Mondeo MC glass mounted antenna

[Territory2014]

Hi, can anyone tell me on which window the glass mounted antenna is located?
I want to tint the windows when I pick up the new Zetec wagon and want to make sure the tinting film does not interfere with radio reception. Any thoughts on this?

[AlanD]

Wow, I didn't even realize that the roof mounted radio aerial had been deleted on the later models.

That said, I'd be amazed if were anywhere other than the windscreen, for the following reasons:

1. Closest point to the radio,
2. Common to all models,
3. Easy to get at a power source if an aerial amplifier is needed.
4. All the other glass of adequate area in the hatch is moveable and makes for connection/routing problems.
5. The wagon rear fixed glass is quite small and may not have adequate horizontal length for an in glass antenna.

So, I'll put my money on the windscreen, and I believe that the windscreen is already tinted to the maximum allowed by legislation or through ADR rules.

In any case the antenna is within the glass panel and tinting is applied to the inside of the glass? So it should not shield the wiring of an embedded aerial and would only do so if the tint material had metallic content and was electrically connected to the car's sheet metal.

Cheers

[ian b]

Previous Euro Fords I have owned have this feature installed in the rear window, I think using the heater element as the receiver.

[Territory2014]

It looks like the antenna is located in the rear left and right windows of the boot in the wagon. I had a different tint film put onto that glass, non metallic, in order to minimise reception issues. Results are fantastic, no loss of reception quality.

[mondeo zetec]

Hey Territory2014, where did you get your tints done?

[Territory2014]

I had it done by a tinter that works for a Toyota pre delivery dept, it was a favour from an old mate

[mondeo zetec]

Originally Posted by Territory2014

I had it done by a tinter that works for a Toyota pre delivery dept, it was a favour from an old mate

Champion!

[nevetsg]

On a side note. I got these instead of a tint. They do the job quite nicely.

http://www.uvcarshades.co.uk/information/benefits/

[sailaway]

Originally Posted by AlanD

Wow, I didn't even realize that the roof mounted radio aerial had been deleted on the later models.

That said, I'd be amazed if were anywhere other than the windscreen, for the following reasons:

1. Closest point to the radio,
2. Common to all models,
3. Easy to get at a power source if an aerial amplifier is needed.
4. All the other glass of adequate area in the hatch is moveable and makes for connection/routing problems.
5. The wagon rear fixed glass is quite small and may not have adequate horizontal length for an in glass antenna.

So, I'll put my money on the windscreen, and I believe that the windscreen is already tinted to the maximum allowed by legislation or through ADR rules.

In any case the antenna is within the glass panel and tinting is applied to the inside of the glass? So it should not shield the wiring of an embedded aerial and would only do so if the tint material had metallic content and was electrically connected to the car's sheet metal.

Cheers

I took my 2010 back into the dealer this week and asked if it should have a radio antenna. Especially seeing the cover of the Owners Manual show a Mondeo with one.

Reply from them was it is fitted to the rear screen of my Zetec and be careful not to break it as the replacement cost is over $700 Ouch!

[Binny]

Originally Posted by sailaway

I took my 2010 back into the dealer this week and asked if it should have a radio antenna. Especially seeing the cover of the Owners Manual show a Mondeo with one.

Reply from them was it is fitted to the rear screen of my Zetec and be careful not to break it as the replacement cost is over $700 Ouch!

I believe he would be talking about replacing the whole rear windscreen as the antenna is embedded in it like the demister strips are.
If that is in fact the price for the rear windscreen its not that bad.
I had a rear window on a corolla shattered by a rock from a lawnmower a few years ago and it was $1600.

[aussiblue]

Most rear mounted heater demisters are painted or bonded onto the inside of the rear window and you would think that the same technology would be used for a glass mounted aerial especially given one of the reasons that manufacturers moved from embedded demister is the ease of repair of the element with conductive paint both during use and at manufacturer (not having to scrap a complete screen where the embedding process failed in a minor way).