Or do they contain any extra trickery to make up for the shorter length?

I am looking for a shorter antenna for my '09 MC to use when I am cartopping a boat. There are several in the $30-40 range, but they appear to be just stubs of aluminum that, being shorter than the stock antenna, can be expected to produce somewhat inferior reception on marginal stations.

It looks to me like it DIYing a clone should take all of ten minutes, if they are just solid metal. But if they contain any gadgetry to compensate for the shorter length, then I probably ought to buy one of the commercial versions. Anyone know?

 

I have a Cravenspeed short anntenna and it works just fine. It was $24. I do not know if it has something inside to make it work but it does.

 

They are just short metal stubs. They don't work as well as stock.

 

Try this experiment. Find a marginal station in your area. Remove the antenna and see how the reception changes. I couldn't tell the difference for the stations I listen to. However, I usually use an iPod or iPhone, so I don't spend a lot of time with the radio.

 

I changed to a 4in. Alta antenna recently. For stations in my area, I noticed only a slight decline in reception of weaker stations.

 

My Alta 2in was $20 and I really can't tell the difference even with mountains in the way

 

I have a 09 MCS and replaced my antenna with a cravenspeed antenna and I can't tell the difference. It works and looks great. I also use my ipod most of the time.

 

I've used the radio twice in the entire year I have had the car. The smaller antennas make no difference to me.

 

I have a short antenna. Reception is worse and if you ever listen to AM it is horrible. I put the stock one back on.

 

I have an alta shorty... I think it's the 6", but the reception is just fine. Granted, I live in a large Metro area with a lot of radio tower coverage and I don't listen to AM, but I've never had a problem getting WHYY, my default radio station.

 

I have the Alta 2" antenna, and reception is much worse for the distance FM stations I listen to on occasion. I have kept it on, because I listed to my Ipod and MP3 CDs 95% of the time, and I like the look better than stock.

 

I bought one for $9 off Ebay and I never have radio reception problems.

 

i just cut mine to the thick part and put AN EIGHT BALL and it looks cool and works better than the shorties

 

I've been trying to avoid starting a new thread on antennas and this seems as good a place as any to bring this up. Looking on my Clubman, there is an antenna in the driver's side rear window. On other cars configured like this, the window antenna would be for FM, and the long antenna on the roof would be for AM. If the MINI works the same way, that would explain why FM stations like WHYY are not impacted when using a shorter antenna. AM really should be where you see problems. OR - I could be completely wrong.

 

Almost forgot - I didn't look at the windows on a Coupe, so I don't know if there are any antennas in them. Some other car brands interlace the antenna with the rear window defroster.

 

My reception got worse, but I prefer the look of the smaller antenna so it's staying. Plus I prefer to listen my ipod anyways.

 

according to my MA the grid on my 09 Clubman drivers rear window is an antenna, but I don't know if it is for AM or Fm. I thought it was strange to have a defroster grid on just 1 side window, but he informed me its not.

 

Now I'm more curious, so I tried an experiment. Tuning a weak FM station on the radio, I removed the roof antenna. No affect. I then tuned an AM station and removed the roof antenna. Complete loss of reception. At least on a Clubman, the roof antenna seems to be for AM and not FM.

 

I could tell no difference from stock to stubby!!!

 

AM, FM or both?

 

I honestly have never tried on AM channels. But I can tell no difference on FM!

 

I replaced my stock antenna with an Alta 2" and still get great reception. It looks a lot better and to me is definitely worth the 20 bucks.

 

AM is a real wasteland these days, I guess. I really think that rooftop antenna is for AM and not FM. The Coupe must have the FM antenna somewhere else, just like the Clubman. Otherwise people would notice reception problems when they remove most of the antenna.

Like I said above - interlaced with the rear defroster - is a good bet.

 

I am in a metro area and it does not make much difference here.

 

I have the 4" from Alta. I noticed no difference in the few FM stations I listen to regularly. I never listen to AM but tried to find some talk/news recently while on a 2600mi trip and the reception was awful. Don't know if that had anything to do with the new antenna.