XM Antenna install...Major Disappointment (updated)- ->

[LI-S4]

Well...I hate it when something isn't broken, and I try to make it better...but end up knarflling the whole thing up...If it ain't broke...

I did an excellent XM Rody II install a few months back. I had put the antenna on the leading edge of the dash, inside.

I have been experiencing more than a bit of signal drop-out so figured I would re-route the antenna to the trunk lid. Some one here had done the same and painted the antenna body color...Exactly what I wanted.

All in all the install went great!



The wire was routed through the center console and out the back..down under the rear carpet..



...up under the rear seat...



I also re-routed my iPod/Blitz connections the same way..







Wrapped everything in the factory harness. The XM antenna then got tucked under the side carpet in the trunk..



I removed the passenger side tail light assembly and routed the wire out the top edge...





Wire tired it neatly along the hinge and then under the trunk liner..



If you ever had a second thought as to how over engineered these cars are..check this out..carpet covered screw heads...





The Blitz adapter was cleaned up and attached to the inside of the rear body panel. The space in front is where I keep my VAG cable and an inverter to power the laptop.



I also added a second cig lighter adapter in the pack of the center console for the inverter..so I don't have to give up my iPod mount which resides in the main cig lighter..



The wiring is virtually invisible...



..with the exception of two inches of the Monster cable that was too fat to snake behind the carpet.



The antenna was painted with the two part OEM paint..And attached to the leading edge of the trunk lid.

Just about as clean an install as one could possible want.

However....

I must have crimped the antenna wire someplace along it's route because I fired everything up to see if the reception was improved and... No signal. I had a backup indoor antenna and attached that and the signal stregnth was fine. So I'll have to do this install over again after sourcing another antenna.

I was concerned the paint might have been the culprit so I removed the paint figuring if it was the paint, it would have to go anyway, and if it wasn't the antenna was toast..so off it came.

Once I find a new antenna, I will do it the same way with out exception.

Update...

I just tried my iPod and that too is dead. So, by process of elimination, the problem must be in the center console since that is the only location the wires are together.. This afternoon of fun is going to cost me another $60 in wires and another afternoon...

Maybe I should rethink the iPod connections...

Update II...

I have since purchased a new Terk XM antenna and installed it by tucking it under the door sill molding instead of down the center tunnel.

I painted this one as well, and mounted it on the trunk lid as I had with the first install.

I decided to forego the Monster Cable repair for the iPod and purchased a PhatBox instead. My reasons for doing so were:

- Phat Box costs less then the Dennison Ice Link
- I didn't have a convenient location to install the Ice Link
- I had not been using my iPod outside of the car so the dedicated auto audio solution of the Phat Box made more sense (I also have a Nano & Shuffle)
- Good reviews on Phat Box
- I like the voice prompts and Head Unit integration over reaching down for the iPod
- No battery life to worry about
- Totally stealth Yes, these last three can be solved by using the Ice Link, but see the first reason...

[RKA]

to keep the entire run behind the "wall" on the left side of the trunk?

[rktskicar]

I think a couple things could happen here:
1) the factory antenna may be a specific length so if you changed the length of the antenna it won't work.
2) if the antenna is supposed to be a particular impedance and you run it next to metal, may change impedance.

What frequency is XM antenna?

Bruce

[RAD69]

I was just starting to fit my Roady II in the ashtray today and it did not quite fit like I expected it to. I hit Audiworld to search for your post, and TADA! It's on the first page. It is amazing how many times that happens...

Can you see the display while driving? If only the ashtray was a tiny bit bigger...

[JasonS4+Festicle]

[LI-S4]

[LI-S4]

No idea what frequency it is..

What are you referring to with the factory antenna? The XM is not OEM. I added it. The wire is a standard 23 feet as made by Delphi.

Give that the antenna is designed to be run through out the body and terminate on the roof or trunk, and that would surely require touching metal, isn't this accounted for from the factory?

[S4 SOM]

seriously that's a lot of work. My friend has a sedan and his Sirius antenna is on the dash board (next to the NAV) and he's got good reception. But again we're in FL, maybe this matter.

As for my Sirius antenna, it's sitting on the roof, but with the Avant it's easier (that's what my installer told me).

Good luck and keep us updated on your situation.

[LI-S4]

Not funny at all.. j/k. it's frustrating.

The ashtray doens't need to be any larger...maybe deeper so you can tilt the unit.

No, I can't see it..but I I know the first twenty presets, and use the scan function on the remote..so seeing it is overrated.

[LI-S4]

That doesn't sound right...sorry.. we have one in the family..con't know how much easier it would have been..

To be frank, I don't like the way that looks...I didn't want to see the wire, hence all the extra work.