EPA F-150 Lighting Confirmed for ALL Models

Price go up, too?

Their new high tech truck and they couldn't get rid of the radio antenna an embed it in the window or roof?

7 hours ago, balthazar said:

Price go up, too?

Nope Ford and GM has not raised prices on the electrics yet, just ICE.

6 hours ago, smk4565 said:

Their new high tech truck and they couldn't get rid of the radio antenna an embed it in the window or roof?

Interesting is that in looking around I tend to find the consistent response from multiple auto companies posted online, but no official statement.

Car manufacturers took the simple expedient of adding an antenna for the radio. Antennas work better outside the car than in so the antenna is typically put outside the car.

In cities and urban areas with just a simple wire antenna, but as you travel away from the radio station's transmitter you need a better antenna to pick up the signal, so cars carry a better antenna than they need in the city in case you decide to drive in the country.

I would have to think that the traditional antenna is cheaper and easier to implement on an EV than to build one into the auto or glass and have to use electricity to boost it to get the same reception.

6 hours ago, David said:

Interesting is that in looking around I tend to find the consistent response from multiple auto companies posted online, but no official statement.

Car manufacturers took the simple expedient of adding an antenna for the radio. Antennas work better outside the car than in so the antenna is typically put outside the car.

In cities and urban areas with just a simple wire antenna, but as you travel away from the radio station's transmitter you need a better antenna to pick up the signal, so cars carry a better antenna than they need in the city in case you decide to drive in the country.

I would have to think that the traditional antenna is cheaper and easier to implement on an EV than to build one into the auto or glass and have to use electricity to boost it to get the same reception.

The regular F-series also has that same style mast antenna.   Silverado and Ram have a shark fin antenna like most modern vehicles..

I assumed it was Ford being cheap, but I saw an article a while back that because there were so many buyers of them in rural areas that listen to AM radio, the old school fixed mast antenna worked better for that use case...

Interesting that this Silverado HD has both a fixed mast and shark fin.

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

The regular F-series also has that same style mast antenna.   Silverado and Ram have a shark fin antenna like most modern vehicles..

I assumed it was Ford being cheap, but I saw an article a while back that because there were so many buyers of them in rural areas that listen to AM radio, the old school fixed mast antenna worked better for that use case...

Interesting that this Silverado HD has both a fixed mast and shark fin.

I thought the Shark Fin was the XM Radio and OnStar. I guess I had not noticed that GM and RAM had done away with the antenna, but your right, AM radio I do see on the web is one reason to stay with a traditional Antenna. So it makes sense kinda as it does bring up that question of if they can do it with FM, why not AM then? Is the signal that much weaker over FM? Interesting.

FOUND ANSWER Per Ford Mike Levine Communications manager: The mast antenna supports the AM/FM performance best over other design options. Rural AM FTW!

Here's Why A Modern Truck Like the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Still Has Such An Old-School Antenna (jalopnik.com)

I have both antennas on my Sierra.

My Jeep has only the shark fin, I assume it's an all-in-one.  I mostly use Sirius XM, once in a great while play a CD or stream from my phone.  I think I've used FM only a handful of times in almost 5 years, never used AM in it.    The 31st makes 5 years I've had my Jeep, put about 30k on it since then. 

12 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

My Jeep has only the shark fin, I assume it's an all-in-one.  I mostly use Sirius XM, once in a great while play a CD or stream from my phone.  I think I've used FM only a handful of times in almost 5 years, never used AM in it.    The 31st makes 5 years I've had my Jeep, put about 30k on it since then. 

Since I updated from the dead head unit in my SS to a modern Pioneer head unit that supports Android and Apple phones, I have listened to maybe 1% of the time a local radio FM HD station, 0% AM and the bulk is Spotify or YouTube music. I let my Sirius XM subscription end on the SS, have it on the Escalade since I have my original head unit still and I have a lifetime Sirius XM that came with the Escalade when I bought it.

I honestly do not see why people want to listen to local radio with all the jabber. Even Sirius XM has gotten bad in adding in DJ Blabber. When paying for music, I do not want to hear others, just enjoy the music. I honestly wonder what will become of AM/FM long term.

I'm also primarily XM, but I'll scroll thru a few FM stations every couple days. Sometimes I use AM for local traffic. 

Wife's had XM for a number of years, obviously my '04 didn't have the capability. While the consistent signal is great, I've found the repetition on XM to, perhaps, be worse than on FM as far as music goes. There's just not all that much appeal to broadcast (AM/FM/XM)- I'd rather listen to my own music lists.

And like anything, there will always be those who don't wish to pay for a radio signal. 

I’ve been streaming podcasts from my phone a lot lately.  Not sure why, but when I start my Jeep my phone pairs and the most recent podcast I was listening to on Overcast starts playing, picking up where I left off. Very convenient but annoying if I don’t want to listen to a podcast.  Probably something in Overcast settings. 

10 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I’ve been streaming podcasts from my phone a lot lately.  Not sure why, but when I start my Jeep my phone pairs and the most recent podcast I was listening to on Overcast starts playing, picking up where I left off. Very convenient but annoying if I don’t want to listen to a podcast.  Probably something in Overcast settings. 

Yes, that would be very annoying, but at least you can pair quickly and enjoy what you were listening too.

I honestly have not found podcasts entertaining enough to listen too. Not sure why, but while my son listens to lots of them, I have no desire as I have not found any of interest.

What type have you been listening too if you do not mind me asking?

8 hours ago, David said:

Yes, that would be very annoying, but at least you can pair quickly and enjoy what you were listening too.

I honestly have not found podcasts entertaining enough to listen too. Not sure why, but while my son listens to lots of them, I have no desire as I have not found any of interest.

What type have you been listening too if you do not mind me asking?

I mostly listen to them as background while working...lots of tech podcasts such as All About Android, The Cloudcast, IOS Today, Mac Power Users, MacCast, MacBreak Weekly, Geek Wire (Seattle tech scene news), Tech Break, This Week in Enterprise Tech, Daily Tech Headlines, Grumpy Old Geeks (guys in their 50s grousing about tech),  iMore Show, Smart Tech Today, Tech News Weekly, others..

Also some automotive podcasts--Autoblog, Wheel Bearings, The Smoking Tire, Spike's Car Radio, Smith & Sniff (UK), Gareth Jones on Speed (UK w/ a focus on F1 and humor).

Some news podcasts from CNN, NPR (Planet Money), the LA Times, the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post. 

And the occasional LA/So Cal true crime podcast, along w/ one from New England (Murder, She Told)