to do is get a high signal to noise ratio...signal being what you want to hear and noise being the static, ignition noise etc. a good signal to noise ratio will be clear and nice to listen to, a poor SNR will not be nice.
mike
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 14,438
Likes: 2,421
From: Pittsburgh, Pa
I did this a week ago. So far the weather here has been crappy, so I have not had a chance to try it out. In the garage it works fine but... I heard not to good about hidden ones, so I tried this. Free.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 9,986
Likes: 5,255
So, I hated the antenna relocate when I installed the detachable tour pak conversion kit. I bought an H-D low profile shorty antenna. I still didn't like it, especially the crappy looking mounting bracket, so I ended up sticking the shorty antenna under the seat. Surprisingly, I get good reception. YMMV.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2014
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From: kelliher mn
I just bought a generic replacement antenna at wally world for 9 bucks I figured for $9 it was worth a try just threw it in the fairing upright with some cable ties and so far i get all the stations I get in the car and its inside the garage and we are 60 miles from the closest radio station so I'm not complaining a bit