95 Disco Antenna

[ColoDisco]

I know this sounds crazy but I am keeping my factory stereo for the WB. A car wash ate my antenna some time ago so I am sourcing a new one. Do I need to have the factory antenna to get the WB?

[Daryl]

I'm sot sure it will make much of a difference. Sure, you'd do better with a shorter antenna for weather band, but it would be at the detriment of your FM radio reception. I've had other (Sony) radios with weather band hooked up to standard FM radio antennas and didn't notice much better/worse performance than in my '98 Disco. That may or may not be good enough depending on how far away you are from your local broadcast site.

[ColoDisco]

Rock auto has a replacement for $10.80. I was just thinking there might be a more flexible option. I am planning on keeping this one collapsed unless I need WB.

[JeremyT101]

Did your year of Disco have the antenna outside for the stock radio? Interesting. Mine is in the rear windows I believe, and Ill be honest it kinda sucks. I wonder if I can do something with an aux antenna if the 94-95 had one.

[ColoDisco]

Yes! Mine is in the passenger fender.

[Monkeyboy]

Just get the o.e. replacement.

You can take some of the inner fender fastners loose and squeeze your arm up in there to loosen the nut holding the antenna in place.

Heck they're not even particularly expensive from the dealer - well it's probably been ten years since I replaced mine.

[Daryl]

Did your year of Disco have the antenna outside for the stock radio? Interesting. Mine is in the rear windows I believe, and Ill be honest it kinda sucks.

My '98 is the same (in the windows) but it has an amplifier, which is typical of cars that have an antenna in glass. If yours isn't working well it might be worth your time to see if you are getting power to the amplifier (yeah, you have to drop the headliner) and also verify that the amp is actually working (I've got no idea how to do that) or get a salvage unit to swap in.

Actually, I'm ASSUMING my '98 is the same based on a glimpse of what's up there. My '02 has had the headliner out more than I care to recall and it definitely has what I'm describing. The '98 looks to be the same from what I've been able to see.

[JeremyT101]

My '98 is the same (in the windows) but it has an amplifier, which is typical of cars that have an antenna in glass. If yours isn't working well it might be worth your time to see if you are getting power to the amplifier (yeah, you have to drop the headliner) and also verify that the amp is actually working (I've got no idea how to do that) or get a salvage unit to swap in.

Actually, I'm ASSUMING my '98 is the same based on a glimpse of what's up there. My '02 has had the headliner out more than I care to recall and it definitely has what I'm describing. The '98 looks to be the same from what I've been able to see.

Eh, functionally my radio 'works'. I get pretty good sound out of it, and I can hear the sub in the back and whatnot. What was throwing me was the range at which it starts to not be able to pick up stations clearly. On my old car when it stopped receiving 'stereo' sound it just sort of led it fade into whatever it was getting, or some white noise as it were. The Rover guys well... I guess they figured that was no good so when it stops receiving in st it goes very quiet, very fast. So my old Focus could listen to my favorite station around town in Toronto, but also 65km to the south west without problems. This truck, not so much. Was was wondering if I could extend the range of the radio, that's all.

[Daryl]

Was was wondering if I could extend the range of the radio, that's all.

I can assure you that you can't do worse than an in-glass antenna, regardless of an amplifier

Chances are high whatever you find that costs more than $1.75 will be better than what is on mine and probably what was on there unless the radio itself is the issue.

[jhawk]

I love the factory radio and the weather band! You can use any universal antenna, I've been running one for years, just make sure it's flexible.

Jim