Has anyone installed an aftermarket auto antenna on their 2nd gen?

I am now faced with replacing mine....$150+ for a factory one?

There has to be an alternative.

 

Radioshack was selling some a while ago for $20. Didn't get it though.

 

Go to www.mazdatrix.com . They have replacement antennas for $20. Its not power , its a small rubber one, I have it on my FC. I bought it when my stock power one crapped out. It takes about 2 minutes to install.

 

what is wrong with the antenna??? The Harada motor assembly that Mazda used is very built proof. What makes you think you must replace it???

And if you do, don't get the crappy "small rubber one" that Rxmfn7 was talking about, you will be unhappy with its performance.

 

Heh, I need a new antenna. Mine was ripped off some time before I bought the car.

 

well the replacement mast for the stock antenna is only about $20 on ebay or most auto stereo stores that sell harada antennas

Even from Mazdatrix or the dealer the replacement mast in under $40.

 

Hmmm....why do you say this?? MY power one poofed out, so I bought this as a cheap replacement. I pick up channels 10x better than my power one ever did, and they are very clear. Now I very rarely listen to the radio anyway, I basically bought it for appearance(stock power one was stuck all the way up and i thought it looked ugly), but I do think the small rubber one does a very good job.

 

I got the radio shack units. They were $25 a piece. Both antennas crapped out on my cars at the same time.

If you install an aftermarket antenna with a stock stereo you need to use a relay to make it work. Do some searching and you will get answers.

If it is an aftermarket stereo with an aftermarket antenna than it is very straight forward.

James

 

Well i do have an aftermarket CD player (pioneer), so that may be why I have had no problems. I have had no experience with the rubber antennae with the stock stereo. Sorry If I misled someone.

 

Okay some radio basics:

#1 for proper FM reception in North America you need an antenna 31.5-32 inchs tall, so a antenna only 20 inches tall or 12 inches tall will not get nearly the radio reception that a correct FM antenna mast would. Now if you are not in Nrth America and have a 1/4 wave radio, you can use a different height.

#2 For proper AM reception you need an antenna as tall as possible. so again a short antenna will have reduced reception.

#3 the rubber ducky (as the short rubber antenna is called in the aftermarket radio industry) is popular because it is not easily broken, but it has reduced reception. In some cases where an Rubbery ducky antenna is used the customer will claim superb reception, only because of two things: either the orginal antenna that was formerly on the car sucked so bad and was in such poor shape that it wasn't really working in he first place, or the customer lives someplace where there are no trees, tall buildings, mountains, road tunnels, electrical lines above ground, etc.

#4 in some cases the hirshman amplified short antenna does work ok, because it really is a 32 inch FM antenna bent around to be only 16 inchs tall and a amplifer section is used to compinsate. It still has the problem of electrical interferance that plagues all FM antennas that are less than 31.5 inches in North America.

 

Man, you know your stuff

James

 

Okay....I didnt state the prob. The motor actually took a dump. I took it apart and cleaned everything out and chk the motor. It was burnt out.

I do want to replace it with a retractable one. Which one is the best and easiest aftermarket one. Or, if anyone has a factory one the want to sell????

for a '90vert.

 

Go to your local auto parts store and look to see of they offer the Metra universal power antennae. Should run you about $40. It is almost identical to th Harada. I sold both for years.

 

if you have a aftermarket radio don't worry about it.. there are 2 antennas on a fc the one in the winsheild is for FM and the electric one is for AM. I had taken out my electric antenna and filled the hole and i still get in all the same channels..

 

So why do I not get any channels in on FM when my antenna is down, but they come in perfectly clear when it's up?

 

Well I have discovered you need to install a relay if you install an aftermarket radio, mine doesn't work I have teh relay but lack the knowlegde to put it on

 

I still wonder how the windshield antenna is used. It has no wire coming out of it.

 

I will do that...Thanks!!

 

Only GXL, 'verts, and T2 have the windsheild antenna standard.

 

18 years in the car stereo biz and automotive electronics

 

Damn. I was in for only 10 years ....

 

Was the windshield antenna a dealer installed option, because my SE has one???

 

icemark: Only GXL, 'verts, and T2 have the windsheild antenna standard.

Really? thank you for correcting me I have more questions now though... I have a base model 87 (verified from midland mazda) my car came with the 2 wires in the middle of my windshield. Maybe because my car someone ordered with the AM/FM with cassette and EQ. Also i noticed when installing my aftermarket speakers there is a 2 channel factory amp in the front pass side speaker that runs both front speakers. An amp behind the EQ for both rear speakers and for some reason an amp in each rear tower.

 

Sounds like you have a Luxury coupe rather than a base, since the base was not available with an EQ.

Not ever owning a Luxury coupe, I could be wrong and they too had the windsheild antenna.

Do you have power mirrors? if you do you don't have a base model.