Premium Grade Antenna

Anthony Fontanelle
January 3, 2008

Driving alone without a stereo or radio playing in the background can be quite a trying experience. This is perhaps the reason as to why car radios seem to almost be an essential part of nearly all vehicles. People have various reasons for listening to the radio. Some do so to fight boredom, some to be kept informed of the latest traffic situations and news events. Regardless, of what purpose people may have when it comes to listening to the radio, it is still—by far—one of the more important car add-ons. It keeps rides more comfortable and entertaining for drivers and passengers alike.

It is, of course, a given that a car radio always needs an antenna. Without an antenna, a car radio will be nothing more than a useless decoration in a vehicle. An antenna functions to receive radio signals from various radio stations. Once the radio signals are received, it translates into sound (music or speech) that can be heard in the car’s radio and its speakers. There are two types of car antennas, the pillar-mount and fender-mount. The pillar-mount antenna is usually located at the front of the vehicle. This antenna type is usually found on the front pillar or that area between the windshield and the front door. Fender-mount antennas are usually located at the back of the car and are usually found at either the left or right side of the back trunk. Fender-mount antennas seem to be the antenna of choice for most car owners because it usually has better radio signal reception than pillar-mount antennas. Most antennas for newer car models are usually motorized antennas (meaning, they automatically go up or down the antenna mast as the radio is switched on or off). Antennas, whether these are pillar-mount or fender-mount, don’t usually need replacing until after four or six years. The most common reason for having to replace an antenna is rust or corrosion brought about by exposure to moisture and heat. When an antenna is corroded, it may get stuck and thus, no longer work properly. This consequently causes poor radio reception and a very low and garbled sound quality from the radio.

Replacing a car antenna can be done by any car owner. Most procedures would require a car owner to take out the radio first, loosen a connecting cable between the radio and the antenna and then pull out the old antenna and replace it with a new one. Some antenna installation procedures would require more or less steps depending on the car make and antenna design. Make sure to consult the car manual when installing or replacing an antenna. In almost all replacement procedures, it is advisable to tie a string around the antenna cable as this will make pulling out or putting in antennas an easier task to do. Finding the right antenna need not be a hard task for car owners. With a variety of antenna brands, auto cyber-dealers offer quality antennas at extremely reasonable prices.

Source:  Amazines.com