Radio Antenna or Integrated Phone Antenna?? - BMW Forum

comncense · 01-03-2006, 10:23 PM

Ok someone educate me on this... The antenna post that's on the roof of the car at the back, is that the radio antenna or the phone antenna.

I bought my car used and the antenna whip was missing so I was trying to find some information about how to go about replacing it. Can anyone give me any direction on this?

exjarhead328 · 01-04-2006, 09:15 AM

You don't say what your'e driving but my 2000 e46 has the radio antenna in the rear window, the phone mast is on the roof.

QickSilver323 · 01-04-2006, 09:15 AM

I think that is for the inegrated phone. I think the radio antenna is in the rear glass with the defroster on most models...

comncense · 01-04-2006, 09:28 AM

I have a 99 328i Sedan. Ok, so if it's just the phone antenna, I would still like to replace it since it's missing. When I look at the stub that's there on my car now, i see that there is a male end of a screw inside of the stub like i can screw an antenna down on it. Is there a way to get just the screw part out of there though?

Dirty_Tool · 01-05-2006, 12:30 AM

Can you take a photo of what you have there, it sounds like maybe it is something aftermarket. I may be wrong but by memory the 99 e46 didnt come with a sharkfin antenna from the factory, it was only added if you installed the optional factory phone kit. On the later models they all have the sharkfin because it also houses the GPS antenna.
DT

AZ325Ci · 01-05-2006, 08:03 AM

Its for the integrated phone. The radio antenna is integrated into the rear window. The GPS antenna is located behind the rear headrest.

Are you looking to replace the antenna with the little antenna that the 99's came with or are you looking to replace it with the shark fin? The little antenna should just screw in there. I'm not sure how the shark fin is installed.

exjarhead328 · 01-05-2006, 09:19 AM

If there isn't enough of the male end to get hold of (no pun intended) to back it out, you might be able to drill it out and re-tap it. If you are not going to actually use the antenna for a phone, you might be able to remove the antenna and install one of those sharkfins that are just cosmetic, no electronics,or put on a real one if you want to use the phone. You may have a hard time finding that small mast antenna.

Dirty_Tool · 01-05-2006, 03:47 PM

so is this what you have?

comncense · 01-05-2006, 03:49 PM

Yes exactly. Just like the first one of the pictures. Though I dont like the complete version. I'd probably like to swap that with something different

///M Power · 01-05-2006, 08:39 PM

I wish my whole thign disappeared.

Look at that!

in th emean time ive removed the attenae and replaced the stub with Sir Jack..

comncense · 01-08-2006, 11:38 AM

So Dirty Tool, do you know if I'm able to replace that with a different style of antenna?

Dirty_Tool · 01-08-2006, 11:33 PM

Comncense I dont think you will have any easy alternatives. im pretty confident that the factory doesnt make any other screw on antenna adapters and the fact that the original base is mounted to the roof means that there will be a hole in the roof if you remove it. If it was my car I'd just get the factory attachment back in place and live with it, or if possible maybe buy 2 and try to modify 1 to make it shorter and less noticeable, then if it doesnt work you still have 1 to put on the car. Any other alternative is going to be cumbersome and probably expensive. Good luck and let us know if you come up with something better.
DT