Where is my external radio antenna?

When I first started looking at the Heartland MPG trailer, the one that I really liked, and ended up purchasing, did not have an external radio antenna. I asked the dealer rep to find out where it was and since the radio did work, we both assumed that it must have an internal antenna. Well, while on our first "shakedown" camping trip with the trailer this past weekend, I noticed that the signal reception on the radio was not that great. So I took it upon myself to remove the two mounting screws holding the radio in the cabinet and found that the factory or dealer had installed a ribbon antenna (still all bundled up) behind the radio. I also noticed in the factory packaging, another wire antenna. So I exchanged the ribbon antenna for the wire antenna and the radio reception greatly improved. BUT, where is the external antenna that should have been installed on my unit? I figure the factory FORGOT to install it, so they conjured up an alternate fix. I was not too happy at what I had discovered on my radio. The ribbon radio antenna I am speaking of is the type that you used to install to your home stereo that would be mounted to a wall and spread out (looking like a T). I am going back to the dealer today to ask them about this and see what they plan on doing about it. The shakedown trip did find other little fixes, but nothing that cannot be fixed my myself. The bed definitely needs some help with a nice foam pad. I have also purchased some additional supports for the front of the trailer's frame. Without them, there is some wobble inside the trailer. The trailer towed nicely behind my Ford F-150, but I think I still have to tweak the brake controller a little more. Other than a few things found, I can say that we are totally satisfied with our new Heartland MPG 181 and plan on taking more trips with it soon.

I recently read on another post here that they are no longer putting on an outside antenna on one of the other brands. They have replaced it with the ribbon type inside antenna. Ok with me, one less hole in the siding...Don

I did go down this morning to speak with one of the reps at the dealer and he said, either they started with the ribbon type of antenna and then moved to the outside antenna, or vice-versa. One other unit that was still on their lot didn't have an external antenna either, so perhaps the factory changed in mid-year production. I guess I can always add on an after marker radio antella later if the wire antenna doesn't satisfy my needs. Right now though, the wire antenna works a heck of a lot better than the ribbon type antenna.

That "ribbon" antenna is a dipole antenna, and is probably cut for the FM band. Put it up so it looks like a "T" and if you are broadside to the radio station's transmitter, you will get a decent signal. If you put it up like a sideways "T" you will get a better signal. The "wire" antenna you found might just be another dipole (not likely) or it might be a "random" wire antenna that would work reasonably well on any band.

As for where is the external antenna, on our 181 it is mounted on the roof. Heartland has mounted it on the slides on some of the bigger rigs.

Since you've already had the radio out, does it have more than one antenna jack? If so, you might need to have the right antenna attached to the right jack in order for that band to work. The weather radio band isn't too far off from the FM band, so one antenna would work reasonable well for both, but the AM band is far enough away that it could benefit from a different (longer) antenna. For FM and weather bands you want the antenna to be vertical. AM doesn't matter as much.