Aftermarket Radio Antenna

Eurostyle Antenna (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/EuroStyle-ANTENNA-Jeep-Cherokee-Commander-13-inches_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33639QQitemZ8062 240223QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW)

anyone using this?

I have something very similar on my other suv. Works well. On the freeway since it is flexable, it bends with the wind. maximo

Got one at a Shucks Auto Sup. for about $10. Works fine, after a few hundred miles at freeway speeds, it has a permanent "list" to the rear.

I paid $4 at my local Fleet Farm. I agree that after a few miles it has a permanent "list" to it.

Has anyone on this forum installed an aftermarket antenna? one smaller maybe 6'' or so? If so can u post a pic?

SHiny

I got the short black rubber one from antennaX on ebay. It works great and looks great too. I'll try to get a pic this week.

shineyblackhemi....i haven't installed one on my commander yet, but i installed a 6'' one on my other car and it looks great....gives it a lot more sporty look.....i also saw the one's they had on ebay, but found the same one's at Autozone for $8....

I got the short black on on Ebay too.. .lemme see if I can link some pics...

This is what it looks like in the mountains...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2101/2237959082_bd1a66d18d.jpg

Not polished, but stubby. My only complaint is that after a few hours at 70mph in sub zero weather, it takes some time to get back to vertical.

get out your grinder and cut the stock one to any length you want.:D :D

I've gotten spoiled by the Sirius radio... I'm going to get a stainless cap screw and just take mine off and throw it in with the jack (in case the Sirius dies...) ;)

i took my antenna off. i have sirius. i can't live without it where i live.

all we have for music is:

country
soft rock
classic rock

i would kill myself without sirius, Rush Limbaugh, and the sound of wind.

So these have just as good performance?

I've gotten spoiled by the Sirius radio... I'm going to get a stainless cap screw and just take mine off and throw it in with the jack (in case the Sirius dies...) ;)

I considered the same thing.

So these have just as good performance?
If you're referring to the short rubber antennas the answer is yes. I think the performance of the antennaX antenna is better than stock.

I would like to get a shorty antenna for mine, what has the best reception?

I would like to get a shorty antenna for mine, what has the best reception?
I got this one from Antenna X on ebay. It looks good and has great reception too.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/EuroStyle-13-ANTENNA-Jeep-Grand-Cherokee-Commander_W0QQitemZ200252412196QQihZ010QQcategoryZ 33639QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/EuroStyle-13-ANTENNA-Jeep-Grand-Cherokee-Commander_W0QQitemZ200252412196QQihZ010QQcategoryZ 33639QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

I would like to get a shorty antenna for mine, what has the best reception?
I picked up a 6" Billet off eBay and notice no difference from factory.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w1/A49erfan/July07021.jpg

i picked up a rubber antenna from autozone to replace the factory one and had alittle trouble taking it off, but i just used a pair of pliers and it came right off. the reception with the shorty antenna is just as good as with the stock one.

I used to own a 97 Explorer, and my antenna was bent backwards from the wind resistance. I ended up buying a short stub 13 inch antenna which was a bit thicker than the stock provided, however looked better and didnt bend backwards. May sound odd, but has anyone purchased one for the Commander?

http://zeusantenna.com/home.html?gclid=CPvN1vXm3pcCFQrFGgodShAGCw

:stickpoke:

I remember reading somewhere that the length of an antenna is important to pull in different frequency ranges. So if you change the length, you might change the reception of your radio. If you live close to a major city, this may not be a problem, but if you're not too close to the radio transmitters, you might not be able to get the stations as well.

I used to own a 97 Explorer, and my antenna was bent backwards from the wind resistance. I ended up buying a short stub 13 inch antenna which was a bit thicker than the stock provided, however looked better and didnt bend backwards. May sound odd, but has anyone purchased one for the Commander?

http://zeusantenna.com/home.html?gclid=CPvN1vXm3pcCFQrFGgodShAGCw

:stickpoke:
Several of the Forum members, including me, have installed the 13" "euro-style" flexible rubber antenna sold by antenna X on ebay. I have had no problems at all with reception with this antenna, in fact I think it is better than the stock one. Here is the ebay item #: 350145209529 And it is less than half the price of the one in your link: $9.99 + $4.99 shipping. Here are some pics of it on my Commander:

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/jeep5253/Off-road%206-8-2008/Off-road6-8-2008006.jpg?t=1230317162 (http://javascript<b></b>:void(0);)
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/jeep5253/Off-road%206-8-2008/Off-road6-8-2008036.jpg?t=1213049356
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/jeep5253/Off-road%206-8-2008/Off-road6-8-2008008.jpg?t=1213048659

That's the exact one (or looks like it) - and I'm in Boston so I think I'll be good here until it's time for a roadtrip to Siberia :D I'll check that link out thanks guys!

I used to own a 97 Explorer, and my antenna was bent backwards from the wind resistance.
The one I referenced you to WILL bend from the wind but it will straighten back out. You want it to be able to bend if you do any off-roading and it hits branches. But the shorter length reduces the chances of it hitting anything.

Radio wave reception is directly related to effective antenna length, and interfering materials nearby. Different radio frequencies require different length antennas - but randomly installing a shorter than optimal antenna will negatively affect reception, in addition to putting the reception point lower, closer to vehicle body parts that can block the signals, too.

FM reception requires an antenna length of about 31" - shorter antennas usually have metal windings to compensate for the shorter physical length, but cannot compensate for the interference from body parts, etc. Some less expensive antennas don't even use the windings, and cause havoc with your FM reception.

Best bet is to use the factory antenna, which is optimized for the vehicle. If you want to change it for aesthetic reasons, be ready to accept a compromise in reception...

I knew that I read that somewhere. A quick web search on shorty antennas will give you tons of information. The above quote came from this forum:

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/stereo-electronics/73826-short-antenna-crappy-reception-2.html

I knew that I read that somewhere. A quick web search on shorty antennas will give you tons of information. The above quote came from this forum:

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/stereo-electronics/73826-short-antenna-crappy-reception-2.html
I repeat: There has been no decline in reception with the antenna X antenna. They are made to compensate for the shorter length.

I repeat: There has been no decline in reception with the antenna X antenna. They are made to compensate for the shorter length.

Okay, that's great news for you, but others may experience a decline in FM reception. This is not opinion, it's a well-known fact. A little web research can't possibly hurt.

BTW, I was thinking about getting one for our Commander until I heard that other people were experiencing poorer reception. We live only about 20 miles away from NYC, but my wife and I both tend to listen to some of the fringe stations that we don't get great reception already. My 4Runner has the a diversity antenna built into the glass on both sides, so it pulls those stations in pretty well. With the Commander, the OEM antenna pulls them in too, but a bit weaker, so a shorter antenna wouldn't help us very much.

BTW, don't take this post as a 4Runner vs Commander thing, because that's not my intention, but I know that you like to blow things out of proportion.

Thanks for the info TR - I just got my CMDR so I'm gonna fiddle with it and see what the range differences are. I'm exactly 6 miles outside of Boston so for me I dont see any potential issue whereas the stations are within a 5 mile proximity to me. If I travel I always have Cd's etc, so I think I'll be good. Honestly and I think this is more of an OCD post but I can't stand stock antennas waving all over the place. The small ones I prefer and I think make the vehicle look better. Again personal preference, but you raise a good point.

Okay, that's great news for you, but others may experience a decline in FM reception. This is not opinion, it's a well-known fact. A little web research can't possibly hurt.

BTW, I was thinking about getting one for our Commander until I heard that other people were experiencing poorer reception. We live only about 20 miles away from NYC, but my wife and I both tend to listen to some of the fringe stations that we don't get great reception already. My 4Runner has the a diversity antenna built into the glass on both sides, so it pulls those stations in pretty well. With the Commander, the OEM antenna pulls them in too, but a bit weaker, so a shorter antenna wouldn't help us very much.

BTW, don't take this post as a 4Runner vs Commander thing, because that's not my intention, but I know that you like to blow things out of proportion.
For $15 including shipping why don't you try one and see if I'm correct or not ? And how about some pics of your XK ? We haven't seen any since you got it.

Thanks for the info TR - I just got my CMDR so I'm gonna fiddle with it and see what the range differences are. I'm exactly 6 miles outside of Boston so for me I dont see any potential issue whereas the stations are within a 5 mile proximity to me. If I travel I always have Cd's etc, so I think I'll be good. Honestly and I think this is more of an OCD post but I can't stand stock antennas waving all over the place. The small ones I prefer and I think make the vehicle look better. Again personal preference, but you raise a good point.

I hear ya.... I like the idea of a shorty antenna also. If you listen to relatively strong stations then I'm sure you'll be fine. If some of your favorite stations are already weak, you may make the situation worse. Depends upon a lot of factors.

One thing to keep in mind is that quite a few Commander owners reported damage by the long OEM antenna flexing back and forth. That's one good reason to go with a shorty antenna because it will likely help prevent that type of damage. That's the main reason why I was thinking about going with a shorty, but like I said, we need all the reception we can get!

For $15 including shipping why don't you try one and see if I'm correct or not ? And how about some pics of your XK ? We haven't seen any since you got it.

Nah, it's not worth it to me. No point in even messing with it.

BTW, I was thinking about getting one for our Commander until I heard that other people were experiencing poorer reception.
Those other people must not have gotten a good antenna.

Those other people must not have gotten a good antenna.

Maybe not... but it seem to be pretty universal. Shorty antennas are very popular with the Mustang crowd because the OEM is so damn long it almost looks funny. But even those guys have complained time and time again that it hurt their reception.

Maybe you found one of the few "good" ones that actually works well....who knows? Glad its working out for ya...

I actually just placed the order for the antenna - thanks for the ebay # - I took some pics yesterday in the park and am gonna snap a few more tonight in the city so you can expect some posts tonight - We got hit with a nice storm unfortunately we've had 40 degree weather as of recent so most of it melted away. But I'll definately be taking more pics in our next storm. The Jeep handled it no problem, everyone around me was spinning out. Its good to be behind the wheel of one again.

And how about some pics of your XK ? We haven't seen any since you got it.

Still bone stock... looks exactly the same as it did when I posted this picture:

I actually just placed the order for the antenna - thanks for the ebay # - I took some pics yesterday in the park and am gonna snap a few more tonight in the city so you can expect some posts tonight - We got hit with a nice storm unfortunately we've had 40 degree weather as of recent so most of it melted away. But I'll definately be taking more pics in our next storm. The Jeep handled it no problem, everyone around me was spinning out. Its good to be behind the wheel of one again.


Yeah, same thing happened here in New York. We got about 12 inches of snow over two back-to-back storms, but it's almost all gone because it has been warm and raining for the two days now! Can't wait for more snow!

Seriously - I went down to a few side streets that are notorious for lack of plowing - there were cars legit ALL over the place - so now the routine is I'm getting more respect from the sedan owners to take the lead in the snow ridden streets whereas I'm "plowing" a lane for them to follow with ease. It's hilarious... I started thinking of Jeep5245's comment "Post some pics"!! I know the motto, no pics it doesn't exist :D

"Pics, or it didn't happen!"

But, as far as the antenna thing goes - I have the small stubby Euro antenna as well and have no experienced any appreciable decline in reception. However, I think the laws of physics and propagation would point to longer antennas being marginally better over distances. I think the increased performance of a long antenna would be very very slight. The advantage of a shorter antenna in the wind and catching on brush is a much greater gain for me than any noticeable radio reception degradation.

I got and installed the stubby antenna - it's about a foot long, and it works perfectly! No decreased signal whatsoever. Satellite still works fine, radio stations I"m getting the same frequency/distance variable as I was before. Took a nice roadtrip to the casino yesterday and was admiring the antenna, I love not having that long one flappin all over the place! Good buy for the money - thanks guys :D

I have a 6" billet antenna on my XK and have experienced no reduction in performance.

Satellite still works fine...
The satellite radio does not use that antenna. The satellite antenna is on the rear of the roof.

That's what I had initially thought but after examining the vehicle I hadn't seen one anywhere, I assumed it was received from the stock antenna ??? I'll have to check it again

Just bought a EuroStyle. Thanks for the info fellas!

I'm finally going to be able to get rid of the MONSTER OEM antenna on my XK. Here is what I'm replacing it with:

http://www.carccessory.com/detail2FA.asp?key=Stubby_Short_Antenna_FA_8

It was the best price and size that I could find online. If anyone needs my old antenna for some crazy reason you can PM me.

for those of you with the rubber eurostyle antenna. has it shown any signs of cracking? also if it gets wax on it as the wax easy to remove? debating between the euro and the black powder coated

Have had no problems with mine. Can't answer the wax question, but I would think it wouldn't be too hard to get off.

I've had no issues with mine either. All good to go, and I couldn't imagine NOT having it anymore. Whenever a see an XK with the original whip, I think they look funny.

i had the black shorty antenna on mine and it cracked after 7 months. not sure if due to the heat out here. i'm going to replace it and see if the same thing happens again.

I just replaced my original with a shorter amplified black antenna - metal, not rubber. Just another alternative.

the antenna on the Euro versions is on the rear row side window.


what is this whip antenna you speak of.

what is this whip antenna you speak of.
The stock US version antenna. They suck.

the antenna on the Euro versions is on the rear row side window.


what is this whip antenna you speak of.

A whip antenna is a short black plastic antenna like those on the VW Golf

A whip antenna is a short black plastic antenna like those on the VW Golf
Not in the US.

Not in the US.

Pic Please :stickpoke:

Pic Please :stickpoke:
Check out any Commander on here that hasn't had the antenna replaced with the short one.

Pic Please :stickpoke:

Look in the front of the passenger mirror.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x185/crzcajun/CIMG7296.jpg

the euro style one im referring to is the 13 black rubberized one that several peeps on the forum have. it is a direct swap for the american 18 inch metal one.

I've got one as well and its good to go - no problems, it's been through VERY inclement weather conditions - so far blizzards and ice. No cracking or signs of damage. Highest temp so far is 55 - lowest is -2. No cracking in ice.

Pic Please :stickpoke:


PMSL :D do you want the link to the " this thread is worthless " pic I posted.

Now I see what the US owners mean. That sucks , did the uS designers go for early lunch that day :D :stickpoke:

the euro style one im referring to is the 13 black rubberized one that several peeps on the forum have. it is a direct swap for the american 18 inch metal one.
I don't know where you got 18" for the stock antenna. It is 31" from where it screws into the body and 32" including the part that screws in.

I have a short black rubber antenna and haven't had any problems with it at all. It's still in the wrapper... that's why. I still can't get the original OEM one off. I believe it's super glued on.

It sucks cos I want to switch it out so bad. That was the first mod I bought when I bought the Jeep and haven't been able to use it... :(

installed the rubber antenna. like it better than the oe one. i did loose a little reception. i listen to am alot and the reception was bad to begin with.
1) do those antenna amplifiers work?
2) are they easy to install?

where u at meatball?

where u at meatball?

You didn't ask it in the meatball thread.

I for one am not sure why you would take off and antenna only to put one on that needs an amp.

didnt like the factory 1. it would rattle loose. dont want to put thread locker on it beacuse i take it through the car wash sometimes and didnt want it to snap off. or crack the paint on my fender. the receptions never been the best around here anyhow. theres a lot of pwr lines

I was looking for the euro style rubber antenna. I found a couple on ebay.I couldn't find antenna x like several have. I was looking at this one. Does anybody have suggestions. Thanks in advance.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OffRoad-ANTENNA-Jeep-Commander-2006-2007-2008-2009-XK_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c 39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1205Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a 1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem2 ea5c6e6c5QQitemZ200349771461QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTr uckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessorie

That is the Antenna X. I got mine from eBay a few months ago. There are some debates on this forum as to the quality of reception and whether it's degraded with the shorter antenna. Mine is definitely shorter-range (I used to get stations from Philly 50 miles away, and now I don't). But since I usually am using Satellite it doesn't bother me much.

I just went down to my local AutoZone and picked up a stubby for $7.99. I don't know what effect it has had on reception since I never listen to FM/AM radio.

I got mine at the local O'Reilly for about $8. No change on reception as far as I can tell.

Thanks Guys. I might just look locally. I mostly listen to my ipod, so if i get decent reception that's fine.

I paid $6 for my billet one on eBay.

eBay always has a good deals on stuff like that.https://www.chrome-scene.com/smileys/36/1242750956/smile.gif

eBay always has a good deals on stuff like that.https://www.chrome-scene.com/smileys/36/1242750956/smile.gif

This would have been a better place for your first post and you could have told us something we don't all already know!

http://www.jeepcommander.com/forums/showthread.php?p=121060#post121060

I ended up buying one at the local auto parts store. It was $5.99 . The reception is definitely worse but liveable. Looks better though.

I ended up taking my stubby antenna off and going back to stock. It was to flimsy, it stayed bent from the wind and looked wierd. Bummer...Just thought I would offer this experience up to someone considering this.

I ended up taking my stubby antenna off and going back to stock. It was to flimsy, it stayed bent from the wind and looked wierd. Bummer...Just thought I would offer this experience up to someone considering this.

I have had the stubby for a few days and Im getting ready to go back to stock.......flemsy and loss of reception.

I have had the stubby for a few days and Im getting ready to go back to stock.......flemsy and loss of reception.

Recently did the same thing...