how hard to turn retractable car radio antenna -> transmi

[supernova87a]

Hi all,

So I was thinking, my car AM/FM radio has a perfectly good antenna that is already installed, can be hidden (looks like a normal radio antenna and doesn't get strange looks, plus can retract into the car), and is about the right length for some frequencies.

Do you think it would be possible to turn this into a real antenna for two way operation? I haven't really looked into it in much detail -- has anyone here ever heard of such a thing? Are the connections even compatible with such a setup?

Hope you'll comment!

[Tom in D.C.]

Years ago the lead-in from the antenna on a car was just a thin wire inside an insulating cover. Maybe today it's coax but also maybe not. That could be the first problem. Then you get into the problem of resetting the antenna's length to the optimum setting each time you shorten/lengthen it. Also, who wants to be bothered with an antenna tuner when mobile? A standard disguise antenna is probably a much better idea.

Also seems to me that if this were a generally good idea lots of people would be doing it already.

Tom in D.C.
W2NJS

[KitN1MCC]

But how are you going to listen to the Radio

Cant live with out my radio

[code3media]

STI CO Disguized Antennas http://www.sti-co.com/disquised.php

Look like regular antennas and allow the use of the antenna for AM/FM reception as well as for transmitting.

Ryan
[email protected]

[kf4sqb]

I would be more concerned about the fact that you would be using a sometimes-poor connection (everywhere the antenna "telescopes") for a transmitting antenna. For a receive antenna, this usually works fine, but it isn't carrying any current when receiving, either!