I just bought a '96 FWB, and I have a '95. I just noticed that the '96 does not have that cell phone antenna in the top center of the back window. For some reason I thought all of them came standard with it.

Of course, I never thought enough about it to look at others, but now I'm curious. Was that cell antenna standard on the '95s only? Eh?

By the way, I have never found the other end of the antenna wire....wonder where it's hidden?

Thanks,

Paul

I have never seen one come with it factory, back in those days it was commonplace for people to have cell phones installed. That was the peak of the analog days, and a 3watt analog phone even today is nearly impossible to beat for solid coverage.

And if you wanna use it as an external antenna, it is only an 800 MHz antenna, and won't work well with 1900 MHz cell phones.

I have to agree with N0DIH.
I have a 1995 FWB and there is no trace of a cell antenna ever having been on the rear window.
But we have an aftermarket, clip-on, passive antenna which clips on to the rear left passenger door window and seems to improve cell transmission and reception.
We had it in my wife's Stratus previously and ordered another when I got the FWB.
The thing is black and about a foot high with 6" or so showing above the roof of the car, so I would guess the signal is biased toward a pattern spread favoring the passenger's side of the car.
(Hams like N0DIH could comment on such things better than I)
The only drawback to these antennae is that you MUST remove (easy - roll the window down an inch or two and twist the antenna base off the window) them if you are going through a car wash where there are aggressive brushes or they will get bent. That's no problem for me since I go to one of those brushless car wash places.
One unusual incident happened a few months back when a kid asked me if I was staking out a place as I waited in the car while my wife was shopping at a mall store.
The kid apparently thought the antenna was some sort of FBI or DEA "secret" antenna on an unmarked car or something.
Then the kid proceeded to tell me that he knew of a bunch of places to get real good dope all over that mall !:eek:
Geez! The FBI or DEA using old Cadillacs!
Now that's really undercover!:bouncy:
Anyhow, the instant wifey got back, we got the hell out of there real fast.

I just bought a '96 FWB, and I have a '95. I just noticed that the '96 does not have that cell phone antenna in the top center of the back window. For some reason I thought all of them came standard with it.

Of course, I never thought enough about it to look at others, but now I'm curious. Was that cell antenna standard on the '95s only? Eh?

By the way, I have never found the other end of the antenna wire....wonder where it's hidden?

Thanks,

Paul


My 95 Brougham has one also, I thought it was something from the factory as well. Its ugly, only the base is attached and I never looked at removing it. Figured it was for a car phone.

Its a car phone antenna thats for a phone it had. Theres probably holes on the dash or in the front somewhere if it doesnt have the phone anymore. That was never a standard option.

Often under the front seat, or back seat.

Don't try to remove, my dad tried once and shattered the window. Be very careful trying.

Never standard on any of them. But dealers installed accessory phones or outside phone companies also did when these were new, and cell phones were more "car phones" and often mounted in your car.

Your '95 just used to have one, and this '96 apparently didn't. Nothing related to factory, just an add on that some owner's did back in the day.

A similar antenna became standard in 2002 when Onstar was equipped in all the Cadillacs.

However, as mentioned above, it was most likely a cell phone ad on in our cars.

Yes, it is a 800 MHz cell phone antenna, in Feb 2004 we started putting in 800/1900 MHz radios, the antennas were changed when we went digital (CDMA 1X with 1X disabled).... I don't remember which carline got them first, but don't think Cadillac necessarily did because they were flagship division (and oddly enough the Pontiac GP often was last to get anything....)

GM put OnStars in Cadillac starting 98 MY, and Hughes, then Delco/Delphi was the supplier and the Motorola. At least up till now, but that is changing very soon too.

A similar antenna became standard in 2002 when Onstar was equipped in all the Cadillacs.

However, as mentioned above, it was most likely a cell phone ad on in our cars.