Does a built-in window antenna affect the radio reception in an after-market deck in your car?

Question

My boyfriend recently got a new car and transferred his after-market mp3 deck into it. Since the transfer, the radio signal isn't very strong. He took it to his audio-install guy, and they said it's because of the antenna. Is this true? Or did they just do a crappy install?

Answer 1

Antennas built into the windows do have reduced reception capability. Aftermarket radios may also have reduced capability....add the two together and it would be more noticable than just the stock radio.

Answer 2

You must be talking about a GM vehicle with the antenna in the windshield?? If so they often don't have the same reception as the regular up and down aerials. GM went with them starting in the early 70's to give a clean look and not have to worry about the antenna being busted in a car wash or through vandalism. Tradeoff is reception though. That said though, every radio has an "antenna trimmer" control on the back of it that is supposed to be adjusted so that the radio matches the antenna that it is hooked to. This is done by tuning in the weakest station that you can still hear and turning the screw (is on the back by the antenna input) using a plastic screwdriver or something else plastic that fits (these are available from Radio Shack) back and forth until you find the spot where the signal is the strongest. If you do that I bet you will find that it is tuning in radio stations just fine. Hardly anybody even knows that these things are on radios, but essentially they all have them and the radio must be tuned to the antenna as described above. The plastic screwdrivers are sold at Radio Shack and are used to adjust similar controls on the inside of a lot of electronic equipment where sticking a metal screwdriver in the slot will cause static or other interference. Once in awhile you will find one that you can do with a metal screwdriver without it making a whine or interference so can try it.

Answer 3

No it doesn't