I have a short antenna. It's been confirmed by a few people here that many of them over time cause problems. Mine shorts out sometimes and starts picking up interference from the hydro-electric braking system makines static and buzzing noises on AM channels. The dealers have fixed it by re-installing a stock antenna. Mine seems to do it when you watch it, but after it dries it's ok. Water must be getting into something or other. HummerMike said he has seen a few at his dealer that have been replaced because of the same issue. Make sure you get a high-quality one. Mine is only 10" tall and the reception is just as good, if not better, then the stock one, although it has that little bug. 90% of the time it works great.

 

AM is notorious for picking up low frequency RF noises..it's the nature of the bandwidth..A short antenna just allows more of those stray unregualted amplitudes of RF modulation to get past the bandpass filters on the front end of the receiver...I never listen to AM unless it's on my Antique Radios..And they have a 100' antenna hooked to them.

 

Here are some pics of the antenna-x. Not great photos, but you'll get the idea. Ignore the tapering at the bottom of the plastic tube near the antenna base. As I have mentioned before, with the chrome antenna base cover, the antennas plastic base was too large to fit anymore, so I needed to make it smaller to fit.


[IMG]local://upfiles/1527/657B1FE2F0FE482CB3BED880746055B3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/1527/345AA55CD0324174A01F409CE76FBD1B.jpg[/IMG]

 

I have the AMI Stubbie with flames. It works really good. The first one that I had I sent back for two reasons...One, the flames didn't hardly show up and second it didn't seem to work. The second may have been my fault though. This new antenna I recieved I first unscrewed the adaptor from the antenna and screwed itinto the H3 antenna reciever first, then I screwed the Stubbie antenna to it. I think on the first one I didn't have the adaptor screwed into the H3 reciever far enough so it wasn't getting good contact. This new one looks and works great. I bought it on Ebay.

 

I have kept my stock antenna for one reason- If it clears in the parking garage, I know I'm safe -- it's kinda like a curb-feeler for my roof.

 

..yeah, that's a good way to look at it..makes perfect sense..

 

Actually, the AntennaX model antenna that I just received was great! NO plastic parts! Reception has been great!

 

Yay, someone else with the COOL SHINY FLAME one!!!!

 

I can't believe that this thread has gone on for 3 pages now.[sm=icon_stickpoke.gif]