Mobile antenna and tinted windows

[CrAzYwHiTeBoY909]

Just a quick question. I have 1 of those radio cheap Mag mount antenna for my truck, and just wondering if having tinted windows affects the reception inside my truck. I have limo tint all the way around.

 

[KC0QNB]

not likely if the antenna is outside, does your am/fm car radio work well? Of course it wouldn't hurt to get something other than a cheap mag mount

 

[IdleMonitor]

Dare I ask why the tint would have anything to do with the mag mount?

 

[Dubbin]

Dare I ask why the tint would have anything to do with the mag mount?

It wouldn't.

 

[af5rn]

Yeah, the question is a little confusing. If your antenna is outside of the vehicle, then the tint would have no effect whatsoever. If you are using an antenna inside the vehicle, then the tint may or may not make a difference. Some tint's are metallic based and some are not. I got my wife's car tinted last week and noticed that the Llumar tint rolls specifically had labels on them saying they were non-metallic and would not eat up your cellphone signals, so maybe all the tint manufacturers are headed that way. I know if you install a through-glass antenna over most tints, it will attenuate the hell out of the signal. Even with a new tint, I would still cut out the tint before I mounted a glass antenna.

Of course, just the frame and roof of your car -- as well as the factory glass -- already attenuates your signal to an extent. Anything you can do to avoid that is a good thing. That's why even those little window clip-on duck antennas with the thin coax are an improvement over the stock duck of a handheld.

 

[CrAzYwHiTeBoY909]

I know 1 of those stupid questions, but hey someone's gotta be here for the entertainment. thanx for the reply question answered thanx. Any idea's of a good mag mount antenna that pics up 800MHZ really well? i'm in the Inland Empire of CALI.

 

[andrewccm]

Yeah, the question is a little confusing. If your antenna is outside of the vehicle, then the tint would have no effect whatsoever. If you are using an antenna inside the vehicle, then the tint may or may not make a difference. Some tint's are metallic based and some are not. I got my wife's car tinted last week and noticed that the Llumar tint rolls specifically had labels on them saying they were non-metallic and would not eat up your cellphone signals, so maybe all the tint manufacturers are headed that way. I know if you install a through-glass antenna over most tints, it will attenuate the hell out of the signal. Even with a new tint, I would still cut out the tint before I mounted a glass antenna.

Of course, just the frame and roof of your car -- as well as the factory glass -- already attenuates your signal to an extent. Anything you can do to avoid that is a good thing. That's why even those little window clip-on duck antennas with the thin coax are an improvement over the stock duck of a handheld.

Semi off topic.. Where did you get your tint done AF5RN (since you live just a few blocks away)? I "need" to get mine done but would like to not get metal based... I just use a RS800 on my 396 inside my car. I can't bring myself to put an external antenna on my new(ish) car.

 

[af5rn]

Semi off topic.. Where did you get your tint done AF5RN (since you live just a few blocks away)?

Sorry, but I was talking about my wife's car, which I got tinted in Murrieta, Kalifornia, lol. Not really close to your home.

The place I got my personal car tinted is in South Fort Worth, but that was years ago, so I dunno if they are using the non-metallic stuff are not. I know I cut out a square of it when I mounted my glass-mount, just to be safe.

 

[andrewccm]

Ah.. Ok.. I heard good things about a place here on Cooper just north of I20.. I'll probably check them out.