mac12

This is what I did. Check YouTube for more detailed instructions.

SnowHater

Oh My, that stunning blue. Reminds me of my Pacifica Limited.

Firerunner

iTrader: (3)

I too installed the 6¾ antenna from @TheAntennaSource ( bigger photo) after the first stubby (corner pic) lost most of local the reception. I've ran thru the carwash multiple times without issue, & reception is still as well as it was with the full mast antenna

#1SaintsFan

You can run up to advanced auto parts. They got several. Or at least mine does.

gDMJoe

And ... Unless they have a wire twisted around the full-length of the antenna (like the OEM or TheAntennaSource's), they'll whistle like a **** at highway speeds.

The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low co$t is forgotten.
.

sholxgt

I ordered the 6 3/4" antenna from The Antenna Source through Amazon. Got it very quickly.

That being said, it's just not that great. First off, it has a total of EIGHT mold injection holes that are left open with little pieces of rubber flapping around. In my opinion, something this size should have zero holes or they should be back filled after molded. Second, the threaded rod is not straight. It threads on crooked and you can watch it wobble as the rod is threaded into the antenna or as the antenna is threaded onto the truck. Third, the base is not the same diameter as the mounting base on the truck. Fourth, the "black" is off black and not the same color as the mounting base.

Really wanted to love the thing, but I have to give my honest opinion for others on this board. I'd go to a local auto parts store and pick one up cheaper. I see no benefit to the one I purchased. Being Amazon, I could easily return it for a refund, but I think it's more important to give everyone an accurate review. It just could be better in many ways.

TheAntennaSource

Thank You for your honest opinion. As you have mentioned we have a hassle-free return option on all our retail channels. While I wish you were happy with our 6 ¾”, we stand behind our product and recommend returning it for a full credit.

The holes that you speak of are injection molding holes and are needed to inject the EPDM rubber shell around the internal copper coil. The specific EPDM formulation that we use is thicker when in its injected form than the cheaper plastic/rubber alternatives. The 6 ¾” will not only have a longer life (Dry Rot) over the mentioned cheaper options but has a back bone remaining straight after your vehicle is in motion. There is no way around these injection molding holes, it’s part of the manufacturing process. Sticking with the factory antenna and or a shorter metal constructed one might be of recommendation as they will not have injection holes. I will make note of your concern and see if there is a way to possibly make the injection holes a smidgen smaller to take away from their presence.

Your second issue is a valid concern though as the threaded rod or stud should be 100% straight. This would be a product defect in the antenna that you individually received. Sorry yours arrived like this, in this event we would normally send a replacement. If you have not sent your antenna back to Amazon, please email me and I will provide you a prepaid shipping label. I would like to personally receive your return so I can see what the issue is.

Due to the pride and passion I have for our 6 ¾” antenna, I sent myself on a caffeine inspired adventure to one of the major retail automotive part stores and obtained 4 of these cheaper antenna options. I wanted to test a handful of antennas to come up with some factual results. Our location is in Manitowoc, Wi. We’re located roughly 40 miles from most of the nearest radio stations. Test vehicle is a 2018 Ford F-150 XLT. Overcast day. The factory F-150 radio will only tune into stations that have a certain strength level, or it will pass up the station on the scan. I sent it 1 time around the FM dial, these were my results. Every location will vary.

“4” Aluminum” – 4 Stations

“50 Caliber Aluminum Bullet” – 5 Stations

“8” Mini Rubber” – 12 Stations

“14” Shorty Rubber” – 12 Stations

TheAntennaSource 6 ¾” – 20 Stations

TheAntennaSource 21” Wire Wound Spring Steel – 23 Stations

TheAntennaSource 27” Wire Wound Spring Steel – 33 Stations. This surprised me. The 27” worked better than the factory. I tested both the factory and our 27” twice just to double check. Apparently, the best antenna length for the frequencies of stations in our area.

Factory F-150 Antenna – 30 Stations

In conclusion, there is generally a reduction in reception when shortening the antenna length. The question will be how much… This will vary based off your location. If we lived closer to a metro area rather than the country, the decrease in scanned in radio stations would be less. Size for size our 6 ¾” does extremely well, performing close to antennas 3X its size in our area. I personally believe that our 6 ¾” is under priced and stands up to its touted strength and reception. Hope this information helps provide a better grasp and understanding on the shorter antenna discussion. Good Day to All.

Zach

sholxgt

Thank you for your thorough answer and you brought up a good point. I did not do a back to back test regarding reception change from the OEM antenna to yours, but I did drive around and test the FM reception after install. I still received the same stations that I listen to regularly. Don't know if I lost any that I didn't check, but the reception seems quite good given the antenna's size.

I'm generally not a return type customer. Please PM me your address and I will send back the antenna if you would like to inspect.

I can see you are passionate about your business and product and I truly respect that.

TheAntennaSource

Just want you to be happy with your purchase yet represent our antenna in its true light respectfully at the same time. If it was feasible for one was to be able to buy a shopping cart full of all the aftermarket antennas and test them on their F-150, they would have a great understanding on the full real picture of short antennas. I have had the chance to run tests on a lot of today's options and have yet to find any close to our 6 3/4" size for size (FM RADIO RECEPTION). We're a family run operation out of Wisconsin that sells just antennas. That mixed with investing years of R&D into our 6 3/4" is where the passion comes from Please email me though, I would love to get you into something that you're happy with or just get your money back.

Zach

13XLTEco

I can't tell any difference in reception with my 9" wire wrapped rubber coated antenna.