Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Greetings,
After installing a new CD head unit today (in my '89 GQ Patrol wagon) and wondering why I couldn't get it to tune to any radio stations, I discovered that the aerial cable has been cut and is just dangling behind the kick board in the passenger footwell. "No problem" I thought.....I'll just reattach it to the aerial. Unfortunately, I can't find it though!

I had, until now, simply assumed this vehicle had a concealed aerial of some description, because there are absolutely no external connection points for one. The only thing that I can find that looks even remotely like it could be 'aerial' related is a tiny stub of tube hanging out of the bottom of the pillar on the driver's side, underneath that panel that covers the wiper assy etc. Is this an aerial? If so, how do I go about reattaching the cable to it?? It appears to be just a blank tube end.

If that's not a concealed aerial, then where the hell *is* the one that should be on the vehicle??

Do I have any options for mounting an aerial on the bullbar, so I don't have to go drilling holes in the panel work? This thing has a base for some sort of antenna on the back of one of the spotlight mounts, but I suspect it was for the (disconnected) CB unit that's still installed in the roof console. Can I mount an 'ordinary' aerial of some description on this base? I only really want it for receiving FM radio.

Wouldnt have a clue what the previous owner was thinkingthen.
But GQ's had 2 spots for the aerial. The POV (dx) had a pillar mounted aerial mounted on the drivers side 'A' pillar. The rest had an elec arieal mounted on the passender side front guard.

As for after market stuff. I have seen an AM cb style aerial (1.2m whip) used. Think I seen them at strathfield or simlar. If I cant get my elec one to work to put the new stalk on. This is what I will fit.

If you don't have the hole in the passenger guard it will be on the drivers A pillar.......

either get one second hand or try and aftermarket one......

Or do as you were going to do and get a cheap whip topped ariel and mount it to the bullbar......

aint they Power arial? the left gaurd

mine is 88 modle

The ariel mounts as described in the above posts are std location ariel mountings.

The pillar mount is highly likely to become damaged when trees come in contact with it and is easilly broken becaus of its location. On the plus side the likelyhood of damage to the pillar is very low.

The guard mount electric ariel has a few advantages inthat it can be easilly retracted when offroading therefore damage is not likely ....except when ya forget to retract it !

The guard mounted "basic" ariel ( manual raise/lower) has the chance of damaging the guard if a tree comes into contact with the ariel, specifically near the base of the unit as itsits proud of the guard.

A spring mounted ariel onto ya bullbar will last a lot longer than the std options. I ran both the pillar mount and guard mounted types and after several brakages I opted for a bullbar mounted spring type and havent broken an ariel since.

A final option is the "wire ariel" and I have run one of these with great success and would recemend them over the 2 std options but under the spring type on the bullbar.
The wire ariel has a small "black box" about the size of a matchbox that is bolted under the dash, a lead exits from one side and that lead plugs into the radio unit. On the other side of the unit is a single wire (coated in plastic) which is around 2 metres long. The idea is to run this wire up along the pillar and around the windscreen hiding it under the windscreen rubber. It is designed to be an internal ariel but works well as an external ariel as well and is completly hidden from view and obviously damage to it is nil. The wire ariel costs around $25 when I bought mine a year ago.

The wire ariel is great for those living close to the city but not as good as the steel tube type ariel as far as reception goes when ya well away from the metro area.
Kingy

A lot of GQs and Mavs came from the factory with an aerial wire embedded in the windscreen. There is a black lead under dash at left hand corner that connects. If a replacement screen has been fitted without trace wire you will have to a dd an external aerial.

Bazzle