Aerial

[craigdonnelly]

I don't like how the Aerial makes the car look like a remote control car when erect:embarassed:. Is there an after market one that is smaller or more aesthetically pleasing? Where can I buy it, how much etc?

[TheSebringOne]

If you don't really listen to the radio, but use the CD player or MP3 alot more, disconnect the power supply to the ariel in the boot! A few of of us have !! Or you can buy one of those smart atennas from the US, where you get reception, but the ariel stays down! HTH :)

[craigdonnelly]

Do you know what those smart antennas are called and what the website is called?

[TheSebringOne]

Like these! :)

http://www.daliracing.com/v666-5/catalog/index_browse_part.cfm?focus=96

[simonprelude]

Alternatively replace the aerial assembly with the S2000 one, plenty will be available at breakers once the leaves start falling from the trees.

[craigdonnelly]

The "Smartennas" at Dali racing sound like a good idea. Are they easy to install? Is it just a case of connecting them through the boot or is it a dashboard job?

[markc]

Craig, Like you I wasn't happy with the rather old fashioned standard chrome antenna so changed it to an S2000 style one.

In fact mine is a Shark II aerial which is a popular aftermarket one with the NSXPrime boys and girls.

Sadly, this is the best pick I could find of it installed on my car...

Cheers

Mark

FYI the pic was taken on the "The Mountain" section of the IOM TT course :)

[dan the man]

Mark that ariel is tops. On the list methinks. :)

[craigdonnelly]

Mark thanks because I also think that Aerial looks a lot better. Where and how much can I get one from? Are they easy to install?

[markc]

I got mine from these guys in the US, they even have installation instructions online... http://www.locustom.com/nsx_install.htm

Here's one of the Prime threads that refers to Locustom and also has some better pics of the Shark II aerial fitted to differant colour NSX's... http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87762&highlight=shark+II

By the way, I wasn't really driving around the IOM with a blue "P" stuck to my roof as it looks in the pic... :)

Cheers

Mark

[AR]

If you don't really listen to the radio, but use the CD player or MP3 alot more, disconnect the power supply to the ariel in the boot! A few of of us have !! Or you can buy one of those smart atennas from the US, where you get reception, but the ariel stays down! HTH :)

Hey that is the ARtenna I posted about! :)

[AR]

Craig, Like you I wasn't happy with the rather old fashioned standard chrome antenna so changed it to an S2000 style one.

In fact mine is a Shark II aerial which is a popular aftermarket one with the NSXPrime boys and girls.

Sadly, this is the best pick I could find of it installed on my car...

Cheers

Mark

FYI the pic was taken on the "The Mountain" section of the IOM TT course :)


Guys that antenna cheapens the NSX, just get a Smartenna or do the ARtenna. They even sell amplifer antennas that youi can hide in the cars. With my antenna's power supply off I still get most radio stations.

[NSXGB]

Guys that antenna cheapens the NSX, just get a Smartenna or do the ARtenna. They even sell amplifer antennas that youi can hide in the cars. With my antenna's power supply off I still get most radio stations.


....is that because the rear screen element is used as a secondary antenna?


I broke my aeriel for the second time on my garage door and have just left the top 6" in the hole as I don't really use the radio.


I wonder if you can get an amplifier to boost the signal from the rear screen aeriel and do away with the mast altogether?

[TheSebringOne]

I agree with Ary, not too keen on the Shark atenna (sorry Mark & DTM) looks repmobile or hot hatch-ish. I would go down the route of a smartenna. Its just a plug in at the back near the ariel itself I think and will come with instructions. Just prize off gently the four plastic studs and the corner carpets comes off to get access (easy peasy). Yes you can boost reception with a booster, seen them on fleabay for less than a tenner! HTH :)

[markc]

The biggest problem I have with the standard aerial is that it's chrome ie a silver finish. Even retracted it looks like a silver "wart" on the rear wing.

There's no silver finish on any other part of my car (or any NSX's bodywork) and to me it just looked like an afterthought.

I guess if you have silver wheels on your NSX then you could claim it blends with them.

For all you weight savers out there, the standard aerial weighs a ton (well a lot anyway) so there's plenty of lbs to be saved there and it's at the right end of the car :)

As for which looks better, each to their own :)l

Cheers

Mark

[TheSebringOne]

Mark, you could paint your shark fin orange or IOP! :D

Fortunately my body is Sebring Silver with silver-ish wheels, so may be best combo with the silver ariel, but still I don't like it, so disconnected the power supply. Makes you think why in God's name, have Jaguar fitted Granada style retractable ariels to the new XK8 !! :eek:

As for weight, nowt wrong with a few more pounds in the rear, remember bricks in the back of Capris! :D

[NSX 2000]

Makes you think why in God's name, have Jaguar fitted Granada style retractable ariels to the new XK8 !! :eek: :D

IIRC from 07 or 08 Model Year the new XK8 has now done away with the retractable ariel.

[TheSebringOne]

Also made my laugh when JC tested it and stated it lifts at over a 100mph since the boot needed to fit golf clubs and the 3rd brake light has to be positioned in a certain height to please the Euro beauracrats! Lovely sounding motor, but yet again compromised ! :D

[Ewan]

I got mine from these guys in the US, they even have installation instructions online... http://www.locustom.com/nsx_install.htm

Here's one of the Prime threads that refers to Locustom and also has some better pics of the Shark II aerial fitted to differant colour NSX's... http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87762&highlight=shark+II

Cheers

Mark

Don't suppose anyone knows of a UK supplier of these "Shark II" (or "Shark Attack II" as the site refers to them) aerials? I can't find anything conclusive on the net, and locustom seems to be having trouble supplying them...

I *do* listen to the radio and I'd prefer the bee-sting style to a breaker-breaker-ten-four whippy retractable jobbie :)

Ewan

[Sudesh]

I removed my aerial and installed a hidden antenna thats used for boats etc. Mine is hidden behind the rear bumper and installing it was simple as you can go in through the same hole that carries the wiring harness for the rear number plate lights, or you can come up through the hole thats used for letting water out of the old electrical aerial. I plugged up the old hole on the top of the wing where the old antenna was, I used a rubber hole plug thats painted the same color as the car and the whole things in my opinion is better than the oem setup. I'll get some pics up if anyone is interested.........

[jaytip]

If you don't really listen to the radio, but use the CD player or MP3 alot more, disconnect the power supply to the ariel in the boot! A few of of us have !! Or you can buy one of those smart atennas from the US, where you get reception, but the ariel stays down! HTH :)
I believe the antenna only stays down if you are listening to CD's.If you are listening to the radio,it comes up.

[jaytip]

Don't suppose anyone knows of a UK supplier of these "Shark II" (or "Shark Attack II" as the site refers to them) aerials? I can't find anything conclusive on the net, and locustom seems to be having trouble supplying them...

I *do* listen to the radio and I'd prefer the bee-sting style to a breaker-breaker-ten-four whippy retractable jobbie :)

Ewan
Here is a photo of my first NSX with the S2000 ariel on it.I think it looks far better than the original one,but you either have to cut away a little bit of bracket to make it fit,or (what i didn't know about when i did mine) split the body of the new ariel in two and join the two with a section of wire.
HTH

[Scotchegg]

I don't like how the Aerial makes the car look like a remote control car when erect:embarassed:. Is there an after market one that is smaller or more aesthetically pleasing? Where can I buy it, how much etc?

Craig,

I have just ordered an S2000 type ariel for my NSX from Barry @ VTEC Direct....looks the business. send him an e-mail for details.

Cheers

Scotchegg

[jaytip]

Craig,

I have just ordered an S2000 type ariel for my NSX from Barry @ VTEC Direct....looks the business. send him an e-mail for details.

Cheers

Scotchegg
You do know that it's not straight plug and play though,don't you.The S2000 ariel wont fit through the hole in the wing,you have to make it bigger(but only fractionally),and the body of the ariel wont fit secure in the boot unless you alter the car(cut away part of the bracket) or the ariel body.
HTH

Ivor.

[Scotchegg]

You do know that it's not straight plug and play though,don't you.The S2000 ariel wont fit through the hole in the wing,you have to make it bigger(but only fractionally),and the body of the ariel wont fit secure in the boot unless you alter the car(cut away part of the bracket) or the ariel body.
HTH

Ivor.

...yeah i've read a few horror stories....apparently this one comes with a kit from Japan that is specifically for NSX usage (retro-fit). I'm just a waiting confirmation of the kit cost and its availability. should hear something tomorrow.

Scotchegg

[nigel]

Possibly you could post a few pics of the kit before, during and after and the price from Barry for us to sort through. I don't see anyone here that has the same S 2000 kit altered for the NSX without bodging it.
With the dollar to the squid so bollicks up it still may be cheap enough to get one for myself from VTEC Direct.

Cheers
nigel

[Ewan]

Well I bought a Shark II antenna from LoCustom (http://www.locustom.com/shark2_kit.htm) for $42.75 + $12.25 shipping (so about £30), and although there was a delay in shipping it arrived earlier this week.

Took about half an hour to fit all in, with the tricky bit of fitting the retaining nut (as described on Prime) being about half of that - in the end, I squirted a little WD-40 onto the thread of the antenna to make finger-tightening the nut easier.

I think it looks good - not as clean as the stock aerial retracted, but I do listen to the radio and use the USA*Spec iPod interface, both of which used to deploy the old antenna...

4042
4043
4044

Detailed fitting advice is on http://www.locustom.com/nsx_install.htm so I saw no point in taking pics as I went along. I now wish I'd taken comparison photos with the old aerial up, but I didn't think of that until I was finished :D

cheers
Ewan

[jaytip]

I now wish I'd taken comparison photos with the old aerial up, but I didn't think of that until I was finished :D

I'll take a photo with my ariel up for you.Same colour car, so the comparison will be the same.

Cheers,

Ivor.

[W2NSX]

After taken two years to get into NSX ownership, I like many others find the oem aerial a bit, well, hard on the eyes! I think is kindest! I did a quick search on prime and was surprised to find that the NSX has two aerials or antenna's as the say on prime. One is the mast and the other is built into the rear screen.

So I disconnnected the power to the aerial in the boot, which is a simple push connector and tried it. I can report that the 3 radio stations that i regularly listen to, all stayed tuned in with perfect reception.

So my advice is before you decide to buy and fit an alternative aerial, just try the above, depending on what you listen to and where you live , you may be surprised and save yourself a few quid and some time!

[TheSebringOne]

Good find, I've already done the same as you and body lines is so much smoother, but regrettably reception isn't great, but I don't listen to the radio, just the VTEC or on the odd occasion the CD! :D

[Sudesh]

I discovered the same on my car, but realised reception wasnt great with just the hatch aerial. So I ended up removing the electric aerial and the hatch aerial plus the old original wiring to the hatch.

I then installed a new hidden marine antenna that is tucked up inside he rear bumper and I have no problems with reception since plus the car looks much better without the R.C style rear antenna lol!!

[AR]

After taken two years to get into NSX ownership, I like many others find the oem aerial a bit, well, hard on the eyes! I think is kindest! I did a quick search on prime and was surprised to find that the NSX has two aerials or antenna's as the say on prime. One is the mast and the other is built into the rear screen.

So I disconnnected the power to the aerial in the boot, which is a simple push connector and tried it. I can report that the 3 radio stations that i regularly listen to, all stayed tuned in with perfect reception.

So my advice is before you decide to buy and fit an alternative aerial, just try the above, depending on what you listen to and where you live , you may be surprised and save yourself a few quid and some time!

http://nsxcb.co.uk/testvb/showpost.php?p=31135&postcount=11

Cheers,

Ary