Satellite Antenna Install

[Reedo311]

I just bought Sirius and am curious where people put there antenna. Sirius says to put it on the roof in the rear but i want to run it clean and can't figure out how to get around the rain gutter. Any suggestions, pics would be great.

 

[jdhall3]

 

[CruisinFJ60]

i worked as a sterio installer and all the satelite radio installs i did i put the antena on the dash or right above the rear hatch (on some suv's) unless otherwise asked before the install for another place by the customer and never had a single problem with reception.

in my 60 the antenna is on the dash.

 

[beaufort-fj60]

i ran mine through a rust hole in the rain gutters.

 

[jfnall]

i ran mine out the right door and up the rain gutter on the A pillar. sits just about right corner of front window. works good.

i think the arb mount pictured above is MUCh better, assuming you have good reception. not as tough on the paint, especially on white. i have had one on my white chevy as well for almost 4 years. paint there is toast. will take rubbing compound to clean it up good. you should plan on moving it and cleaning under it often!

 

[Marc311]

Mine is mounted in front, about three inches back of the windshield. If I am remembering right, I ran the wire under the dash and out the door. Then ran it under the windshield gasket up and around to the top middle. There is virtually no visible wire, other than a small amount in the door jam. I'll have to check, but i don't exactly remember how I got it out the door - whether it was under the trim or through the wiring harness that goes to the door speakers.

I have the Sportster. The other thing I did (in addition to using the aux port wiring rather than FM transmit) was to change the 12V plug for the task light under the glove box to a 12V outlet (cigarette lighter type). I plug the power supply into that, so my cig lighter on the dash is still available for other accessories. Unfortunately, you can't get too clean with the power and direct wire it, because the power plug is actually a transformer that steps the voltage down to 5V - so you pretty much need to use the plug supplied or get real creative.

I haven't had any issues with the signal (other than typical Sirius reception issues). But it works as well or better than my other cars.

I might be able to get some pics up this weekend. I strongly recommend using an aux port to connect to your stereo. That, or use the adapter to directly wire into your antenna cable. Relying on the FM transmitter is awful as you get static and station bleed over. Older Sirius radios had higher wattage transmitters so it wasn't a problem. But I think the FCC limited the power on newer ones because other vehicles were being effected. In fact, with my old Sportster, several of us could tune to the same station and listen to the satellite radio. Not anymore . . .

 

[jdhall3]

The reception on my ARB is excellent...I just ran it with the PIAA lights through the grill then through the firewall. I was surprised how easy it was to get through the firewall.

 

[Reedo311]

I really like that ARB install, I would really like to see a pic of your intall Marc. Also it is pretty easy to hardwire directly from the ciragette adapter. Pull it apart take out the fuse and hardwire directly to the red and black wire. Run the new wires out where the fuse was and put it back together. tuck away behind the dash and power it. No need to worry about taking up the cigarette lighter or intalling another one. it's a really simple mod.

 

[Marc311]

Here are some pics some pics showing how I set mine up:

 

[Marc311]

A couple more showing the antenna and where I installed the new 12V outlet.

 

[Zack1978]

Mine is mounted in front, about three inches back of the windshield. If I am remembering right, I ran the wire under the dash and out the door. Then ran it under the windshield gasket up and around to the top middle. There is virtually no visible wire, other than a small amount in the door jam. I'll have to check, but i don't exactly remember how I got it out the door - whether it was under the trim or through the wiring harness that goes to the door speakers.

I have the Sportster. The other thing I did (in addition to using the aux port wiring rather than FM transmit) was to change the 12V plug for the task light under the glove box to a 12V outlet (cigarette lighter type). I plug the power supply into that, so my cig lighter on the dash is still available for other accessories. Unfortunately, you can't get too clean with the power and direct wire it, because the power plug is actually a transformer that steps the voltage down to 5V - so you pretty much need to use the plug supplied or get real creative.

I haven't had any issues with the signal (other than typical Sirius reception issues). But it works as well or better than my other cars.

I might be able to get some pics up this weekend. I strongly recommend using an aux port to connect to your stereo. That, or use the adapter to directly wire into your antenna cable. Relying on the FM transmitter is awful as you get static and station bleed over. Older Sirius radios had higher wattage transmitters so it wasn't a problem. But I think the FCC limited the power on newer ones because other vehicles were being effected. In fact, with my old Sportster, several of us could tune to the same station and listen to the satellite radio. Not anymore . . .

I have a Sportster 4 and can you explain more about the cigg light plug end? I would have liked to cut off the cig light end and direct wire it? Can I? Oh and Sirius is the best!

Zack

 

[planemech]

Marc311,
Nice dash! Is that original? if not where did you buy it?

 

[Marc311]

My dash is original, as far as I know. At least I have not changed it. I know they make replacement dash covers that are fairly cheap and look real good. There have been some recent threads with pics. I think they are around $90.

Zack -

The Sportster (and maybe all Sirius receivers) runs off 5V (versus your car's 12V). So the Sirius cigarette lighter adapter steps down the voltage from 12V to 5V. I'm not exactly sure how they do it inside the adapter - but I would guess they just use a resistor to get a 7V drop. So if you just cut off the plug and spliced in + to + and - to -, you would end up with 12V going to your Sportster. My guess is that would likely damage it, otherwise Sirius would just run 12V.

Reedo311's suggestion is an option and you can just stash the plug up under the dash. The PO did something similar on mine, but it was a mess (can you say wire nuts and loads of electrical tape?)

I suppose a cleaner option would be to cut off the plug and splice in a resistor (which you could buy at Radio Shack) into the positive wire. I don't know what current Sirius uses (might say on the adapter), then it is just V=IR. I would think you would also want an inline fuse, since the adapter is also fused. Some of our electrically inclined members can likely give you more specifics.

I really like what I did because you can't have enough 12V outlets. However, since that particular outlet faces down, I zip tied the adapter so it wouldn't shake out while driving. I got the 12V outlets from West Marine. There is a hole right next to the 12V utility light plug that I just expanded with a dremel to fit the new outlet.

 

[Reedo311]

Here is a pic of the power mod. It's really simple just solder a red wire to the internal red wire and same with the black then put the piece back together and hard wire where ever you want. I was talking to some shops that install sirius in town and they both said they do this. (sorry for the picture, camera phone)

 

[Zack1978]

Here is a pic of the power mod. It's really simple just solder a red wire to the internal red wire and same with the black then put the piece back together and hard wire where ever you want. I was talking to some shops that install sirius in town and they both said they do this. (sorry for the picture, camera phone)

darn the pic is dead.....

Zack

 

[hicruise55]

Sirius- just mounted in front of my reg. antenna (cleanest reception?) On my 62 there is a space above the ashtray that is perfect for the reciever, would like to hard wire it (superclean) but I think when my subscription goes out I might just go I-pod- I am so damn sick of ALL of the talking ALL the time, hardly ever get music anymore it seems like? I think they need talkshow channels ONLY and keep it off the music stations.

*rant off*

 

[adamfj60]

another really good place to mount is to go out from the dash into the engine bay then up under the hood and out through the gap between the hood and the area right in front of the front windshield. you can mount the antenae right near where your windshield wipers sit right in the middle there.

the issue I see sitting on the arb in front is that it could get beat aroudn pretty easy if you do much wheeling. same issue on the roof. the area right in front of the windshield is probably most protected and easy to run to and least conspicuous as well.

will post pics of it when I get a chance.

 

[Zack1978]

Sirius- just mounted in front of my reg. antenna (cleanest reception?) On my 62 there is a space above the ashtray that is perfect for the reciever, would like to hard wire it (superclean) but I think when my subscription goes out I might just go I-pod- I am so damn sick of ALL of the talking ALL the time, hardly ever get music anymore it seems like? I think they need talkshow channels ONLY and keep it off the music stations.

*rant off*

I have not noticed that on the music ch's. I am a very happy Sirius cust.


Zack