RedPhoenix

iTrader: (10)

on the window? car phone?

vin 78

TV tuner?
Fake maybe?

gapxguy

I think it's for the car phone.

RedPhoenix

iTrader: (10)

is it removable or is it through the window?

Kansas

Yep, it is a phone antenna. It could be for an aftermarket or a dealer installed Lexus phone system. The Lexus phone antennas have a "sqigglely" rubber coating that was supposed to reduce wind noise. The antenna mast likely unscrews from the base - most do. Has the phone been deinstalled? If it has not, do not cut any of the phone system wires -- doing so can cause the audio system to malfunction. Instead, unplug and remove the components. Check for a phone transceiver hidden in the trunk. If there is a phone control on the steering wheel, you might as well leave it in place so you do not have to find a "blank" to fill in the hole.

Yes, the antenna is removable. Just heat up the base with a hair drier to loosen the adhesive and and carefully pry it off the window. The antenna mast likely unscrews from the base - most do. Is there a corresponding disk on the inside of the rear window that is attached to a coax cable? Your SC was prewired at the factory for a phone.

engin_ear

iTrader: (1)

Phone antenna. Old school type.

RedPhoenix

iTrader: (10)

this is a car im purcahsing, i didnt check the other side of the glass. but it is indeed a phone. is there anything cool i can do with it? like tie it into my cell phone or something? or just get rid of it?

Kansas

It is likely that the phone antenna on the SC you are purchasing is for an analog phone. Unless your cell phone supports analog (which is going away "soon") the antenna might not help your phone reception.

I connected the OEM phone antenna on my 2000 LS400 to my Nokia car kit and it improves reception a lot in rural areas. But our old (2003) Nokia 6340i phones support GSM, TDMA and analog so our phones may be switching to analog mode when plugged into the phone holder.

If your phone is GSM-only, like most newer phones are, you could probably replace the antenna with an external GSM compatible antenna. But if you want an external antenna for a newer phone, I recommend buying one that attaches to the inside of the windshield or rear window and which has no exterior component. The external phone antennas cause "wind whistle" noise at highway speeds. One of my favorite features of my current LS is that there are no external antennas at all - both radio and phone antennas are hidden - imprinted on the inside of the rear window.

NisAznMonk

What antenna do you have? I've been looking for something like that on my 93 LS400. Not interested in the cell phone one, just the radio will do fine.