I've found that you/I get a better picture without using them, but you can't get the weather cover over it without modifications? So, it comes down to either you accept a lesser signal and use the weather cover, or you say to heck with the cover and go for all the signal you can get? Or, you can modify the cover and use both? I'm sure you can get more than an adequate signal with it, but different people look at life differently. I take mine out, and go without the weather cover, but I like to squeeze in as much signal as possible.