Sometimes it's good to be short
 

So, today a much anticipated package came to my home. A whole 5/8" shorter than a Spoon antenna, and body-colored as well. :D

http://homepages.apci.net/~sirmyt/boards/kurzset3.jpg
http://homepages.apci.net/~sirmyt/boards/kurzset4.jpg
http://homepages.apci.net/~sirmyt/boards/kurzset5.jpg
http://homepages.apci.net/~sirmyt/boards/kurzset6.jpg
http://homepages.apci.net/~sirmyt/boards/kurzset7.jpg

Where'd You Get That From? How Much?

The stock antenna give such poor reception - can't imagine why you'd want to go shorter - wouldn't that just make it worse??? It is cool that it matches the color though....but I wouldn't want to sacrifice reception...

Actually, it was done as a favor for me. I had seen one on a JDM Fit owner's page and sent him an email asking if I could buy one. Turns out, after some discussion and trading of parts, the USDM antenna is entirely different than the JDM one, but was the same as the JDM Mobilio's antenna. At the time they weren't making antennas in that size, but decided after my request to start producing them. They made me a body-colored one special to match the one I had originally seen on the webpage.

This one is a JDM-spec antenna, so it's not really tuned for US reception, but still I don't notice much if any change at all -- definitely no less than stock it seems. The maker advised that they're going to do a USDM spec version as well, but it'll be a while still before that comes out. I would only imagine it'll improve over stock once that's out b/c most JDM reviews of this antenna say it works much better than the originals.

Here's the mfg's website if you want to browse around: http://www.tomoki.co.jp/main.html The model I have is the Kurz antenna.

BTW-my understanding is that the overall size of the antenna isn't a measure of how well it'll work, it's how the capsule is loaded on the inside. As long as it's properly tuned for the band it's intended, reception should be excellent. I wonder if the USDM antenna is just the JDM Mobilio part used here. If so, that may explain the poor reception some people are getting since the antenna may be optmized for the JDM bands, and Honda just made a compromise to save a bit of cost since it still works OK in most cases. Maybe I'll ask my friend what the Mobilio part# is and see if they match.

size really doesn't matter that much for RF. RF is an intresting topic. I'm assuming the dash radio inside in pretty much all digital. Where it would amp and filter the signals fairly well. A paper clip, (or anything metal) with a good connection to the anntenna hole would probably give you just as good, if not the same reception.


fyi:
FM band in Japan is 76-90 MHz
FM band in USA is 87.9-107.9 MHz

so a good test would to be find a higher MHz station and compare. I'm not sure, but I think higher frequencys need shorter antennas... Real FM antennas need, what, like 4-6 feet long? Well, unless its a powered digital one ;) Where the antenna instead of feet, are inches.

Very nice little antenna, I got get one of those. Bet it would look great on our Taffeta White.

I want to get one

ADULT LITER... lol

lol, that just means short antenna. sometimes you just gotta love japanese people

Just a short update on this, I recently spoke with my contact at the company that made this antenna for me and they're still in the process of desiging a USDM variant, so I suspect we'll see one in the near future sometime. I'm sure I'll be testing the prototype once it's done, so more at that time.

you should paint the base of the antenna to mach your car now :D

Please continue with the updates when there is new info. I'd buy one that is properly tuned even in plain black.

I thought about that, but you have to pull the headliner inside to remove the base, and I'm just not game for that much work. Still, it would look cool though.

ManxMan: Will do. They're definitely working on it, but the USDM FM radio spectrum is much wider than the Japanese band, which presents some issues it seems.