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Windshield shading issue

N

Nursecosmo

Member
Oct 14, 2009
97
0
16
Wisconsin Northwoods
So I bought an Opek VUG-270 through the glass antenna for my wife's new Subaru XV Crosstrek. Yes, yes, I know, how can any self respecting ham put such a blasphemous piece of equipment on his vehicle. The wife says no holes in her new ride so that's what we are stuck with. Anyhow, the best looking place seems to be the top of the windshield right in the middle. It may even look halfway stock there.

My question is: it there a way to determine whether the little black dots painted on the glass above the rear view mirror are conductive and thus would render the capacitive rf conduction even more inefficient?
 

The glass itself may be more of a problem. If the glass is passivated (and most auto glass is these days), there are little grains of metal all through it, which will probably defeat your purpose.
 
I have known some of those windshields that have those shading dots in them to be of a metalized mylar. This depends on the manufacturer, and or the quality of the glass.

I have also seen some of them render the most complex radar detectors useless.

seems to be a roll of the dice to me.
 
You can always get replacement adhesive pads and relocate the antenna if the shading interferes.

I have used those types of antennas back in the early 90's with bag phones. I also had one hooked up to an old bearcat scanner. They actually worked "fairly" well.

Let us know how it goes.

I actually miss my old bag phone. That thing would get out and talk.
 
Agree with m42duster above. The glass mount antenna get a lot of flak but I think most of it is just parroting someone else or improper installation. I used to run a 2m half wave Larsen Kulrod glass mount and it worked just fine. the issue seems to with how and where it is mounted which is true to some extent with any antenna.
 
Captain Kilowatt said:
Agree with m42duster above. The glass mount antenna get a lot of flak but I think most of it is just parroting someone else or improper installation. I used to run a 2m half wave Larsen Kulrod glass mount and it worked just fine. the issue seems to with how and where it is mounted which is true to some extent with any antenna.
Click to expand...

The way most of us use 2 meters for very local repeaters a wet noodle on the dashboard would probably be ok. I use the smallest antenna possible unless I'm traveling a long distance or have lived in the fringe area of a repeater.
 
If your talking a group of "black dots" and maybe more along the top or side edging...
I'll take a guess and say XM/Sirrius Sat radio antenna...My front glass is loaded with them....
Rear glass some of the new style defroster elements...
I have those in the side mirrors also...
Might steer clear of mounting antennas there if you can
My 2 cents worth
All the Best
BJ
 
RatsoW8 said:
The way most of us use 2 meters for very local repeaters a wet noodle on the dashboard would probably be ok. I use the smallest antenna possible unless I'm traveling a long distance or have lived in the fringe area of a repeater.
Click to expand...

Same here... I like 1/4 wave roof/trunk mounts. Low profile and gets the job done.
 
BJ radionut said:
If your talking a group of "black dots" and maybe more along the top or side edging...
I'll take a guess and say XM/Sirrius Sat radio antenna...My front glass is loaded with them....
Rear glass some of the new style defroster elements...
I have those in the side mirrors also...
Might steer clear of mounting antennas there if you can
My 2 cents worth
All the Best
BJ
Click to expand...

Those dots are just for shading in the area behind the rear view mirror mainly. My Ford Escape had it and no satellite radio on board. My new Tundra has them as well and the XM satellite radio antenna is a small bump on the roof on the passenger side. IIRC I even had a vehicle with it before Sirius/XM radio started.
 
Thanks for all the input guys. The dots are definitely not any kind of antenna. I mounted my Passport Redline RD behind the shading and noticed absolutely no difference in sensitivity so I'm pretty sure it'll be OK. I just wanted to get more input from the experts. As soon as the temps make it above the solid mark, I'll mount it.
 
The owners manual dosen't always reveal the options of your vehicle. The definitive information would come off of the options sticker that is located inside the bottom of the glove box. there are often listed in alfanumeric codes.
 

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