FM Transmitter Telescoping Antenna

Sick and tired of interference with your FM transmitter? Sure, you can ignore it most of the time, but we all know that country music seeping in and out of you enjoying your podcast is slowly driving you insane. The answer: add one big vintage telescoping antenna. Will it improve performance? MAYBE. But in your mind, all will be crystal clear.

Step 1 Choose your transmitter!

The first thing you need will of course be the FM transmitter. They are sold at essentially every store that sells DAPs, as well as most truck stops and many grocery stores. I prefer the analog variety as opposed to the type that actually displays the broadcast frequency, although they do have a limited range. Just try to avoid the low cost models that have a toggle switch that allows you to choose one of four pre-selected frequencies. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere. I chose the (discontinued) SI-Link FM transmitter (http://www.si5.comhttp://www.si5.com), mainly because it was on clearance at my local Target store. They sell a similar one now, which I imagine is exactly the same as the discontinued model, but physically more iPod like.

Comments

[Last_Liberal]

"Now we add our antenna"? A tad more detail, please. I'm assuming you are simply desoldering the internal antenna and attaching it to an external rod antenna?

[quinn15]

i tried this and if it's of any help: here is where i soldered in the antenna:

www.flickr.com/photos/madsonclan/4028445144/

[noelfl]

Hey thanks a lot for posting that pic. I had a suspicion that that was the antenna, but I wasn't sure, so again, thanks. How much did adding the antenna help?

[tokymaru]

Cracked my transmitter open but there's no wire antenna. Here are pictures (actually they're scans) of both sides of the board, can someone tell me where the antenna is, so I can replace it? I was thinking it was one of the copper coils, but im not sure.

[italodisco71]

I have a IPDA fm transmitter. See the youtube video how to convert your transmitter! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsZw_youJAo
dj Kostas http://myitalodisco.blogspot.com

[munchman]

I was doing the same thing with a WiFi Antenna a while back... that was until I shorted the transmitter. I feel sad now.

[GorillazMiko]

i want to make mine connect to mcdonalds and order like 1000 big macs LOL :D cool instructable. :D

[thewoodcarver]

Nice simple easy to follow instructions. Looks better then the 24G wire I have coming out of my FM transmitter . Have you tested the range ?

[socketeer]

I've noticed an improvement in range and the transmitter now works through walls: I broadcast to my shower radio while keeping my humongous and ugly DAP safely away from moisture.