Small Mag-mount antenna swap...

[Paul Iddon]

My car is a 2002 model, and I'm not going to the expense of putting in a DAB+ radio into it.

So I bought one of the small interior DAB+ adapters that plugs in to the 12v socket - but these come with a cruddy stick-it-on-yer-window antennas. Reception is intermittent on these.

So I added a mag-mount antenna that you stick to your roof or boot via it's own small magnet. Now this has improved reception of the channels considerably (but I'm not sure I trust all people in town to walk past the car and leave this antenna intact in car parks etc!!!) The metal part can be unscrewed from the base, so I can remove it if I am in a place I don't fancy having it sticking up from the boot. (If I could get it onto the roof and keep the wire concealed I would but the only way would be to get the cable in the recess of the rear window and disguise tidily somehow).

But the real reason for the post is to ask if there is any way of increasing the magnetism - the ones on these mag-mount are small and at motorway speeds I would be unsure of it staying in place at 70mph...

I know you can't physically make a magnet stronger (apart from periodically re-aligning its ions to the north if it starts to weaken) so I wondered if anyone knows if the magnet on this small mount can be swapped out for the same size of magnet which would have a greater magnetic force...

Paul.

 

[Nigel]

Need a picture/link so we can see how the magnet works...

 

[Paul Iddon]

Wire is going under the back of the boot and then down through he car interior to the radio.

The streak on the glass is from our Bilbo Baggins Cat sliding down from the roof of the car for a nosy at what I was doing when I put the mount there!

 

[Nigel]

Put one of these between the mount and the roof, I guess you will quadruple the magnetic strength!

And if you put two then you will struggle to get it off again!

Not sure that is the right size for a perfect fit, there are other sizes available, but I use these to hold my MT1 cameras on my roof, they are more than strong enough and the more you add to your original magnet the more strength you get.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322643458448

 

[Nigel]

PS. They can rust eventually, for a permanent mount I think I would add something to rustproof them, bit of paint or maybe just grease/vaseline. Otherwise they might stain the car paintwork after a couple of years.

 

[Paul Iddon]

Cheers Nigel.

I have the mount on the back right corner of the boot at the moment - so I assume I would put that thing on the inside of the boot itself so it magnetises through the boot lid??


Another question - do you know if it is legal to have the mag more central as in the photo below:

Nigel - they have what I assume are the same on Amazon?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/B01L16EM6O

Paul.

 

[Nigel]

I have the mount on the back right corner of the boot at the moment - so I assume I would put that thing on the inside of the boot itself so it magnetises through the boot lid??

It could do, but wouldn't provide as much extra strength as if you put it between the antenna and the boot lid, although you wouldn't need to worry about rust with it out of sight so maybe just put two underneath.

Another question - do you know if it is legal to have the mag more central as in the photo below:

I'm not aware of any laws on that, you don't actually need to be able to see out the back, although it is a good idea!

Nigel - they have what I assume are the same on Amazon?

Similar but smaller diameter, the extra 5mm diameter does make quite a difference to the strength, although thickness is more important. I'd recommend the 25mm over the 20 if it is going between antenna and metal, better stability from the width, but they will both do a decent job.

 

[Paul Iddon]

Cheers Nigel.

I'll try and find a value priced pack. Need to keep the cost to a minimum cos if I don't I might as well have bought a proper radio!

 

[Nigel]

Cheers Nigel.

I'll try and find a value priced pack. Need to keep the cost to a minimum cos if I don't I might as well have bought a proper radio!

You would still want a proper antenna to go with your proper radio!

Don't think you will do any better than ebay, you could go for a lesser magnet, the smaller diameter ones are significantly cheaper, don't compromise on the thickness, doesn't need to be N52 either, although they are supposed to be the strongest, the difference to the other Neodymium strengths isn't that great.

 

[Paul Iddon]

Okily dokily. Ta fella.

 

[Paul Iddon]

@Nigel

Got some.

Never used one - I assume I 3M stick it on the inside of my boot and the mag mount on the outside sits over it as normal?

 

[Nigel]

I don't think you will need 3M unless you have an aluminium boot!

Be careful not to trap your fingers between it and the steel, or worse between it and another magnet!

 

[Paul Iddon]

They have 3M stickers on them it looks like....

I'll be careful..

 

[Nigel]

They have 3M stickers on them it looks like....

That is probably for sticking them to plastic objects. You could maybe 3M one onto the bottom of the Antenna, although I guess you will be better off with the 3M removed. Note that the thickness of the 3M will reduce the magnetic strength due to the distance between magnet and steel, Could well reduce it to a quarter strength, magnetic field strength drops off very rapidly with distance.