Why the short antennas?

[gfh77665]

I have noticed a significant number of RAM owners trade the stock antenna for a short one, that most admit does not work as well. Why is this? I can not see the appeal of a lesser antenna. Anyone?

 

[Princeton_Man]

All of the short antennas are a compromise. You give up gain (range) for looks. They'd work much better if they were in the center of the roof.

 

[LumberJakl]

Most of us don't use AM/FM Radio since we use SirusXM or bluetooth through our phone music

 

[mtnrider]

Looks or maybe so they can go through a car wash without removing it. But you are 100% correct, they do not work as well because they are not optimized for the AM/FM frequency bands (wave length).

With that said, people that live in urban areas where they are close to the stations may not notice much of a difference but there definitely is as you get further away from the transmitters.


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[Smokey613]

Most of us don't use AM/FM Radio since we use SirusXM or bluetooth through our phone music

I have not listened to AM/FM since 2007 when I purchased my Jeep GC Limited with the Nav / Sat system.

 

[Bigs]

Mine seems to get pretty decent reception but I must admit, I stream my tunes through Android Auto. I rarely listen to the radio, don't even think I listened to it once. I did program the channels though.

Basically, I changed mine for looks more than reception.

 

[Wes Veness]

I bought a shorty souly for the looks and 99.99% of the time am using Spotify, but the time I do use the AM/FM is to listen to a WPG Jet game and have no issues with it.

 

[BadHemi2014]

I plan to change mine because it's constantly smacking into tree limbs. And I think the shorty antenna look better.
But I hesitate because I must be a rare one, I do listen to FM radio, especially the Bob&Tom show in the morning.

 

[Sandevino]

NPR comes in loud and clear with a coat hanger antenna…lol

 

[kurek]

The radio just doesn't have anything I want to hear. Rather just not even have that hole in my fender to begin with.

 

[mtnrider]

I have some pretty decent FM radio stations in my area that I listen to and I am rural so I need that factory antenna. I also have dead spots of no cell coverage (at least not enough to pass data) so streaming can some times cut in and out in certain areas.

When I lived in Colorado the radio stations sucked and I could have lived without the antenna.

 

[Plankton]

Form over function.

I used to listen to some morning radio shows with all the usual news, shtick, and hijinks, but now I just listen to comedy on Sirius and I'm considerably happier by the time I get to work.

 

[Treburkulosis]

I run Apple Music or Sirius XM through mine. Local radio is awful, so no need for the goofy looking big antenna.

 

[gfh77665]

I will never change my stock antenna. I have no need for a goofy looking baby antenna.

 

[Wirerat]

I went shorter but not tiny. This 13" flex antenna does ok. I rarely use the fm anyway.

 

[Ryno1500]

Where I live, even the factory antenna was spotty in picking up stations and it was constantly smacking trees and such. Easy choice in my opinion.

 

[NCRaineman]

Stock antenna looks like crap. Short antenna I replaced it with has not diminished reception on the one station I actually listen to somewhat regularly. Have 400+ songs on my phone, why bother with AM/FM at all?

 

[gfh77665]

Have 400+ songs on my phone, why bother with AM/FM at all?

So, why have any antenna at all then? Why bother buying a short one? Just cut the factory one off at the bottom fitting.

 

[NCRaineman]

So, why have any antenna at all then? Why bother buying a short one? Just cut the factory one off at the bottom fitting.

There is one local independently owned station I still listen to on occasion. The short antenna I have looks nice (in my opinion) and does not detract from signal quality. Win-win.

 

[Midknight]

I'm in the minority and only listen to the radio unless going on a road trip. I painted my whip antenna black so it blends into the truck better. Tried a stubby but don't like the look. Plus the whip works as a warning for roof clearance. If I use a car wash I remove it, I did the stubby also because it is too stiff and can damage the mount if caught in the flaps or brush.