Antenna replacements
Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Antenna replacements

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Rockford
    Posts
    2

    Antenna replacements

    Anyone here replaced their antennas with a shorter version or shark fin style antenna?
    I attempted the shark fin and its a tough fit with rounding of the bag.
    Looking for sources...

  2. #2
    Senior Member olegoat345's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Central, Fl.
    Posts
    1,234
    Would it work to mount the shark fin on the front cowl between the headlights

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    East Dundee Il
    Posts
    46
    Quote Originally Posted by johne5jb77 View Post
    Anyone here replaced their antennas with a shorter version or shark fin style antenna?
    I attempted the shark fin and its a tough fit with rounding of the bag.
    Looking for sources...
    Shorter version? I dunno.... unless you never leave Rockford city limits.
    The stock 7" already has distance issues, I couldn't imagine something shorter; it would drop reception down like crazy I'd guess.
    I was at the Smokin, Coop by you recently and it seemed like I could only get the religious radio station. It was better than nothing.
    Remember, the optimum length for FM reception is about 30 inches unless you start going high tech.
    I've been trying to find a replacement and first of all, it sort of looks like the stock antenna for an F6b - at least for my 2013 - is probably the same one as the OEM for some Hyundai's and Subaru's. It is distinct because on the removable antenna, the male threaded rod ends BEFORE it exits the rubbery base.
    There IS a place on Amazon and online that sells replacement antenna's - and I might have seen a shorter one there - called The Antenna Source in Manitowoc Wi.
    I e-chatted with Zach at Customer Service and he seemed eager to explain what they can sell, but cautioned that a longer antenna may adversely affect the base, due to wind pressure on the antenna. I spoke on the phone with Honda Motor Sports about it - they were perky and upbeat, but ultimately admitted they couldn't get much more out of Mother Honda other than the size of the box the antenna came in.

    One of the particular fuzzy points with replacement antennas is the threaded rod length at the end of the removable antenna. You can thread a long rod into your FCB's base, but then you will have a gap between the base and the antenna. You can always cut off some, like shortening a bolt with a fine toothed hacksaw blade or Dremel, but then you still have a little gap. I'm guessing some shrink tubing would fix that.

    One other issue for replacement antennas - merely cutting the threaded rod might be problematic. Some replacements seem to include 2 or three transition pieces, so if an antenna comes stock with a 3mm threaded rod and you have a 5 mm female threaded base, you need a converter. That would raise the height a bit, but perhaps that shrink tubing would take care of covering it. You'd just have to replace the shrink tubing if you replaced it. Maybe rubber hose is the answer?

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Kokomo, Indiana
    Posts
    229
    I was asking the same questions 6 months ago. The Flat Indiana roads really impact the F6B radio reception for some reason. I finally did replace(bypassed) mine with an XM. I never looked back at terrestrial radio.
    Still have radio for those times I might need local.

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •