# Antenna Question



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

As you're seeking an opinion I'll express mine that GM wouldn't put an extra drop of paint, or oil, or windshield washer fluid into your car that they didn't argue about for weeks between the engineers, assembly people, parts suppliers and accountants. 

Therefore, trimming your antenna to a smaller, lighter size probably wouldn't bother the assembly, parts or finance folks around the table - but would upset the engineers. 

So if your personal concern is assembly, parts or finance - then trim away. 

If, however; your personal concern is engineering (i.e. Performance) then I recommend you reconsider your course of action. 

But that's just my opinion.


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## GMMillwright (Mar 5, 2011)

As I work in a GM assembly plant, you're 100% correct in your opinions. I'm curious about how much of an effect on repection the shorter antenna would have. Maybe I'll price a new antenna and go from there. It might be worth the cost of a new antenna to shorten my current one and see what happens.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Does the mast screw into the base? If so, remove the mast and test. You may discover you can just put a plug over the hole and call it good.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Just to be clear, you're not trying to fit the shark fin on, but trying to trim the long aerial? I'm pretty sure that part is just for AM/FM. It's possible there's a "stubby" version around that would be a screw-in replacement and give better performance than just cutting yours down to size.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

GMMillwright said:


> As I work in a GM assembly plant, you're 100% correct in your opinions. I'm curious about how much of an effect on reception the shorter antenna would have. Maybe I'll price a new antenna and go from there. It might be worth the cost of a new antenna to shorten my current one and see what happens.


It is my opinion that the mast is just for looks to resemble the old mast antenna that we used to have on the front fender of cars back up until just recently and about 99 % of the antenna is in the metal of the car. All that being true the Shark fins put on most cars are just for looks only and not much for function. The fact that it has a screw in it in to screw into the existing mast and a small wire in running along the back of the inside of the fin is just to give the illusion that it is truly the antenna and not the car. 

Again just my opinion.......


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Patman said:


> It is my opinion that the mast is just for looks to resemble the old mast antenna that we used to have on the front fender of cars back up until just recently and about 99 % of the antenna is in the metal of the car.


In a strong signal area, you may find that to be true. The real test is to get out into a weaker reception area and see what happens.


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## GMMillwright (Mar 5, 2011)

I'll test it without the mast. Good idea.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The VG sharkfin has a fractal antenna glued to the inside of the fin. This is an active antenna.


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## anthonysmith93 (Jul 15, 2015)

GMMillwright said:


> The antenna base for my '15 CTD is much larger than on my '11 ECO. I assume due to the wifi. The VG shark fin I bought doesn't fit over it. (Black Granite is for sale). Now my dilemma is what to do now to get rid of the long antenna. Hate to risk degrading my reception, but I'm considering cutting the antenna where it tapers (about 2" from the base) and putting some black epoxy on the new tip.
> 
> Opinions on what effect that would have on reception? Does the antenna receive signal from AM, FM, XM? I don't really use XM, just AM and FM.


You have a Black Granite fin for sale?


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

I have reasonable reception with the standard aerial. After getting the car washed they forgot to screw the aerial back on and reception was almost not there. Fortunately it was left in the car and I screwed it back on.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

obermd said:


> The VG sharkfin has a fractal antenna glued to the inside of the fin. This is an active antenna.


The shark fin or the Cruze? I doubt if the sharkfin is active - no power. But it would explain a lot about the Cruze antenna.


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## BU54 (Nov 24, 2014)

I did some research on the sharkfin a few weeks ago and they said it doesn't have as good of reception as the factory antenna. With that said if you live close to the radio stations you prefer it might not matter, but if your near the edge of the broadcast range you might have reception issues?
I don't have a sharkfin so I can't say for sure but others can chime in to verify if this is true?


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

I've heard for years on here the sharkfin gets worse reception, and it should with an even smaller antenna. The factory antenna on my cruze has horrible FM reception compared to every other car I've owned. Just like a few of those cars with FM antenna's on the rear fender, the long cable run from the antenna doesn't help. 

Sure that cruze antenna looks good in the back but when it comes to things like that, I prefer function over form.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

i thought about a removal and screw on plug cap. i have listened to fm/am radio 1 time since i bought the car. with a aux cable, usb cable, and the bluetooth i have no need for radio that kills great new songs by playing them 80x per day lol.

would make using my car cover heck of a lot easier.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

spacedout said:


> I've heard for years on here the sharkfin gets worse reception, and it should with an even smaller antenna. The factory antenna on my cruze has horrible FM reception compared to every other car I've owned. Just like a few of those cars with FM antenna's on the rear fender, the long cable run from the antenna doesn't help.
> 
> Sure that cruze antenna looks good in the back but when it comes to things like that, I prefer function over form.


The aerial at the back makes it easier for the insulate the radio to have less interference from the engine. I had an older car years ago and moving the aerial to the rear guard cut out the static problem I was having in the country, where I was living at the time.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Aussie said:


> The aerial at the back makes it easier for the insulate the radio to have less interference from the engine. I had an older car years ago and moving the aerial to the rear guard cut out the static problem I was having in the country, where I was living at the time.



That was also the idea behind resistor vs non resistor spark plugs back when FM in cars first came out in the late 1970s. If you remember that.....


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Patman said:


> That was also the idea behind resistor vs non resistor spark plugs back when FM in cars first came out in the late 1970s. If you remember that.....


I had plug leads with copper wire and had to cut all of them including the coil wire and screw resisters into them and put another one on one of the 2 wires coming from each side of the main wire, a real pain but it worked.


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