Half height electric aerial

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:14 pm

Dont know if such a thing exists or if the factory one can be modified, but I'm not a fan of how tall the NB's pop up aerial is.
Is there a replacement one that is about half the height without reception loss?
Can the factory one be modified to only come halfway out?

Iv seen the little solid stubby aerials but im not a fan.
I like the retractable setup, just not soo tall

narita · Postby **narita** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:33 pm

this is a genius idea, if anyone has a solution let me know!

hejira · Postby **hejira** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 3:32 pm

cut it in half

Blesif · Postby **Blesif** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:00 pm

Have no idea if this can be adapted to an MX5 but my Pajero has a two stage aerial operated by a rocker switch. On one setting the aerial goes up halfway, rock the switch onto the other position and it goes full height. Would be very useful mod on the NB MX. An auto electrician could probably advise on whether it is feasible.

Postby **Okibi** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:07 pm

The Prada you can set the height and it always returns to that same height.

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:10 pm

Reckon most NB owners would be in for one if exists, or even a simple mod.

I've installed a dash switch that stops mine going up every time the HU comes on, but a half height Power Aerial would still be great ...

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Postby **Okibi** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 10:30 pm

I only listen to the radio when i'm driving so I don't notice the aerial height.

Crapweasel · Postby **Crapweasel** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 10:36 pm

Why not go hidden?

Aerial stays down, plug in a hidden option:

http://www.mossmiata.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=114268

I'll be going down this path eventually, and removing the antenna altogether, but having the hole filled & painted for a nice smooth line... I really don't like the placement for antennas on our cars, would have preferred a small centered top of windscreen option, but on the NB I don't think that was available then.

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 11:38 pm

Crapweasel wrote:Why not go hidden?

Aerial stays down, plug in a hidden option:

http://www.mossmiata.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=114268

My Father in Law had a similar aerial that stuck on the inside of his Falcon windscreen behind the rear view mirror many years ago. He'd got sick of having his normal aerial broken off by vandals. The stuck on one worked really well. Had an internal signal amplifier so received good signal even out in country areas. I'd forgotten all about that ;)

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Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:56 pm

Okibi wrote:The Prada you can set the height and it always returns to that same height.

Do you know how that is controlled? If its a little external module rather than in internal part of that aerial it could be easily installed in our cars.
I wonder if its simply cutting the power to the aerial motor when it reaches a set height? (i.e, after 2 seconds the power is cut)

And if this is possible to rig up would the motor then freak out going down, thinking the aerial is at the full height when its not and try to wind the mast past the stop pointeither damaging the mast or the motor itself.

Hmm might be a weekend project to rig a switch up to the power lead and flick it over when the aerial is at half mast. See what happens when it switched back on and the car is turned off.

The reason im wanting this is my aftermarket stereo activates the aerial when it has power (key to ignition), regardless of if its turned off or not.

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Wed Aug 21, 2013 1:02 pm

Iv also thought of the hidden windscreen style one but then i'd want to remove the factory one completely and that means panel work and spray etc to fill the hole.
I'd rather avoid that kind of work

Postby **Okibi** » Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:24 pm

You can get an adjustable electronic timed relay (cheap on ebay), put this in line with the power to the aerial motor then you could just adjust that until it stopped where you wanted it.

sleeptec · Postby **sleeptec** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 11:43 pm

I'n contemplating getting the manual aerial from an NA and sticking one of those stubby antenna's on. It won't retract all the way down, but if you wanted to you could just completely remove the stubby antenna by unscrewing it at will.

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 3:00 am

I have one mate! Works like a charm too, no loss of reception.

Sorry for the crap pics:

It's tiny, black, same profile as the oem one and looks stock too. What more could you want? Added bonus is that it works just as good. Only one problem... I have no idea who made it and where you could get another! I got it off a mate who had it in his drawer, so no idea.

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Fri Sep 06, 2013 5:22 pm

Ok have made progress.
Finally got a chance to have a play around with a cheap switch.
There is a plug connector on the aerial itself with three wires.

Firstly, don't cut the grey and black cable that connects to the headunit.
When you flick the switch the aerial goes straight down (durr moment there)
Second, don't cut the earth, (black) it stops the aerial but if I'm going to use a timed relay (say 4 seconds then flick the power on/off) when it gets power again the aerial keeps going up and then makes a wierd sound like its trying to wind the entire length of the mast.

Instead, use lucky last: blue with red stripe
I have no idea where it goes but when the ignition is turned on and the aerial raises, I flick the switch off then on again and the aerial stops and doesn't move.
When I turn the car off it goes all the way down without making weird sounds after its fully retracted!

Now just got to go to jaycar etc and find a relay(??) that flicks power off then on, and hopefully doesn't do it again on the way down.
(But then if its a 4 second delay before power cut then the mast should go down as far as it has come up right?)