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

[G Watkins]

Don't let facts get in the way of a good story. Brilliant. I'm impressed.

Does it have to 1/4 wave length. What if it was half or 3/4 wave length. You could bend it all the way back and attach it to the bumper

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

What if it was 1/2 or 3/4 wave length. You could bend it all the way back and attach it to the bumper

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[Paul Gagnon]

I don't understand why people are so upset about this. Those shark fin antennas look stupid and have poor performance. For a vehicle that is intended to be used in remote areas it makes perfect sense to have a whip antenna.

 

[SnowBronco]

The more I see it the more I like it now. Lol To me the bronco has a modern take with old school vibe going on.... The attenna just adds to that.

 

[timhood]

I can hear that tagline in my head like it was yesterday! The Mighty 690 and KROQ were the on-air voices of my childhood.

I probably listened to KLOS and KMET (RIP ) more, but my list included KROQ (Love Line LOL), KIIS, KEZY, KRTH, occasionally POWER 106 and dare I admit even sometimes KOST and KBIG.

Going back to LA and hearing some of those same familiar voices made me feel like I hadn't gotten old.

 

[AZshot]

These Millennials don't know that whip antennas were the ultimate cool back in the original Bronco days. CBs had extra antennas, and many guys liked having 2 or 3 different ones on their cars or trucks. Many cop and government cars up until the 2000s you could spot by all their antennas. It was a status symbol the more antenna you had. The goofy shark fin was a functional idea that failed to improve design aesthetics, like the center rear brake light. It's trying to "hide" what it is, but doesn't. And it doesn't work.

 

[Hoofnmouth]

These Millennials don't know that whip antennas were the ultimate cool back in the original Bronco days. CBs had extra antennas, and many guys like having 2 or 3 different ones on their cars or trucks. Many cop and government cars up until the 2000s you could spot by all their antennas. It was a status symbol the more antenna you had. The goofy shark fin was a functional idea that failed to improve design aesthetics, like the center rear brake light. It's trying to "hide" what it is, but doesn't.

Yes the movies of the time also reflected an intrest in cb radio convoy,smokey and the bandit,ect.

 

[lvgambler]

Whip antenna haters, please cancel your order! Gets the rest of us that much closer.
LOL!

 

[Coldsmoke]

Yup we all have to suffer with looking at or removing that museum piece for the few boomers left that listen to terrestrial radio.

Ohhh, the agony and suffering the millennials need to endure while using and enjoying all the things like the internet, WiFi, streaming, computers, and roads the boomers developed and created. Life is soooo hard. It’s almost unbearable for the entitled ones.

 

[nwGTS]

Why didn't they build the antenna into the front glass like many modern day manufacturers?

 

[TRMFAM]

Any issues with the height of the antenna and home garages / parking garages?

 

[ZackDanger]

Any issues with the height of the antenna and home garages / parking garages?

*ting* *ting* *ting* *ting* *ting* *ting* *boing-oing-oing-oing-woing-woing-woing*

 

[TRMFAM]

*ting* *ting* *ting* *ting* *ting* *ting* *boing-oing-oing-oing-woing-woing-woing*

Haaha! Yea, I did a search and the first 2 pages didn't have anything then posted this and the bottom had the similar threads and there is was! I guess I did not go through enough pages...I figured that was the case...it is actually a lot louder then you think it would be. My Raptor had the same issue.

 

[Oldred57]

Why didn't they build the antenna into the front glass like many modern day manufacturers?

Off road vehicle, more likely to bust windshield then makes it more expensive. GM did the windshield antenna back in the 70s and backfired pretty well (plus in those days am really was a big deal so signal was iffy). Plus I think they wanted to go for that 60s look anyway.

 

[MaverickMan]

I think by now we can all agree that cars without real antennas are stupid, for lame people that dont like to rock out with their local DJ. Video didnt kill the radio star and Wolfman jack is still out there. Problem is none of yall can hear em because your car wasnt built with a functionig radio. Literally the best moments of my life aside from my marriage had a radio in playing. By the way if you havent listened to Little Stevens Underground Garage on Sundays you should either do it this weekend or go tell your daughter she cant dance with Kevin Bacon.

 

[Jhuff]

The AM still has its place for news and politics enthusiasts... there are many places between large cities where popular programs can only be found on AM stations due to distance from the nearest FM carrier of that program.

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