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If you ride in the primary 'footprint' of the stations you like to listen to then a shorty antenna will be fine for the most part. Once you get away from that area a compromise antenna such as a shorty will quickly show its deficiencies. A lot depends on terrain geographics, transmitter antenna height and location, as well as transmitter power and radiation pattern as well as channel density in a given locale. Some areas might have great coverage for hundreds of square miles while others will be spotty over a 10 mile swath. Vehicle radio antennas are designed to be resonant in the middle of the FM band and are not resonant at all in the low frequency AM band. As a matter of fact they appear to be toothpick in size in the AM range. Using a stubby or shortened antenna only further reduces the capture area of these antennas rendering them less 'sensitive' as you move further away from from the radio station's transmitter site.
I have an antenna similar to this and its totally worthless if you listen to the radio which i rarely do. I used it for a couple days and put the whip back on. It works perfectly.
x2, pretty worthless...
Question, any one alter the mounting bracket so as.. the stock whip antenna angles or leans back... so, it will stay away from hitting say a tour pack?
Have you used it with the CB? I don't use mine a lot but I like having it on trips when I'm on the interstate or federal highways. It comes in handy to keep up with traffic problems.
I've never used the CB. She uses her phone for the few times we need real time traffic conditions.
i've went back and forth from the whip to the harley stubby and really can't tell any difference. even on a long ride out of town i seem to lose the stations at about the same spot.
I do not use the CB, or listen to commercial radio, so I took both antennas off. However, thinking about putting the HD short ones on, just in case a ever where my headset again.
If you ride in the primary 'footprint' of the stations you like to listen to then a shorty antenna will be fine for the most part. Once you get away from that area a compromise antenna such as a shorty will quickly show its deficiencies. A lot depends on terrain geographics, transmitter antenna height and location, as well as transmitter power and radiation pattern as well as channel density in a given locale. Some areas might have great coverage for hundreds of square miles while others will be spotty over a 10 mile swath. Vehicle radio antennas are designed to be resonant in the middle of the FM band and are not resonant at all in the low frequency AM band. As a matter of fact they appear to be toothpick in size in the AM range. Using a stubby or shortened antenna only further reduces the capture area of these antennas rendering them less 'sensitive' as you move further away from from the radio station's transmitter site.
it's sounds like you know your radio stuff. i don't at all. i was wondering if one could cut some off the whip? if so do you know how much?
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