Has anyone installed a "hide away" antenna?

[JoyfulSoul]

I recently purchased the "4UA20 "Hide-away" high gain amplified AM/FM antenna
$29.95". Has anyone replaced their AM/FM antenna with this hide-away model? How's the reception?

I wonder how difficult it is to install or is this a job for the BMW dealer. If anyone has installed one of these, your suggestions on the install would be much appreciated.

http://www.storesonline.com/site/515372/product/44ua20

Thanks,
Larry
Port Charlotte, FL

[messenger13]

Installed one on my '02. Several people have. My FM and weather bands reception was comparable. AM had a whine from the alternator that I never seemed to find the time to cure. Basically because I had no use for AM. In fact, once I bought my iPod, I never listened to FM again.

[ErnieA]

Has anyone replaced their AM/FM antenna with this hide-away model? How's the reception?
http://www.storesonline.com/site/515372/product/44ua20


Yes, and I had horrible reception. I took it off and returned to a stock antenna and I'm back to normal reception.

[WPNorton]

I installed one a year ago. I didn't notice any loss in reception, just the loss of that irritating whip antenna being in the way all the time.

[patrick2000]

I installed the "Hide Away" a couple of years ago. I didn't notice any loss in reception, provided the ignition is on and the unit is powered. Reception is poor if the ignition is in the off position, so I cannot use the LT, as a garage radio.

[Lynn_Keen]

I've had one for about a year and get lousy reception. Am is pitiful, weather band sucks, and FM is marginal. I've tried several locations with no success. I currently have it mounted on the front of my BMR shelf in front of my GPS. Haven't done much about it 'caus I have XM and that's about all I listen to.

[paulcbrowne]

Mine works fine. I wonder if the position where you install it makes a difference. Mine is under the black plastic piece under the topcase. It's taped to the backside of the indent for the tail light assembly. Actually, I seem to get the same results as mentioned above -- AM still useless, FM and weather equal to the whip antenna.

I did find that the reception got pretty bad wehn I forgot to reconnect the power lead however.

[BecketMa]

<....working on the magnetic field associated with a conductor excited by a microwave.>

Anyone have a clue what that means?

I've always thought that since RF is electromagnetic radiation, and the E and H (magnetic) components are at right angles, they are "associated" with each other.

The few times I've read about H-plane antennas they are transmitting loops. I've never seen mention of a wave length relationship between E and H. I've always assumed the wave lengths would be identical.

What I remember is that horizontally oriented magnetic antennas produce vertical, an omnidirectional pattern. So, a magnetic antenna would have to be placed horizontally to be omnidirectional.

Bob

[Buckelew]

I put one in...and pulled it out after trying everything, including toroidal filters, to get rid of the whine. I like local AM talk radio.

I'm back to the whip with a Sirius satellite radio and an FM modulator that results in dynamite sound from Sirius and never having to change the FM retrans station.

[lhendrick]

I put one in...and pulled it out after trying everything, including toroidal filters, to get rid of the whine. I like local AM talk radio.

I'm back to the whip with a Sirius satellite radio and an FM modulator that results in dynamite sound from Sirius and never having to change the FM retrans station.

Did you try grounding the antenna?

[RVB1019]

Go with the Sirius or XM units. You won't regret it! I'm a Sirius guy and love it!

[robasay]

I recently purchased the "4UA20 "Hide-away" high gain amplified AM/FM antenna
$29.95". Has anyone replaced their AM/FM antenna with this hide-away model? How's the reception?

I wonder how difficult it is to install or is this a job for the BMW dealer. If anyone has installed one of these, your suggestions on the install would be much appreciated.

http://www.storesonline.com/site/515372/product/44ua20

Thanks,
Larry
Port Charlotte, FL


I have been looking at installing one of the shark fin type antenna we now see on the BMW cars as well as other manufactured vehicles. Thought about putting it on the hump of the rear top box. Has anyone thought of this, installed one or have knowledge of the results after installation?

[jwd98056]

I installed one on my 2000 LT. I mounted mine at the extreme rear of the bike under the top box. Reception does suffer in that location and FM is OK around town but useless in fringe reception areas. AM never did work but like Joe I could care less. I have an Ice-Link/iPod setup and seldom use the radio anyway.

Installation isn't difficult. You will need to cut and replace a number of zip ties to remove the OEM antenna coax cable which runs from the external antenna forward to the left side of the stingray. You will need 12V from a switched power source for the hide-away antenna and you need to route the hide-away coax cable from the installation location to the stingray. If you mount it somewhere in the rear of the bike you can probably use the same routing as the OEM coax cable and kill two birds with one stone as far as replacing zip ties and securing the new cable are concerned.

[Rick-L]

...that irritating whip antenna being in the way all the time.

I ride home from work @ midnight. The motion sensor light doesn't always come on when I park so it's black as pitch after turning off the HID's. Almost always I'll walk into the antenna after dismounting (left side) & walking back to the topcase to put the helmet away. Has anyone moved the radio antenna to the right side of the bike successfully? I know the CB antenna mount can go there but will the one from the left bolt up on the right? At least then when I park on the sidestand it won't be jutting out at me.