Cell antenna w/ thru glass mount

dukbludvl · May 8, 2004

Hi All... I have a hands-free cell kit installed on the dash of my '00 Yukon for my Motorola T720 cell phone. I'd like to install an antenna (possibly a booster) to improve my reception and reduce lost calls, whihc have really increased since i switched from Sprint (w/ a startac phone) to cingular with the T720 phone.

My question is this: is it ok to use one of those through the glass antennas (one of the 6" or 8" ones I've seen on some Hoes/Burbs/Yukons)? I've read that with some tinted windows, they use metal and that will disrupt the thru-the-glass signal. Can anyone please advise? Also, if you have an external cell antenna, please let me know which brand/model you use? I'm particularly interested in the thru.-the-glass models, which I'll have to wire up to the front of the truck, as well as the external antenna booster/repeator i've seen online that requires no wiring.

Please help.

Thanks!

Jon

DMAX Daddy · May 8, 2004

I had one that worked okay and reduced lost calls. What I did was put it to where I wanted to mount it, use a razor to outline the tint, then take that square of tint out.

I dont know if its true or not about the tint interfering, but I trimmed it anyway.

Losing calls is 1. phone and 2. service based. I got the same phone with Verizon I had with AT&T, and I never lost a signal where with AT&T I culdnt stay connected.

JimG · May 9, 2004

Jon,

Don't know where you live, but here in Central NJ, everyone I know that had Cingular dropped it and switched to Verizon. Cingular is just horrible around here. AT&T is no better around here as well.

I'm actually planning on installing a hands-free in my truck in a couple weeks (got one off Ebay for $50) - are you talking about the factory tint to the windows?? Or aftermarket tinting??

I never really thought about this before, so thanks for posting the question.

typicalsituations · May 9, 2004

I got an OEM nokia car kit for my ATT Nokia 6360... I mounted an ANTENNA SPECIALSITS Dual Band Throught glass antenna on the left upper part of the Drivers side BACK window... (the factory spot), I have to say it boosts my signal by at least 30% at all times. I ALWAYS have FULL signal. And in places where I used to not have signal I get 4 out of 7 bars of signal. It works FINE with the factory tinted glass... and it took only about 20 mins to install myself. Antenna was $50 through a local RIP OFF dealer....

Bob G. · May 9, 2004

My rear cab window has the defroster wires and I did'nt know if it would have an adverse effect on cell reception so I mounted my "through the glass" cell antenna on the windshield at the top corner (passenger side). So far, so good.

Bob G.

dukbludvl · May 10, 2004

Yeah, I have to agree on the Cingular -- I've found that it sucks here. I'm in the triangle area of NC, so it's really populated and there are plenty of cell towers around. Sprint was a great service, I found. I signed a 2 year plan with Cingular, so I'm stuck.

thanks for your replies, all. yeah, i was referring to the factory tint -- on the Yukon/Hoe -- all the back seat and cargo area windows are tinted at the factory. However, I've seen a bunch of these on the road that have the through the glass antenna. For those of you that put through-the-glass antennas on, did you get wireless ones or did you hook yours up with wires directly to your hands-free kits?

If you ran wires, (particularly those of you that ran wires to the rear windows of your SUVs), where did you put your wires -- how did you get them to the back?

Thanks!

cdn111 · May 10, 2004

My rear cab window has the defroster wires and I did'nt know if it would have an adverse effect on cell reception so I mounted my "through the glass" cell antenna on the windshield at the top corner (passenger side). So far, so good.

Bob G.

Do you not get a terrible whistle? I know a couple people that have antennas located there and they all (myself included) have a terrible whistle. I think it's because our antennas have like a coil in the middle of it so the wind goes through it like a tornado.

Bob G. · May 10, 2004

cdn111,

I don't get any whistle from my cell antenna. There is no coil in mine.

Bob G.

Taaaaaaahoe? · May 10, 2004

My rear cab window has the defroster wires and I did'nt know if it would have an adverse effect on cell reception so I mounted my "through the glass" cell antenna on the windshield at the top corner (passenger side). So far, so good.

Bob G.

Do you not get a terrible whistle? I know a couple people that have antennas located there and they all (myself included) have a terrible whistle. I think it's because our antennas have like a coil in the middle of it so the wind goes through it like a tornado.

Put some heat shrink over that coiled part...

Mike

typicalsituations · May 11, 2004

I have the OEM nokia handfree kit which uses that Dual band I installed. It connects directly to the kit so it bump the signal up WAY high. Those so called "repeaters" are CRAP.... they DO NOT work at ALL! Do not get one!

dukbludvl · May 11, 2004

typical situations -- where did you mount the antenna on the outside of our truck? is it a thru-the-glass antenna? where in the truck did you run the cable to get it from the antenna to the hands-free kit. do you have any pictures you could post? also, where should I look to buy one of these antennas? thanks!

cdn111 · May 11, 2004

Well I would, but no worries now b/c I just sold my tahoe. Now to my next vehicle.. maybe a new 1/2 ton crew cab.

duffy · May 11, 2004

I work for a cellular provider in Oklahoma and used to install. We always cut the cut a square out of the tint. We were told it did mess with the signal, but never tried it to find out.

typicalsituations · May 13, 2004

I work for a cellular provider in Oklahoma and used to install. We always cut the cut a square out of the tint. We were told it did mess with the signal, but never tried it to find out.

Some tint is "metalized" which means that it actually contains metal. Most tint Is NOT metalized. Metalized tint CAN mess with your signal, but not a WHOLE lot. Factory tint on Chevys are actually dyed windows... So no worries there, just watch out for those defroster lines.

typicalsituations · May 13, 2004

typical situations -- where did you mount the antenna on the outside of our truck? is it a thru-the-glass antenna? where in the truck did you run the cable to get it from the antenna to the hands-free kit. do you have any pictures you could post? also, where should I look to buy one of these antennas? thanks!

I mounted mine on the drivers side REAR side window. Upper left corner as far as I could get to the edge (one inch recommended). It looks factory. As for the wires, I didn't even have to take anything apart. I just took off the Jack cover, ran the wire from the box under the trim next to the window, ran it down to where the jack is, put in between the window and the trim, pushed it into the jack compartment, then fished it under the trim all the way to the front under the seat and to my cradle. It was easy... I'll take some pics as soon as i can. Theres not much to see, but I'll draw over them to show where the wires are.