Radio antenna that actually performs better?

[Captain Slow]

Unlike many of you I'm fine with the look of the stock antenna, I like it, reminds me of an RC car.

However the reception is not that great. Is there an option for something that receives signal better? Stubby? Regular sized?

Thanks.

[33OH]

I have an S2000 antenna on mine and it receives great reception. I can't technically say if it gets better reception, but I will say "it seems to."

[CTScott]

Are you running the stock HU or an aftermarket one? Our antenna base has a built in amplifier that needs to be powered, so when wiring up an aftermarket HU you have to make sure that it still gets powered.

Other than that, the stock antenna is actually pretty decent. Anything smaller will result in some degradation.

The issue with radio antennae is that they have to cover a wide frequency range.

Our stock antenna is an 1/8 wave antenna. For an 1/8 wave antenna the ideal length should be 0.405 m at 88.1 MHz and 0.331 m at 107.9 MHz. So, to cover the band with a fixed length antenna you pick a length around the center of the band and have a non-ideal antenna as you move out from there.

The longer the antenna (but in multiples of the wavelength) the better the gain, so a 1/4 or 1/2 wave antenna would have significantly better gain than the OEM 1/8 wave one, but would need to be longer (0.661 to 0.810 m for a 1/4 wave and 1.372 to 1.619 m for a 1/2 wave one).

[07stlYaris]

Where's the power lead for the stock antenna?
I was about to ditch my new head unit due to poor reception.

[CTScott]

Where's the power lead for the stock antenna?
I wasw about to ditch my new head unit due to poor reception.

On the OEM harness it is the black wire in pin 8 of the blue connector. You can connect it to the power antenna output of an aftermarket HU.

[07stlYaris]

Sweet, Thanks.

[aussie muzza]

With apologies to the OP, Captain Slow, as I do not wish to hijack the thread, but where is the antenna on a sedan? My '07 sedan has no visible antenna. My '04 Ford Falcon Station Wagon has the radio antenna implanted in the fixed back rear side glass on the wagon section.
The rear window demister is on the inside of the rear glass of the Yaris, but other than that, I can not see anything that may be a radio antenna. The owners manual and radio manual do not have any mention of the antenna location.
Muz

[CTScott]

With apologies to the OP, Captain Slow, as I do not wish to hijack the thread, but where is the antenna on a sedan? My '07 sedan has no visible antenna. My '04 Ford Falcon Station Wagon has the radio antenna implanted in the fixed back rear side glass on the wagon section.
The rear window demister is on the inside of the rear glass of the Yaris, but other than that, I can not see anything that may be a radio antenna. The owners manual and radio manual do not have any mention of the antenna location.
Muz

Sedans have the antenna in the rear window. If you have the rear window defroster you will notice that there are two distinct sections of copper in the glass - The lower section is the defroster and the upper is the antenna.

[aussie muzza]

Thanks for that CTScott - much appreciated. I have checked my rear window glass and I can now see the division between demister and antenna on the top. Who would have ever thought!
regards Muz

[chocolab]

I'm very glad to read this thread... I don't have my Yaris yet -- still looking -- but radio reception on both AM and FM is very important to me as I live about 100 miles from two large cities that have local sports programming I like, most of which isn't available anywhere else (even on satellite). My mom had a Camry a few years ago that seemed to have great reception and the one Yaris I test drove did too. Wouldn't be the reason I'd buy a car but hey, it doesn't hurt, either. :)

I actually put a Yaris-style Audi/VW rooftop antenna on my old BMW when I got my windows tinted and it killed the reception from my back glass antenna. But that one isn't amplified. Good info knowing that this one is, and how to wire it up in case you get an aftermarket radio.

[TickleTimeTim]

scott, where do you work, NASA? you have freakin loads of knowledge. always helpful