[blanz]

I recently installed a Sirius plug and play unit in my truck and had a need to remove the radio to access the antenna plug in the back of the radio.
Procedure is to carefully pry forward the heat/air control panel. It is secured in the dash by four corner anchor pins. Once this panel is pulled out a little, you will see four screw heads, I think they were 10mm. Unscrew these and the radio will now slide straight out with the face plate intact. I then used a switch box from Audiovox to patch in the FM out lead on the Sirius cradle to the radio antenna jack. This is the best you can do with the factory radio to an Audiovox plug and play unit. This setup eliminates broadcasting the FM signal to your antenna.
For the Sirius radio cradle mount, I custom fabbed an aluminum bracket, painted black and secured it to the bottom of the cup holder tray (See pic).

 

[Super Doody]

I recently installed a Sirius plug and play unit in my truck and had a need to remove the radio to access the antenna plug in the back of the radio.
Procedure is to carefully pry forward the heat/air control panel. It is secured in the dash by four corner anchor pins. Once this panel is pulled out a little, you will see four screw heads, I think they were 10mm. Unscrew these and the radio will now slide straight out with the face plate intact. I then used a switch box from Audiovox to patch in the FM out lead on the Sirius cradle to the radio antenna jack. This is the best you can do with the factory radio to an Audiovox plug and play unit. This setup eliminates broadcasting the FM signal to your antenna.
For the Sirius radio cradle mount, I custom fabbed an aluminum bracket, painted black and secured it to the bottom of the cup holder tray (See pic).

good job. Are you any reception problems with sirius?

 

[cooper4x4]

i've heard that you only have reception problems when you go under a bridge or similar structure.

 

[Rice Taco]

good job. Are you any reception problems with sirius?

hey jim, I went to Los Angeles this weekend and noticed a huge difference in reception and sound quality. In san diego it usually cuts out under every bridge and even when at a drive up atm or drive through window. In LA it never cut out under bridges, i even got reception in a parking garage! The sound quality improved too. I think there are spots that the satellites are aimed at and everyone else in surrounding areas only gets what they can pick up.

 

[blanz]

No problems at all. With the antenna mounted on the roof, signal strength is full bars.

 

[Super Doody]

hey jim, I went to Los Angeles this weekend and noticed a huge difference in reception and sound quality. In san diego it usually cuts out under every bridge and even when at a drive up atm or drive through window. In LA it never cut out under bridges, i even got reception in a parking garage! The sound quality improved too. I think there are spots that the satellites are aimed at and everyone else in surrounding areas only gets what they can pick up.

Thanks for the info. I'll be in the Bay Area this weekend. I let you know how it sounds up there.

 

[fusion_jeff]

hey jim, I went to Los Angeles this weekend and noticed a huge difference in reception and sound quality. In san diego it usually cuts out under every bridge and even when at a drive up atm or drive through window. In LA it never cut out under bridges, i even got reception in a parking garage! The sound quality improved too. I think there are spots that the satellites are aimed at and everyone else in surrounding areas only gets what they can pick up.

Actually the reason you got excelent reception in LA is Sirius has terrain antenna repeaters located all over the place that have a clear view of the sky, get the signal, then repeat the signal from the sides. This Horizontal, high frequency, high gain signal can be then be easily repeated to other repeaters, or to your reciver. Some areas do not have / need terrain repeaters. For example, LA would have about 5% coverage if terrain repeaters were not present. This would be a major issue for sales and marketing. Think of the sales lost by not supporting a major city in the US, such as LA or New York!

In respect to your statement of satalite aiming...

Sirius uses 3 satalites, at high orbit, moving in offset figure 8 paths which are constantly moving to provide maximum coverage. If you are in the US and you can see the sky (and some southern Canada people too), then you should be able to recive signal just fine.

XM uses 2 stationary SATs sitting low orbit, with NO change in path. XM then sends signal to terrain repeater towers located accross the US. The radios don't actually recive "Satalite" radio, unless there are NO terrain repeaters to be seen AND if they are in an area that the antenna can get a good lock on the stationary SATs. This is a major issue for mid west customers going off the beaten tracks. In addition, since XM is based mostly on terrain communications, the antennas are cheaper, and lower gain to begin with.

I have owned both Sirius & XM. Sirius is hands down the best for coverage and has more room for additional stations (and possibly in the future, video feed). XM is rather limited in there expandability. XM transmits from NY to the East Coast SAT, then the East Coast SAT repeats signal to the West Coast SAT. So both SATs revice and rebroadcast the same signal and station loads.

Sirius actually has different channels shifting amongst the 3 moving SATs, thus more room for future growth.


This is not meant to be an attack on XM customers, just a little info to clear the air around the "magic" of satalite radio.

- Jeff

 

[nilson]

Thanks for the information, Jeff. Very interesting.

 

[jimmy2150]

I seen that you installed your sat radio in your truck. I have the new starmate, do you know if I need a Fm Mod or the Wireless one come with it will work

 

[RaideRNatioN]

I seen that you installed your sat radio in your truck. I have the new starmate, do you know if I need a Fm Mod or the Wireless one come with it will work

Wireless will work but it gets to be a PITA when you are on trips and you have to keep changing radio stations on the modulator cuz you pick up static from the FM radio band.

 

[jimmy2150]

so just go to the store where i bought the unit from and tell them i need the fm wired modulator