Garmin nuvi 1390T FM Traffic Antenna

External Antenna for FM Traffic

In the owners manual PDF it shows the antenna and points out its jack for an external antenna but I haven't seen an antenna available for purchase either. I looked at the jack and it apears to simply be a two conductor plug. One could easily pick up a mono earphone plug at Radio Shack and tack on a peice of wire about 3 feet long to make an antenna. No doubt it would increase the performace many fold over the short integrated antenna in the power cable.

RR

Antenna

Mine actually came with the extension Aerial jack. but its not for external use as it is not long enough. It is the same as a headphone audio jack.with about 2ft of thin cable attached with a small arrow head piece of plastic at the end. I have always had this attached to the power lead, so I dont know if the power cable also works as an FM antenna, or if you have to have the jack connected.
hope this is usefull
mav

I have a spot on my way home from work where the traffic icon turns gray. It says poor reception, so I am thinking that an extension antenna is in order. It is for sale on garmin's website (search accessories for a model that comes with the traffic receiver), it looks like what the previous poster is talking about. It's $9 + $8 shipping. But if a normal headphone jack would do the same thing, I'd be all for that. My only questions is, would the wires be connected at the end, or left insulated from one another?

I am thinking that just whacking off the head phones from a cheap pair would do the trick.

Mine actually came with the extension Aerial jack. but its not for external use as it is not long enough. It is the same as a headphone audio jack.with about 2ft of thin cable attached with a small arrow head piece of plastic at the end. I have always had this attached to the power lead, so I dont know if the power cable also works as an FM antenna, or if you have to have the jack connected.
hope this is usefull
mav

I have the same small cable but found that the 1390t didn't receive FM traffic with the jack plugged into the power cable, and it did with it removed so the power cord definitely has an antenna in it too.

Haw has the modified antenna helped w/ FM traffic info?

I contacted Garmintech support trying to purchase the antenna extension but they told me it was not available as a separate item.

Any additional info on the part ordered by one of the previous posters would be great.
Thanks!
+++

I actually figured out last night that it is not a standard (3.5mm) headphone stereo jack, but instead the smaller one intended for use with cell phones.

I had an old cell phone head set so I cut it off just below the lowest dongle attached, and I have my antenna.

My previous question still stands as to whether or not I should need to complete the circuit, or if the two wires should remain separated. (I don't want to short anything out)

There should be no need to complete the circuit, as an FM radio antenna is just a piece of wire, not a loop.

I would also be interested in hearing the results of your tests, whether it improved reception at all.

Antenna Lead

I’ve just purchased a Garmin 1390T, and too am looking for a second car charger and antenna lead as I have two vehicles and wish to keep on in each.

I’ve tested the original antenna lead to establish what is connected to what and have concluded:-

The cable is a single stranded ultra flexible wire 80cms long, which terminates to a 2.5mm stereo jack plug. The connection of the single stranded wire is made to both the tip and second connection of the plug, leaving the third, normally reserved for the screen wire of an audio cable, unconnected.

I trust this may be of help to you on this thread

Antenna Extension Cable with Suction Cups

For those still looking her is the link to the "Antenna Extension Cable with Suction Cups"

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=33370

Gotta say Garmin does not go out of their way to make it easy to buy this. I had to do some serious digging to find this page.

As for the home made version Im sure it will work but I would hate to find out it could cause some damage when we are talking under $20 to get the real deal.

A bit late, but thanks.....

For those still looking her is the link to the "Antenna Extension Cable with Suction Cups"

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=33370

Gotta say Garmin does not go out of their way to make it easy to buy this. I had to do some serious digging to find this page.

As for the home made version Im sure it will work but I would hate to find out it could cause some damage when we are talking under $20 to get the real deal.

This is an old post but tonight I was hunting in vain for the answer to why a couple Garmin units I own both had that little hole in the side of the antenna/power cable. The link provided is still working as of 10/2012. I know, I just ordered one. As a professional driver, it's been annoying to have the traffic icon go grey here in SoCal. Anything to mitigate that is worthwhile in my circumstances. It'll be interesting to see what/if any improvement occurs. And I agree wholeheartedly with the comment above about the wisdom of trying to jury-rig an arrangement with a relatively expensive piece of equipment. Better to drop <$20 for the real thing, IMHO. After all, what's $20? A quarter-tank of gasoline? True here in SoCal.....