Any way to improve front telescoping Fender Antenna?

[mike123]

My front fender antenna does not provide what I would consider a "listenable" radio signal. When the antenna is fully extended up, the seek function can only find 3 FM stations and they have quite a bit of static.

I noticed though, that if I am touching the metal part between the white (radio end) and black (antenna end) wires, I get a perfect signal on dozens of radio stations. This even works in my garage with the antenna down and my garage door shut.

Is there any way to capitalize on this and somehow use this to make my antenna work better? I have read that this is because either (a) I become part of the antenna when touching it, or (b) I become a Ground for the antenna when touching it. Both of those seem like they would indicate different solutions, if indeed there even is one. Thanks for any tips you might have!

69947

Bonus question: does anyone have an idea what the red-circled switch is? The previous owner mentioned it as being an oddity of the car (VIN 7012). I thought it might be a power antenna switch but then read that those go up and down with power directly from the radio. Maybe they thought they were going to put manually-controlled power antennas in, and started putting in switches, but then figured a direct line to the radio power would be better? I can't find this on any manual diagrams.

69948

[glockworks21]

there are a couple inline antenna boosters on amazon for between $10-$20 you could try. Not sure how well those old stereos hold up over time. Ive used the boosters in the past (20years ago) and they worked well.
its a cheap fix if you are trying to keep original style radio.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Check your antenna wire. The braid needs to conduct to the fender. There should also be a ground wire on the fender I think.

[mike123]

there are a couple inline antenna boosters on amazon for between $10-$20 you could try. Not sure how well those old stereos hold up over time. Ive used the boosters in the past (20years ago) and they worked well.
its a cheap fix if you are trying to keep original style radio.

I could try that, thanks. The stereo doesn't seem to be the issue, since the reception when I am touching the antenna sounds good through the stereo.


Check your antenna wire. The braid needs to conduct to the fender. There should also be a ground wire on the fender I think.

When I touch a wire from the metal-sleeved connector in my first picture, to the fender, it doesn't seem to change anything. But I can't tell if the fender is grounded.

I stripped a 24 AWG wire and looped it around the metal-sleeved connector, and just let the rest of the wire hang loose in the passenger footwell. This actually worked pretty well too, about as good as me touching it. So maybe this suggests that indeed making the antenna bigger is why it similarly sounded better when I touched it.

Other than that connector area, I the antenna cable is completely sleeved in insulator up until where it disappears into the inside wall of the car. It doesn't look damaged or frayed or anything like that, but I also can't connect something up to it without slicing open the insulated coating first.

[David T]

I could try that, thanks. The stereo doesn't seem to be the issue, since the reception when I am touching the antenna sounds good through the stereo.



When I touch a wire from the metal-sleeved connector in my first picture, to the fender, it doesn't seem to change anything. But I can't tell if the fender is grounded.

I stripped a 24 AWG wire and looped it around the metal-sleeved connector, and just let the rest of the wire hang loose in the passenger footwell. This actually worked pretty well too, about as good as me touching it. So maybe this suggests that indeed making the antenna bigger is why it similarly sounded better when I touched it.

Other than that connector area, I the antenna cable is completely sleeved in insulator up until where it disappears into the inside wall of the car. It doesn't look damaged or frayed or anything like that, but I also can't connect something up to it without slicing open the insulated coating first.

You need to confirm that the outer braid and the outer shell of the plug that goes into the radio has continuity to the fender (ground). Also make sure that there is NO continuity between the ground (outer shell of the plug going into the radio) and the center conductor that connects to the antennae mast. Confirm that the center of the plug going into the radio has continuity with the antennae mast. It the wire gets kinked, stretched or pulled it can very easily damage the fragile center wire. If all is good there are amplifiers that can be installed to improve the signal. With all of this being said, the OEM radios are really not very good.

[WHO1DMC]

I could try that, thanks. The stereo doesn't seem to be the issue, since the reception when I am touching the antenna sounds good through the stereo.



When I touch a wire from the metal-sleeved connector in my first picture, to the fender, it doesn't seem to change anything. But I can't tell if the fender is grounded.

I stripped a 24 AWG wire and looped it around the metal-sleeved connector, and just let the rest of the wire hang loose in the passenger footwell. This actually worked pretty well too, about as good as me touching it. So maybe this suggests that indeed making the antenna bigger is why it similarly sounded better when I touched it.

Other than that connector area, I the antenna cable is completely sleeved in insulator up until where it disappears into the inside wall of the car. It doesn't look damaged or frayed or anything like that, but I also can't connect something up to it without slicing open the insulated coating first.

If you connect an ohm meter to the input pin of the antenna and the tip and or base of the antenna it should read 5 ohms or less. This will indicate a good antenna.



Dave B.

[glockworks21]

unless you are trying to keep an original look it might be worth spending 120 bucks to put in a bluetooth stereo that will connect to your phone and give you modern features. I bought the cheapest kenwood stereo out there with all these features and it works great. Has a mic if your driving and want to talk to someone. took little to install. radio signals work fine with the antenna in the fender all the way down. but i hardly ever use it.. mostly stream music/news from my phone.

Hope this helps..




Dave

[mike123]

Check your antenna wire. The braid needs to conduct to the fender.

You need to confirm that the outer braid and the outer shell of the plug that goes into the radio has continuity to the fender (ground).
Check!


Also make sure that there is NO continuity between the ground (outer shell of the plug going into the radio) and the center conductor that connects to the antennae mast.
Check!


Confirm that the center of the plug going into the radio has continuity with the antennae mast. It the wire gets kinked, stretched or pulled it can very easily damage the fragile center wire.
I didn't follow this. I assume the radio is connected to the antenna, in order to test the antenna wire, but I don't know how I would access the center of the radio plug in that case.


If you connect an ohm meter to the input pin of the antenna and the tip and or base of the antenna it should read 5 ohms or less. This will indicate a good antenna.
I am getting around 150 ohms here!

And I think this might explain the problem, it seems like the antenna wire is just not conducting well. It's kind of funny because although the antenna is worn, the wire looks new. (Maybe it is new and got connected poorly to the original antenna?). And I think that explains why a flimsy little Arduino wire being attached to the radio is making such a big difference... because that flimsy wire is actually is conducting throughout its length. For now, I might just electrical-tape that onto the radio's antenna connector and tuck it in the footwell.


unless you are trying to keep an original look it might be worth spending 120 bucks to put in a bluetooth stereo that will connect to your phone and give you modern features. I bought the cheapest kenwood stereo out there with all these features and it works great. Has a mic if your driving and want to talk to someone. took little to install. radio signals work fine with the antenna in the fender all the way down. but i hardly ever use it.. mostly stream music/news from my phone.
I am definitely planning on this. I tried a bluetooth casette adapter but the midrange sound (e.g. people speaking/singing) is very poor. Worth the $20 to try it though.

Is your Kenwood a single-DIN unit? I had been looking into the Retrosound radio which would fit the DeLorean, which is $350 or so I think. That looks like an easy install. I would be worried about making cuts to accomodate a DIN-sized radio.

[glockworks21]

Is your Kenwood a single-DIN unit? I had been looking into the Retrosound radio which would fit the DeLorean, which is $350 or so I think. That looks like an easy install. I would be worried about making cuts to accomodate a DIN-sized radio.



single din. Mine was already cut. (had an older aftermarket deck) I didnt think about you having to modify that. May be worth it to buy the retrosound so you dont have to cut up an oe part.

[David T]

Check!


Check!


I didn't follow this. I assume the radio is connected to the antenna, in order to test the antenna wire, but I don't know how I would access the center of the radio plug in that case.


I am getting around 150 ohms here!

And I think this might explain the problem, it seems like the antenna wire is just not conducting well. It's kind of funny because although the antenna is worn, the wire looks new. (Maybe it is new and got connected poorly to the original antenna?). And I think that explains why a flimsy little Arduino wire being attached to the radio is making such a big difference... because that flimsy wire is actually is conducting throughout its length. For now, I might just electrical-tape that onto the radio's antenna connector and tuck it in the footwell.


I am definitely planning on this. I tried a bluetooth casette adapter but the midrange sound (e.g. people speaking/singing) is very poor. Worth the $20 to try it though.

Is your Kenwood a single-DIN unit? I had been looking into the Retrosound radio which would fit the DeLorean, which is $350 or so I think. That looks like an easy install. I would be worried about making cuts to accomodate a DIN-sized radio.

In effect you DID follow this. The fact that you measured 150 ohms shows that you did measure the resistance of the center wire to the antennae mast. This shows that you do NOT have good continuity of the center wire/pin from the plug that goes into the radio to the mast. To fix this you need to replace the antennae, the wire is molded into the antennae and can't be fixed. OR, you can forget the fender mounted antennae and get the kit to install a retractable antennae in the left/rear pontoon. This is why any piece of wire you can stick into the radio works better than your antennae, the antennae is not connected anymore. There is one other alternative, you can buy a wire that you glue to the windscreen on the inside and hook that up to your radio (like the very early cars). A bad choice though, it would be horizontally polarized, not vertical, so your reception would be diminished. That's why DMC went to the fender antennae, complaints of weak reception.

[mike123]

That makes sense, thanks. I do think the motorized antenna is going to be the right decision. I might try the Retrosound radio first and just make sure it needs a good antenna, and then spring for the motorized one if I need it. Of course a new fender-mounted telescoping antenna is $15 so I am almost tempted to try that first just in case too.

[David T]

That makes sense, thanks. I do think the motorized antenna is going to be the right decision. I might try the Retrosound radio first and just make sure it needs a good antenna, and then spring for the motorized one if I need it. Of course a new fender-mounted telescoping antenna is $15 so I am almost tempted to try that first just in case too.

Depending on how much you use your Delorean and how much you want to spend, Satellite Radio with BlueTooth is the way to go. Or just Bluetooth, you can use your phone for the radio AND navigation. There are companies out there that can take your old radio and make it Bluetooth compatible so everything still looks original. More expensive that way though. If you are doing all of this for good sound, make sure your speakers are OK. If they are original the cones are dust so you should replace them all.

[Rich]

I could try that, thanks. The stereo doesn't seem to be the issue?.

When I touch a wire from the metal-sleeved connector in my first picture, to the fender, it doesn't seem to change anything. But I can't tell if the fender is grounded.

Two ways to see if the fender is grounded in case you want to verify it, which I recommend.
a. Look for the ground wire under the rubber strip along the upper fender flange aside the luggage compartment. See Item 25 in this diagram (https://store.delorean.com/parts/electrical/3-7-3-main-wiring-harness.html) near the lower corner of the windshield. See if it is connected to the fender.
b. Use an ohmmeter to verify any part of the fender shows low or zero resistance to any good ground on the car. One default ground point would be the Neg battery terminal.

[mike123]

a. Look for the ground wire under the rubber strip along the upper fender flange aside the luggage compartment. See Item 25 in this diagram (https://store.delorean.com/parts/electrical/3-7-3-main-wiring-harness.html) near the lower corner of the windshield. See if it is connected to the fender.

I just checked and the bolt holding this wire in place has electrical continuity to the fender, if that's what you suggested to test.