Wearing part antenna
03/25/2023
Which part of your car have you replaced four times in the last two years? The air filter perhaps, or the brake pads. If you drive a Ferrari 348 tb, maybe the timing belt. And if you drive a VW T5 Bi-TDi, sometimes even the entire engine. But the aerial? What is supposed to break there? In the worst case, the telescopic rod needs a little grease after 30 years. That's what I thought too. Back then, when I was still driving Mercedes-Benz W124s and VW Passat B3s with the endless Hirschmann telescopic tube that had to be pulled out by hand.
But now that I have a car with a removable threaded stub that receives not only radio waves but also GPS data, phone signal, traffic situation, date and time, I know better: everything. It started with a broken thread that prevented the antenna from being mounted and paralyzed all reception. The base that was then fitted with the thread intact refused to recognize the vehicle's position on the planet after a heavy bump on the freeway. The third foot received perfectly, but no longer released the antenna - until the brush of a car wash pressed too hard on the short lever and my antenna situation went back to "go". GPS reception is still excellent, however.
I'm curious to see what antenna base number four will surprise me with. According to the seller, the GPS and thread work perfectly. Perhaps it only receives Spanish police radio? At least I found one at all. Of course, Opel did not install the same base in all Omega B models. Depending on the radio's combination of functions, the shape and plug vary in manifold splendor. I wonder when it will be worth upgrading to a Hirschmann telescope...
