Radio aerial question...

[pidgeonpost]

I'm hoping that our Berlingo will have a garage built some time this year, and although the car itself should fit OK (1.87 metres tall including the roofbars), the roof-mounted radio aerial is a different matter. At present the aerial sits at maybe 40-45 degrees, and looks like it should fold down closer to the roof. It seemed reluctant to move when I tried it today - I guess there's probably a securing screw hidden under a plastic cap in the bracket. I'd be interested to know if anyone has been here before and how they overcame the problem - perhaps even fitting a different aerial. Left as it is the aerial would just deflect when the car was put in the garage forwards, but it would do itself a severe unpleasantness when reversed out

Any thoughts please folks...?

[j90xxx]

There is a securing screw under the plastic cap; mine was a Torx head. (May need WD 40 first.)
Citroen recommend that the aerial is at the same angle as the windscreen for best reception.
In my experience a shallower angle works just fine for the BBC and ILR stations.
Try experimenting...
And don't be tempted by the tiny 'bee-sting' aerials, unless you are parked next to a transmitter.:whistle:

[3rensho]

I have to keep mine pretty flat on the top of the car because of a low garage. I had it at 45 degrees in the beginning and nearly tore it off a few times. It is remarkably resilient. Didn't notice a degradation in reception when fairly flat. Also, it was getting difficult to unscrew and remove before going thru a car wash so I applied some copper lube to the threads and now it is easy.

[Ol'Jeffers]

The official 'blurb' suggests that the aerial should follow the line of the windscreen. I have my doubts,
from a radio techs point of view, that that is indeed the best angle. There are aerials which work well
and are basically foil strips on the inside of a side window, good for FM Stereo reception but poor for MW/LW.

[steve valentine]

I bought a new base from ebay as mine was also stiff, cost around a fiver.

Also got a shorter aerial (not a beesting) that is around 12" long, instead of the three foot the original one is!

If you are a tight sod, you can always cut yours down a bit, it's only fibreglass.

[Trevor]

About 12 years ago I had a Ford Escort estate and the radio aerial was part of the rear screen heater. This worked fine I wonder they are not all like that these days?

[j90xxx]

As most aerials are a quarter wave, the length should be between 26 and 32 inches for 88 to 108Mhz.
If you only listen to Radio 4 it should be about 30 inches.tudy:

[tucker]

Mine moves quite freely as I have to drop it down in the multi-storey and up to fit my roof box on.

I lost the little ball bit off the end though several years ago!

[XTR]

Mine moves quite freely as I have to drop it down in the multi-storey and up to fit my roof box on.

I lost the little ball bit off the end though several years ago!

Same here,I have to have it fairly low down otherwise it catches the mechanism of the garage door (electric,sectional) and then have to have it nearly vertical to open the roof box when it's on.