Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing invisible aerial

Hi
Does someone has experiences with invisible aerials on a trad? I like to listen to the radio sometimes (in a stop and go situation e.g.) but I´m not sure to add an aerial to the pure and nice look of my Plus4SS...
Other solutions for a good broadcast, e.g. ipod, did not really work. I rather would go for a cheap Din radio with a bluetooth remote control, which can sit mostly unvisible behind the nice stop watches.

Heinz,
When I got my new car in 2009, I wanted to use a radio without an external aerial. I installed a powered internal aerial and it did work, but only where there was a pretty strong signal. So much so that in Ireland it would frequently stop receiving until you entered a better signal area. After about 4 months, I installed the usual external aerial and all problems with reception vanished!!

I use a Sony radio and have the front speakers in the footwell as usual and the rear speaker output I have wired to a 3.5mm socket mounted on the rear bulkhead behind the seats. I use a set of earphones from Starcom(www.starcom1.com) which just attenuate the wind noise leaving all road noise and horns etc audible. I find they are really superb and are very safe.

I hope this is of use. PM me if you want further information

Cheers!

Geomog fitted a thin whip aerial to his rear overrider which looks very unobtrusive and no bodywork drilling.

Hi

As someone who has spent the last 20 odd years developing antennas for cars there are a few options - BUT be prepared sometime in the next 3yrs (if the UK govt is to be believed) FM radio will be turned off.
This will happen all over Europe soon.
At that time you will need to upgrade the radio and as the Digital (DAB) system requires a better signal strength for reliable reception you will need a good antenna.
I wrote an article for Miscellany last year about fitting DAB to my 4/4 but using the telescopic antenna which is standard fit.
If you want to e mail me I will send you a copy plus some info on antennas you can buy.
h.bottomley1@btinternet.com

Howard

I thought it had been agreed in 2010 that the 2015 planned switchover date was not viable, and would have to wait until at least 50% of subscribers were already using DAB. Which seems very unlikely indeed. New cars are still being sold without DAB.

Personally I find the only time I can listen to the radio in the 4/4 is when stationary!

Nigel

Nigel,

You are correct - that is still the official line ie. 2015 with 50% takeup. But the industry doubts it will happen.
2015 is election year and I doubt Govt will want to upset people at that time.
I am working with Car Co's and DAB radio manuf. all the time and industry doubts if it could meet demand if govt announced it today.
25,000,000 "old" cars on the road to be converted (a few of which are Morgans)not enough equip. or people to do the work.

As someone who was in on the ground on DAB, I've even done lectures on what it is to radio societies, I too doubt the date.

In the 1950's when FM broadcasting was introduced, it was seen then as rendering MW obsolete. It's now 2012 and it's still not happened.

I have been looking at this issue recently as I want to fit a radio. I have decided DAB is the way to go if I am going to the trouble. There are DAB aerials available they seem to have fairly large bases though and are about 350cm long. I had wondered about putting it under the spare wheel and poking up through the gap alongside the high level brake light. Would not be too obtrusive, but do the experts think it would be too shielded down there?

DAB is a long way off!
Surveys of radio listening show a low take-up of DAB radios.
At present rate it will be 10 years+ before there is any sign of substantial use of DAB.
Reasons are a combination of cost of the radios and signal issues.
Not enough car manufacturers are fitting them yet, and when they do it will increase digital listening,but by how much?
AM/FM appear to be safe for a few years yet.

Thanks to all for inspiring replies.

TBH I´m thinking more and more about getting a conventional telescopic antenna with a reasonable priced "analogue" radio plus a remote which does not need a visible line. That´s about 140 Euros, speakers are in place anyway. The costs are justified considering to get traditional FM may be for 8 years plus. And it seems that other analogue aerial solutions do not work as well.
Currently I have a class D amp (just for mp3 players) which is a mess as it disturbs the weak FM i-pod receive in addition.
Only issue is that I´m not amused regarding the wholes to be drilled into the bodywork.