I bought a used 2002 subaru outback. It’s the first year that they started to put antennas in the rear (?) windshields instead of putting in a whip antenna.
Basically, the reception is pretty lousy, and I want to improve it. I bought a diy whip antenna, grounded it and plugged it into the radio, and the reception massively improved. But, there isn’t a place in the car body to install the antenna…
how can I improve my reception?
There isn’t a preexisting place for the antenna, but you can find a location to mount it if you’re willing to drill a hole. Running the cable could be quite a chore depending on your chosen location. There must be a cable running to the rear window.
Or you can make or buy a bracket to mount the antenna. My work vehicle has a two-way radio antenna mounted this way. The bracket protrudes through the opening between the hood and the front fender and the antenna is mounted to the bracket. The cable is routed through the firewall with a rubber grommet and attaches to the radio.
On the other hand, my Acura has a rear window antenna, and it works just fine. I don’t have an complaints about reception. Is it possible that the antenna grid is damaged, or the connection to the radio is poor? A broken grid will greatly reduce the effectiveness of the antenna. There are repair kits for these window grids.