Radio Antennas

If you plan to have the car judged, I definitely would not add a cowl mount antenna. Appropriate for the era is either the chicken wire top, or an antenna mounted under the running board. Neither of these work very well, which is why they eventually figured out that a whip antenna was better. Unfortunately that would not be authentic for the year of your car.

Have you tried adjusting the antenna trimmer capacitor on the radio? This is usually a screwdriver adjustment near the antenna connection on the radio. Tune the radio to a weak station about 1400-1500 kHz, and adjust the trimmer for the loudest reception. If your radio has one of these trimmers, it might help.

those #$&*!@^& hot rodders at www.yearwood.com sell a hidden antenna that I`m told works quite well and can be mounted nearly any where on the car. J.B.

I have to wonder, what is the point of having a hidden antenna if the radio/stereo is not hidden. In the case of one of our pre-radio days Classics we would not want to put on a hidden antenna, after all where are you going to hide the radio? You could put it under the seat, in the strapped on trunk, but then how would you change the station or adjust the volume? You might as well in joy the car the same way the original owners did, listening to the sound of the car and the road. We have the added enjoyment of listening to all those modern SUV drivers beeping their horns at us when we get in front of them.

Hi, email the address below. He is a early 30's and late 20's radio and antenna expert. He can make quite a few reccomendations. Cowl mounted antennas were not offered till 1935. Pierce used a Philco radio from 31 and later. As far as I know they didn't have a standard factory radio before then. What do you plan to install for a radio? Ed

JScott02@coair.com

Thanks for the tip!

Thanks for the advice Chuck. I may try one of those "hot rod" hidden antennas another contributor suggested.

Thanks for the advice.

Just thought that I'd post that I emailed JScott, as suggested, and he was able to provide me with some leads to help me solve my Philco radio/antenna connection problems. It's always great to find knowledgeable people in this hobby, willing to share their thoughts without trying to make a buck from it!

Mark...what is this horse-manure about modern cars getting behind you and honking...? What are you driving...some "slug" of a car like a classic area Cadillac V-16...or Rolls...? Didn't someone explain things to you....you got to go out and buy yourself a Packard Twelve. Put in the "high speed" rear axle gears ( or an over-drive ).....and....I promise you...even a "modern" car will have to work at even CATCHING you.....!

PFH

(Perfidious FORMER Reindeer Hunter ) ( I just feed em cookies now..... )

I agree with Perfidious here...my '47 flat head V-8 does an easy 70 on the highways, so the owners of those modern plasticized SUVs (Sill Unwarrented Vehicles) spend more time gawking than honking!! Besides...I gots more iron in my left fender than they do in the whole demned thing! Not to mention, the old Dutchman is a heck of a lot prettier too.

Going back to antennas, can anybody tell me where can I find a runningboard antenna? I have a 1933 Packard eightm, convertible coupe, and I have a Philco radio which a friend of mine had in his V12 Cadillac and he insists on me installing it. I rejected the idea at first, but finally, if it is a correct period accesory, I might go for it and install it. It will have controls on the steering column (just as 1933 Packards should) and would like to install it "correctly", even up to the correct type of antenna, which I understand should be mounted under the runningboard on open cars.

Thanks for any help

Victor.

The 'chicken wire top antenna should work very good! It is up there in an unshielded position unlike the under the running board antenna. The latter would also be exposed to the static noise generated by the tires as well as ignition noise. If you use the very high impedence coax typically used on a whip and 'tune' the antenna with the antenna adjuster (if there is still one on modern ratios) the top antenna should work better than a whip!

It would be good to try the antenna with the shield grounded as well as ungrounded to the body at the antenna site to determine best results.

Regards;

Michael Rogers

Radio Engineer Rtd.