Why can't I get FM radio?

[iacucv]

Hey guys, I'm on my second cucv that I've put a radio in. On both I've added a 12v powered antenna and neither have been able to pick up a single station. So what gives? Is there some sound suppressor or something that's messing the signal up, or are the antennas junk?

 

[antennaclimber]

When it comes to antennas..... size matters.

 

[antennaclimber]

Make sure that the center conductor of the coax cable is not shorted to the the outer shield at the antenna and at the connector on the back of the set.

A 24" piece of wire hanging out the back of the antenna connector should hear something.

Can you provide more info on the 12v powered antenna? Make and model?

 

[iacucv]

Appreciate the wisdom AC, I'm pretty sure it's not shorted out both are brand new but they are not big. They are simple stick on the windshield antennas. Anything you would recommend to get me the local AM stations?

 

[antennaclimber]

Try a magnet mount antenna, a 2 meter ham antenna would be a good one to start with. It should work well for the FM band and may work well enough for the AM band.

 

[SPECIALTYLC]

I put in a new civilian windshield with the built in antenna, my radio works fine,

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Is there some sound suppressor or something that's messing the signal up,

Nope.

or are the antennas junk?

Maybe. Or the installation is wrong. Post some pics for us.

 

[Mainsail]

They are simple stick on the windshield antennas.

What does that mean? The antenna sticks on the glass and you're running the wire in through the window, or it's a thru-the-glass type? Post a link and/or picture. If you want the right kind of help you can't be vague.

 

[iacucv]

It's a wing shaped antenna with (poor quality) two sided tape on the back. I have it connected to the back of the head unit and wire running up through the dash. I have it stuck somewhat discreetly on the inside bottom of the windshield. Sorry for vague info, been very busy at work lately. Broken water mains make a guy that fixes water mains real busy and real tired. I'll try to sneak out to the shop and get a pic tonight. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Oh, good night. No wonder you can't get reception. Those things are gimmicks for the gullible. You might as well put a Daffy Duck sticker on your window.

Buy a decent fender mounted antenna and get on with your life!

 

[iacucv]

Thanks for the help guys. Didn't expect much out of that antenna but I didn't figure it was incapable of getting a single station! I will upgrade antenna, and move on.

 

[corelokt]

I use one of the short rubber whip antenna on my car. It works good enough and doesn't break off. The K30 truck has cb and an old military antenna on it.

 

[Chief_919]

These marine grade antennas work really well. You have to drill, but you will have to have a hole for any proper antenna. Nice thing about these is that you can mount it anywhere and the base will swivel to get it straight.

 

[Mainsail]

If it were me, and I wanted FM radio, I would get an antenna bracket, riser, and mount a full length FM radio whip on that. That way you'd get great reception and it would look military-ish at least.

This is my ham radio antenna- mil didn't have much near the 2 meter or 70 cm bands, and certainly not a dual band antenna like this one.

 

[Abbylind]

CUVUs tend to be a RF black hole... bad reception all around. I think some of it is getting a good antenna ground through the CARC. I installed several different antennas for my good time radio. Finally installed a better radio with a fender mount antenna, works great!

 

[The FLU farm]

Not knowing any better (the M1009 was bought to be a daily driver, which it ended up being for 10 years) I simply installed a stereo in the normal factory location, then picked an old fender mount version out of my pile of antennae an installed it in regular fashion.
It all worked fine, because at the time I was blissfully unaware of all the mythical qualities of the CUCV and treated it like the military version of a K-5 that I thought it was.
Yes, the thicker sheet metal made the speaker installation a bit harder, but other than that...

 

[319]

It's a wing shaped antenna with (poor quality) two sided tape on the back. I have it connected to the back of the head unit and wire running up through the dash. I have it stuck somewhat discreetly on the inside bottom of the windshield. Sorry for vague info, been very busy at work lately. Broken water mains make a guy that fixes water mains real busy and real tired. I'll try to sneak out to the shop and get a pic tonight. Thanks for the help guys.

I use an internal stick on type. It's also amplified, which I've discovered is essential for reception. It's mounted high on the glass and wired across the headliner down through the A pillar to the radio. It's been working quite well for almost ten years.

Similar to this:
http://www.rvpartsnation.com/rv-ele...MIq6fxkLqL1QIVhx2BCh2TLQG4EAQYDCABEgJawfD_BwE

 

[cucvrus]

the thicker sheet metal made the speaker installation a bit harder.

Myth: CUCV's do NOT have thicker sheet metal then the civilian counter parts. They were built on the same assembly line at the same time as every Chevrolet / GMC C/K vehicle that was built and at the same time. And it was 5 shiny trucks and 1 camo truck. I seen it. That is just a myth about heavier sheet metal.

 

[The FLU farm]

the thicker sheet metal made the speaker installation a bit harder.

Myth: CUCV's do NOT have thicker sheet metal then the civilian counter parts. They were built on the same assembly line at the same time as every Chevrolet / GMC C/K vehicle that was built and at the same time. And it was 5 shiny trucks and 1 camo truck. I seen it. That is just a myth about heavier sheet metal.

It may well be a myth, but it took different tools to make those speaker holes in the M1009. I still have one of the pieces that were cut out, and it can't be bent by hand.
And if I kicked or hit the body panels on a civilian counterpart the way I have on CUCVs, there would be dents as a result.
I don't doubt that they all came down the same assembly line, but that doesn't mean that they were all created equal.

That the metal thickness changed over the years became obvious to me when removing the tailgate from a '91 V3500 - it almost knocked me over, being so light compared to the '76 tailgate I was used to.
To then find that the M1009 weighed within about 100 lbs. of that big block crew cab dually made me think that it had to be in the sheet metal. It certainly wasn't the trans, transfer case, or axles, that made the M1009 so heavy.

 

[corelokt]

Back to the original question...
Is it an AM radio?
They used to make an add on FM radio for those...
Then you add a power booster and an EQ to power that oblong speaker in the dash, and an antenna booster, and duuude, your rockinn!
Almost as kick ass as a Kraco sterio cassette.