The Bronco still uses a whip antenna because AM/FM radio

[Rick Astley]

Turns out that Ford was listening to their customers and it serves a purpose. AKA: We should complain about it on a forum!

The topic came up today on Jalopnik and it's an interesting read with some great comments at the bottom. Most of the comments get top marks for snark and creativity, meaning some of us B6g members need to step your games up!

https://jalopnik.com/why-does-a-modern-truck-like-the-2022-ford-f-150-lightn-1846955635

The answer, it seems, is both technical and demographic.​

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I’ve covered the tech behind car radio antennae before, and you may recall that the reason old-school car antennas (both plurals are acceptable, I’m just mixing it up) were as long as they were is because they work best if they’re a specific fraction of the wavelength they’re trying to pick up — and in the case of FM radio, that comes to about 1/4 wavelength, or 31 inches.​

Those shark fin and short, stumpy antennae have little coils of wire inside them to get to the proper length, but the truth is they’re actually less optimal for picking up FM signals, and significantly worse at picking up amplitude-modulated (AM) radio signals. They’re known as “electrically small antennas” and they have well-known and understood limitations.​

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Now, for most modern car buyers, less-than-optimal FM isn’t really a deal breaker (it’s generally good enough) and picking up AM is just not something most SUV or car buyers care about much at all.​

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Truck drivers, Ford has found, are different.​

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In talking to Mike Levine, Ford’s Product Communications Manager, he summed up why Ford still uses the old whips like this:​

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The mast antenna supports the AM/FM performance best over other design options. Rural AM FTW!​

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I think the “rural AM” bit is the key here — if there’s a type of broadcast more likely to be consumed by F-150 buyers than mainstream SUV/passenger car buyers, it’s rural AM stations. This must be important enough that Ford is willing to keep putting old whip antennas on their trucks, even if it means they don’t get to just dip into the parts bin for a shark fin antenna, and they have to place GPS/cell antennae in another unit somewhere.​

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Photo of the Bronco's whip antenna

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[Rambler]

I don’t really mind the antenna. Yesterday, Build & Price was showing no spare wheel on the Base model. I do object to that, the wheel should be included!

 

[Squatch]

I can't stand the antenna hate, personally.

FYI - This is what that guy drives:
Running: 1973 VW Beetle, 2006 Scion xB, 1990 Nissan Pao, 1991 Yugo GV Plus, 2020 Changli EV
Not-so-running: 1977 Dodge Tioga RV

 

[Rick Astley]

I don’t really mind the antenna. Yesterday, Build & Price was showing no spare wheel on the Base model. I do object to that, the wheel should be included!

I concur! That is a needed rim.

 

[codydb19]

So you always have something to smack anyone with that calls it a Jeep and still social distance, obviously.

 

[Newbie]

Turns out that Ford was listening to their customers and it serves a purpose.

bunch of crap of a purpose
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-...-rural-stations-takes-americas-soul-with-them

 

[Dillhole]

I don't notice it on my Jeep, I won't notice it on the Bronco.

 

[BackcountryBirds]

Yep, ford was listening....to the AM radio rural enthusiasts (all three of them). I would bet a sizable amount of money this has far more to do with how the plant assembly or parts sourcing that was available to mirror the f150 and save a buck.

Its far more likely to be damaged than the shark fin off-road and looks fairly ridiculous on a modern tech vehicle, but at least you can pick up that Thursday night high school women's basketball game!

 

[Gamecock]

Yep, ford was listening....to the AM radio rural enthusiasts (all three of them). I would bet a sizable amount of money this has far more to do with how the plant assembly or parts sourcing that was available to mirror the f150 and save a buck.

Its far more likely to be damaged than the shark fin off-road and looks fairly ridiculous on a modern tech vehicle, but at least you can pick up that Thursday night high school women's basketball game!

That’s ridiculous...those things flex under whatever they hit...no damage. I like the look as the utility of it. It fits the truck.

 

[AcesandEights]

I concur! That is a needed rim.

It's a wheel

 

[colintrax]

Makes a great gauge for "am I gonna hit the parking garage"

 

[BackcountryBirds]

That’s ridiculous...those things flex under whatever they hit...no damage. I like the look as the utility of it. It fits the truck.

It doesn't really bother me, just thought it was funny they try to sell it as if they thought of the AM radio consumer. I have broken a couple of whip antennas over the years, once on a low limb and the other courtesy of a buzzard chowing down on roadkill that didn't fly away fast enough. I do prefer the sharkfin, but not a huge issue.

 

[WCP-82]

So shark fin fans, where are you mounting it on a removable roof?

 

[BlazinGTO]

Not a fin fan, I hate the look. Classic antenna is my choice. The stupid fin ruins the sideview profile of vehicles. It looks so awkward and bad.

What would be the called sharkfin antenna is still on the Bronco. It's just not shark fin shaped. It's flattened and under the roof on the rear roll bar.

It's the part that says Bronco on it. It has other non radio antennas in it.

 

[Tricky Dick]

I didn't know an antenna was something I was supposed to even think about, thank you B6G for setting me straight.

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