Hi all, Thought I would post my results of my reception post installation of the shark fin antenna. My FM stations have lost a significant amount of signal strength, the local station which I could get anywhere in my area easily, now fades in and out quite often which is really suprising! It's not a huge deal for me since I listen mostly to my satellite radio and cd, however for anyone considering getting that antenna and does listen to the regular FM stations, I would NOT recommend getting it. p.s. however it does look cool.
...anyone considering getting that antenna and does listen to the regular FM stations, I would NOT recommend getting it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WOW! That feels like a blanket indictment of all shark fin antennas!? To be fair, I think you need to name your source & maybe the antenna model number?
Loss of signal strength is a given by going to a much smaller antenna and then covering it up with who knows what type of plastic (some black plastics may contain carbon) and then a metallic paint.. So in effect, what you've got is a smaller element to receive signal with, and then you're covering it up with material that tends to interfere with signal, so what do you expect? In may cities, the FM stations are blasting the power out and due to the nature of FM (sound quality remains high until you reach the threshold) you may not notice any degradation at all, but it does not mean that it is not there..
It may depend on your location. Do you have lots of mountains, or tall buildings? My sharkfin actually out performs my other two cars' regular whip antennas in my neighbordood (LA suburbs). I got it for the convenience of using a car cover, and the cool look. Not losing reception was a bonus. Sorry yours doesnt work. Is the antenna wire connection clean and tight from the fin to the antenna base? I plugged mine in first and just used a little tape to hold it while I tested it before the final glue down. New shark users may want to test it that way before applying the real adhesive stuff.
I think it depends on location. I have had one for over a year and have not noticed any loss of reception. Places where aI did not get reception before I still do not get it...and where I did I stillget it and just as good.
I also bought a shark fin antenna through Priuschat. It was sitting on the shelf for several months, but I took advantage of the brief springlike weather this weekend to install it. I connected it to test it before attaching the fin, and it worked fine in my driveway (I scanned a number of FM and AM stations). However, while driving to work, I found that the reception for the FM station I generally listen to (a public radio station in Boston, about 75 miles away) had definitely degraded. Before, I would get a rare bit of static or momentary loss of signal in the general area where I live; now it is more frequent, although the station still comes in fine most of the time. Another "gripe"- the paint was not a precise match (Barcelona Red), but close enough that I decided to install it- you can only really tell if you're close up. Since I generally listen to XM or my iPod, and just tune in to this one FM station occasionally, I'll keep the antenna on unless it gets worse. But I would suggest to anyone who gets one that you temporarily attach it (someone mentioned taping it on) and drive around your listening area tuned into the stations that you usually listen to BEFORE attaching it permanently.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(larkinmj @ Mar 5 2007, 11:30 AM) [snapback]400479[/snapback]</div> Thanks for the input. I live in the mountains and was thinking about the shark fin, but I want better signal strength, not the chance of worse. <_<
