Shortening a whip
- Thread starter buckshot85
- Start date
Buckshot,
My guess is Doubtful, I have seen other threads concerning this type of modification. I tried several "Shorty" antennas without much luck. I switched to a J&M Hidden antenna. It all goes behind the fairing. It's almost as good as the stock antenna.
Good luck with it and ride safe!!
My guess is Doubtful, I have seen other threads concerning this type of modification. I tried several "Shorty" antennas without much luck. I switched to a J&M Hidden antenna. It all goes behind the fairing. It's almost as good as the stock antenna.
Good luck with it and ride safe!!
Buckshot,
My guess is Doubtful, I have seen other threads concerning this type of modification. I tried several "Shorty" antennas without much luck. I switched to a J&M Hidden antenna. It all goes behind the fairing. It's almost as good as the stock antenna.
Good luck with it and ride safe!!
I did the same, with the HD version. Hidden in fairing
I tried HD and J&M hidden antennas on my SG. Both sucked. I use my phone and a flash drive for the most part for music. Will just tuck the antenna and see.
Yea the HD boom hidden antenna does suck, radio reception is mediocre at best....I don't really listen to the radio that much. Would be nice tho to have good radio reception when I did
I've got a solo seat on my Ultra. The antenna needs to slide damn near to the neck. With my tour pack harness rolled up under my solo, gonna be little room for a rolled up antenna cable and fitting but that's what I need to do. If it don't fit, hell with it. Just use my phone.
I think you can still run the antenna along the fender between the saddle bag and fender. On the street glides there is a stock bracket that gets turned around for the antenna to screw back onto. I zip tied the antenna along the edge of the fender with the tri-bar and brake light wiring. When you remove your seat and look at where the fender meets the frame there is a small opening that the tip of the antenna will fit through there. The tip of the antenna then sits up under the lip of the tank. You wont see it with a solo seat on and saddlebags. I just don't know how your antenna cable it goes to your tour pack and not the rear fender, but I am sure you can re-route it. Take a look at the video and see if it might work. Tinkering on the bike is cheaper than an after market hidden antenna that wont work.
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The issue is the length of the antenna cable in the harness is not that long. It basically ends just a few inches behind the ecm. I'll get it figured out. I have an antenna cable extension coming. Then I'll get a "happy spot" for it.
I cut my antenna down to 9 inches to clear the tourpak when its on. The antenna is made of fiberglass with a copper core. I used a small Dremel with a cut-off wheel so I didn't destroy the fiberglass, which could shatter. Having said that, and after I did that, my research came up with this post from another source:
When resizing antenna's, only cut for 144 MHz ( approx 12") This will cover both the FM 100 MHz and WB 160 MHz without any loss.
So to answer your question I wouldn't cut it any shorter than 12 inches which is about a 1/4 wave. If you go too short you will get signal loss in rural areas. The formula is 468 divided by the FREQUENCY IN MHZ = LENGTH IN FEET for a full wave length than divide by 4 to get a 1/4 wave.
Good thing I don't listen to the radio....
When resizing antenna's, only cut for 144 MHz ( approx 12") This will cover both the FM 100 MHz and WB 160 MHz without any loss.
So to answer your question I wouldn't cut it any shorter than 12 inches which is about a 1/4 wave. If you go too short you will get signal loss in rural areas. The formula is 468 divided by the FREQUENCY IN MHZ = LENGTH IN FEET for a full wave length than divide by 4 to get a 1/4 wave.
Good thing I don't listen to the radio....
How about just getting shorty antenna and replace OEM antenna?
I bought 13" shorty antenna which is still a bit taller to clear tour pak but since it's flexible it just bends when tour pak is on. Reception is great but can't speak for shorty ones though.
I bought 13" shorty antenna which is still a bit taller to clear tour pak but since it's flexible it just bends when tour pak is on. Reception is great but can't speak for shorty ones though.
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I went with the hidden antenna (HD) to accommodate my tour pak but the reception is spotty. If I could do it again I would probably go with the 13" and bend it under the tour pak.
It's pretty sad that my iPhone with one bar of reception plays internet radio better than my antenna can pick up the biggest radio station in D.C. from just 2 miles away!
It's pretty sad that my iPhone with one bar of reception plays internet radio better than my antenna can pick up the biggest radio station in D.C. from just 2 miles away!
Now that's the question we all ask ourselves and yet we continue to buy more stuff.....whatever works for you
Because I'm a cheap bastard and also blew my wad on other stuff....I ended up going to Walmart, found a replacement 13" flexible antenna for $10....installed that and my reception is better than when I had the oem whip.
