Location of sat radio antenna (Sirius)?

[theothergoose]

I've been searching around the forums and have found loads of good info on Sirius/XM receivers, but I still had a question...

I'm trying to see if I can have a really clean install - I don't like the idea of having an additional antenna on the roof behind the whip antenna. Has anybody tried to install the Sirius (or XM) satellite antenna INSIDE of the car? I've been able to receive Sirius/XM signals inside my garage with the doors closed - couldn't the sat antenna be mounted inside the car out of sight (like under the dash) in the Prius? Based on my experience, it doesn't appear that the Sirius/XM antenna needs to "see" the satellite; at worst, wouldn't mounting the antenna under the dash simply reduce the signal strength a bit?

If somebody here has tried mounting the sat antenna inside the car out of sight, could somebody provide a link to the thread? Thanks for any help on this... feel free to share opinions.

[Vagabond]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TheOtherGoose @ Apr 23 2007, 04:44 PM) [snapback]428699[/snapback]</div>

I've been searching around the forums and have found loads of good info on Sirius/XM receivers, but I still had a question...

I'm trying to see if I can have a really clean install - I don't like the idea of having an additional antenna on the roof behind the whip antenna. Has anybody tried to install the Sirius (or XM) satellite antenna INSIDE of the car? I've been able to receive Sirius/XM signals inside my garage with the doors closed - couldn't the sat antenna be mounted inside the car out of sight (like under the dash) in the Prius? Based on my experience, it doesn't appear that the Sirius/XM antenna needs to "see" the satellite; at worst, wouldn't mounting the antenna under the dash simply reduce the signal strength a bit?

If somebody here has tried mounting the sat antenna inside the car out of sight, could somebody provide a link to the thread? Thanks for any help on this... feel free to share opinions.
[/b]

There's no way it's gonna work unless it has line of sight of the sky. Your garage I assume is mostly wood, that's not going to impair the signal too much. The metal in your car will. Put the antenna inside your car and under your roof for a min and you'll see what I mean.

[theothergoose]

That's what I needed to know - I wasn't sure if my "theory" made any sense. Thanks!

[cjs2000]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TheOtherGoose @ Apr 23 2007, 11:16 PM) [snapback]428815[/snapback]</div>

That's what I needed to know - I wasn't sure if my "theory" made any sense. Thanks!
[/b]

I have mine placed inside at the base of the windshield, using double sided tape. Works good enough, I only have an occassional dropout going under an overpass.

[Syclone]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cjs2000 @ Apr 24 2007, 09:59 AM) [snapback]428953[/snapback]</div>

I have mine placed inside at the base of the windshield, using double sided tape. Works good enough, I only have an occassional dropout going under an overpass.
[/b]

Sat antennas work best on the inside if they have a ground plane under them. There are several suction cup mounts that provide proper mounting and a ground plane.

Here is one available from Garmin.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=573

The nice thing about a suction cut mount is that it places the antenna high up on the glass and gives an unobstructed sky view. The glass introduces very little signal loss.

[JimboK]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cjs2000 @ Apr 24 2007, 09:59 AM) [snapback]428953[/snapback]</div>

I have mine placed inside at the base of the windshield, using double sided tape. Works good enough, I only have an occassional dropout going under an overpass. [/b]

Same here (XM, not Sirus), though this method is not completely out of view. But you wouldn't notice it from outside the car if you're not looking for it.

It (XM, anyway) needs a clear view of the southern sky. With the long, sloping windshield it seems to have it with the car pointed in virtually any direction. My reception experience is comparable to cjs2000's.

I have a piece of non-slip shelf liner material beneath it. I didn't want a permanent installation in case the reception was sub-par. It stayed put with the shelf liner, so I've left it that way. That serves the added benefit of being moveable for cleaning around it.

Besides the aesthetics and potential paint damage of an antenna on the roof, this also saves the time and hassle of routing the wire through the car.

I can't help you with how it might do mounted beneath the dash or somewhere else completely out of site.

Here's a pic:

[priusFTW]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Apr 24 2007, 11:25 AM) [snapback]429008[/snapback]</div>

Same here (XM, not Sirus), though this method is not completely out of view. But you wouldn't notice it from outside the car if you're not looking for it.

It (XM, anyway) needs a clear view of the southern sky. With the long, sloping windshield it seems to have it with the car pointed in virtually any direction. My reception experience is comparable to cjs2000's.

I have a piece of non-slip shelf liner material beneath it. I didn't want a permanent installation in case the reception was sub-par. It stayed put with the shelf liner, so I've left it that way. That serves the added benefit of being moveable for cleaning around it.

Besides the aesthetics and potential paint damage of an antenna on the roof, this also saves the time and hassle of routing the wire through the car.

I can't help you with how it might do mounted beneath the dash or somewhere else completely out of site.

Here's a pic:


[/b]

Jim, how/where did you route the wire for your installation? Looks very nice btw.

[JimboK]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusFTW @ Apr 24 2007, 12:34 PM) [snapback]429051[/snapback]</div>

Jim, how/where did you route the wire for your installation? Looks very nice btw. [/b]

Thanks!

I did the radio install myself (Vais Tech integrated unit), so when I had the dash apart for that I just ran the wire to the left end of the dash behind the left-most AC vent panel. (Somewhere behind there I bundled up the extra wire with a wire tie.) From there the wire makes a turn upward. The plastic trim below the triangular window can be easily pryed loose, and the wire tucked beneath. Finally, I took a thin dull plastic or wood object (to avoid scratching -- sorry, can't remember what) to gently push it out of sight between the bottom of the "A" post cover and the end of the dash covering. If you look closely at the pic you can see it emerge from there near the base of the windshield, and then you can barely see it in the shadow running along the base until it reaches the antenna. I thought about tucking it in at the windshield base all the way up to the antenna, but I chose to leave it out so I could adjust the antenna's position more easily as needed. I've left it that way because it's still pretty much out of sight, and it makes it easier to move the antenna for cleaning.

[priusFTW]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Apr 24 2007, 02:20 PM) [snapback]429134[/snapback]</div>

Thanks!

I did the radio install myself (Vais Tech integrated unit), so when I had the dash apart for that I just ran the wire to the left end of the dash behind the left-most AC vent panel. (Somewhere behind there I bundled up the extra wire with a wire tie.) From there the wire makes a turn upward. The plastic trim below the triangular window can be easily pryed loose, and the wire tucked beneath. Finally, I took a thin dull plastic or wood object (to avoid scratching -- sorry, can't remember what) to gently push it out of sight between the bottom of the "A" post cover and the end of the dash covering. If you look closely at the pic you can see it emerge from there near the base of the windshield, and then you can barely see it in the shadow running along the base until it reaches the antenna. I thought about tucking it in at the windshield base all the way up to the antenna, but I chose to leave it out so I could adjust the antenna's position more easily as needed. I've left it that way because it's still pretty much out of sight, and it makes it easier to move the antenna for cleaning.
[/b]

Yes I can see the wire when I look closely and infact did right after I posted my question. How do you find your reception? Do you think it is almost or just as good as a roof install?

Thank you.

[JimboK]

I had a Roady XT, with the antenna on the roof, for about a year before I put this in. I've noticed no difference in reception between the two -- just the rare and predictable dropouts through tunnels, in parking garages, or beside tall, steep hills or mountains.