AM/FM radio antenna cable routing

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AM/FM radio antenna cable routing

April 02, 2021, 02:16:12 pm

Hello,
I tried searching the forum to no avail, so I thought I would post here. Does anyone know the antenna routing from the folding AM/FM rooftop antenna to the back of the radio in the chassis dash (Twin King)?
I know it comes through the roof and into the triangular compartment in the aft, drivers side cabover bed area, just inboard of the vent pipe. From there I don't know where it goes. It does not seem to run under the plastic door sill on the driver's door. Not sure if it goes over the door opening, or down and under the chassis. I would like to install a new antenna on the roof and fish a new antenna cable through to the radio.

If anyone knows where it runs, please let me know.

Thanks,
Bill

Re: AM/FM radio antenna cable routing

Reply #1 – April 02, 2021, 05:50:59 pm

Hi Bill; I have taken off the diagonal cover over the vent pipe, but I don't remember seeing the antenna cable. I have taken the driver side pillar cover, next to the windshield, off and the cable goes under the dash there, and transits over to behind the radio. It may come from an over the door routing, or inside the door frame channel. My '99 has the CB radio above the rear view mirror, and the wiring for the CB, and antenna goes in the left pillar direction. I'm not sure how that antenna cable is routed. I really want to replace the CB antenna with a new one, located further away from my solar panels. RonB

Re: AM/FM radio antenna cable routing

Reply #2 – April 03, 2021, 11:30:15 am

Bill, my '08 MB FM antenna is located near my CB antenna. Some time back, I found it necessary to run a new CB antenna cable. I did not pull down the ceiling but I did remove the loft mattress and wood base. I found that the old CB cable ran forward, then down the slanted front to the foam insulation under the loft floor. From there, it moved left and back to a point over the column between the windshield and the driver's door. It went down that column to a point behind the dash where it connected to the CB unit.

There were a LOT of other wires running down that column. I would bet quite a bit of bling that the AM/FM cable was among those wires. Whether it followed the same routing from the antenna to the column would be pure speculation on my part.

The column cover is held in place by two bolts. There are two 1" square plastic trim covers on the side of the column. Pop those off with a flat blade screwdriver and you will see the bolts. Remove the bolts, pull off the cover, and you will be looking at the bundle of wires (or so it is on my rig).

Ken F in NM

Re: AM/FM radio antenna cable routing

Reply #3 – April 03, 2021, 02:07:53 pm

Thanks Ken,

Since my goal is to restore am/fm radio functionality, and now you can get 16” rubber cowl antennas that could mount on the passenger side cowl where the factory antenna base is located., I think I can avoid messing with the LD roof antenna and wire. Then I can remove the roof antenna and fabricate a plate, seal it up, and tape off both ends of the original cable.

I did probe enough to see the wires running down the A pillar to the dash area. The mystery is how they run under the bed, so now I can avoid tearing into that area.

Took me long enough to find those shorter antennas!

Thanks for the reply,
Bill

Re: AM/FM radio antenna cable routing

Reply #4 – April 03, 2021, 02:27:19 pm

I wonder when LD switched from the folding roof antenna? My ‘85 had one but the ‘17 has the spring type.

Re: AM/FM radio antenna cable routing

Reply #5 – April 03, 2021, 03:49:10 pm

Quote from: bhoads - April 03, 2021, 02:07:53 pm

Since my goal is to restore am/fm radio functionality, and now you can get 16” rubber cowl antennas that could mount on the passenger side cowl where the factory antenna base is located., I think I can avoid messing with the LD roof antenna and wire.

While the cowl location works OK with a normal E-series van, the LD's overhead will block signals from many directions, there is a reason why LD mounted the antenna where it is. if you don't depend on the radio much, the cowl will work.
Shorter antennas usually have poorer reception. With the cowl mount and a short antenna, the reception will be spotty.
If you do desire the radio to work well, keeping the antenna on the side of the coach or remounting it on the roof is a better solution. There are ways to get wires and cables where you want, it takes investigation to find the best pathway, using surface-mount wire molding is one way to run wires in visible spots.

Larry

Re: AM/FM radio antenna cable routing

Reply #6 – April 03, 2021, 06:37:20 pm

Thanks Larry, I think I will stick with the rooftop antenna. I’ll pull the radio, make sure the antenna is seated there, then pull the rooftop antenna and check it. I have a replacement, so I can check the radio with that.

I know the roof also has the benefit of being a good ground plane, so I see the advantage of that location. Hopefully the hidden parts of the antenna wire are intact!

Thanks,
Bill

Re: AM/FM radio antenna cable routing

Reply #7 – April 03, 2021, 08:54:48 pm

Quote from: bhoads - April 03, 2021, 06:37:20 pm

I have a replacement, so I can check the radio with that. Hopefully, the hidden parts of the antenna wire are intact!

Don't be surprised if the antenna cable goes inside a wall, where it is firmly attached. CB antenna cables can be attached this way too, requiring finding a new pathway for the new, replacement cable.
Some ideas
Antennas and radios | Flickr
West Marine
How LD brings the solar panel wiring into the interior.
Solar roof entry | I duplicated LD's method, using a exterio… | Flickr

Larry

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