As some of you know, my modified R170 antenna was ripped off. Even with the modded antenna, I still got terrible radio reception, so over the past several weeks I've been trying to figure a way to have good radio reception and also not have a long, ugly whip antenna flying around on the back of my car.
Here's a link to what I finished yesterday, so take a look and let me know what you think.
So far, radio reception is much improved and this exterior portion cannot be ripped off! The 'nubby' look on the outside is starting to grow on me. Comments?
Last edited by SLKCop; 02-01-2009 at 08:02 AM.
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I'm a little confused. So what you did is tape the antenna inside the side of your fender, right? Doesn't the antenna signal get blocked by the metal enclosure of the fender and trunk? Usually when they tape on an antenna, it is in the bumper (plastic). And you still get a good signal? Surprising... But good for you.
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+1 - usually the metal frame of the car tends to really kill reception, but this is pretty slick looking. I've always wondered about doing a full stealth install with a bumper antenna and just having the existing hole filled.
I'm a little confused. So what you did is tape the antenna inside the side of your fender, right? Doesn't the antenna signal get blocked by the metal enclosure of the fender and trunk? Usually when they tape on an antenna, it is in the bumper (plastic). And you still get a good signal? Surprising... But good for you.
So far, it's working pretty well. Very slight decrease in reception, but I'm able to scan and pick up a lot of stations I couldn't before. I'll let you know as more time goes by.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gabus
Nice work
But I'm also a little confused...... That antenna should be for your cell phone,- the radio antenna should be inside your rear bumper.
Have I missed something regarding US models??
From what I've been able to gather from all the various discussions over antennas, there are several different configurations for antenna use. I think it varies from r170 to r171, and for both the pre-and post-facelift models. I also know that some European r170 models don't even have an external antenna (don't pin me down on which ones, but I've seen photos posted in this forum). I also own a US post-facelift r170, and the whip antenna is for the radio (it may also be for the phone, I have no idea). I made the short antenna mod and spent the better part of the day refining my radio reception by switching back and forth between the old whip and my different length-modified shorty...
Nice work on the mod. I admire your ingenuity...
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Nice work Mike. I'm calling this the "snub-nose" antenna (similar to the snub-nosed pistol). It's another alternative.
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From what I've been able to gather from all the various discussions over antennas, there are several different configurations for antenna use. I think it varies from r170 to r171, and for both the pre-and post-facelift models. I also know that some European r170 models don't even have an external antenna (don't pin me down on which ones, but I've seen photos posted in this forum). I also own a US post-facelift r170, and the whip antenna is for the radio (it may also be for the phone, I have no idea). I made the short antenna mod and spent the better part of the day refining my radio reception by switching back and forth between the old whip and my different length-modified shorty...
Nice work on the mod. I admire your ingenuity...
Most of those European models without the whip don't have the cell phone kit. That was a option in Europe. In the beginning MB had the cell phone antenna clipped in the bumper, but apparently the reception was so bad that they started with the whip as a standard. The whip had been an option from the beginning.
The internal radio antenna, with amp, was stock through the whole "life" of the R170 from apr 1996 to feb 2003
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gabus
Most of those European models without the whip don't have the cell phone kit. That was a option in Europe. In the beginning MB had the cell phone antenna clipped in the bumper, but apparently the reception was so bad that they started with the whip as a standard. The whip had been an option from the beginning.
The internal radio antenna, with amp, was stock through the whole "life" of the R170 from apr 1996 to feb 2003
What could possibly be different between radios to make MB not put the US antenna inside the bumper like the Euro spec cars? I would really have preferred to not have the whip, but didn't have an option. My US radio has the FM/AM/Weather bands, but I bet you have the same stuff. Do European radios use a different frequency spectrum? Anyone know?
I am original from Stuttgart Germany and had my intership there at MB.
I know the European radios do use a different frequency spectrum in more ways than one and its more advanced than what we have here in the U.S..
I know, and thats why, as far the antenna goes, is done and made differently for the models sent to the U.S. market,then for their home country and surrounding european countries.
Off topic, but same goes with satelite frequencies and cell phones!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HBK
I am original from Stuttgart Germany and had my intership there at MB.
I know the European radios do use a different frequency spectrum in more ways than one and its more advanced than what we have here in the U.S..
I know, and thats why, as far the antenna goes, is done and made differently for the models sent to the U.S. market,then for their home country and surrounding european countries.
Off topic, but same goes with satelite frequencies and cell phones!
Thanks for that. And since going off-topic is my speciality, I lived in Stuttgart when I was a kid. Great place...
Antenna solution.... 
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