Xm Antenna / Sirius Plug N Play
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 12-05-2005
Posts: 157
From: Nashville
Xm Antenna / Sirius Plug N Play
I spliced into my XM antenna lead this weekend and hooked my Sirius Starmate up to the XM antenna. I'm getting 3 bars out of 8 on my satellite, and about 5 out of 8 on the terrestrial. When I was manipulating the connections, it seemed to make a difference how much wire I used to do the interlacing. Something tells me I should have ordered the connector that one our members sells, but never got around to it.
Does anyone know if it would be worth the trouble and expense to try to mate the 2 ends together with a connector instead of just "splicing" like I've done?
If it's not going to make that much difference I'm not going to the trouble of ripping all that **** out again just for another bar or 2. I'm getting virtually no dropouts in the city where I have repeaters, but my rural parents was a different story. Around hills, trees,etc it got irritating.
Anyway, the good news is, it works. Now I only have 3 antennas on top of the car instead of 4....
jerij
Does anyone know if it would be worth the trouble and expense to try to mate the 2 ends together with a connector instead of just "splicing" like I've done?
If it's not going to make that much difference I'm not going to the trouble of ripping all that **** out again just for another bar or 2. I'm getting virtually no dropouts in the city where I have repeaters, but my rural parents was a different story. Around hills, trees,etc it got irritating.
Anyway, the good news is, it works. Now I only have 3 antennas on top of the car instead of 4....
jerij
What's the third for?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 12-05-2005
Posts: 157
From: Nashville
The trouble is, you will have a hole in the front or back of your car left over.
I guess it could come with a plug of some sort, though.
An odd thing I noticed was the front AM/FM antenna goes all the way to the back of the car where the Onstar unit is housed, instead of up front to the radio itself.
God, I wish Helms would release a service manual for this car!
jerij
I guess it could come with a plug of some sort, though.
An odd thing I noticed was the front AM/FM antenna goes all the way to the back of the car where the Onstar unit is housed, instead of up front to the radio itself.
God, I wish Helms would release a service manual for this car!
jerij
Senior Member
Joined: 02-03-2006
Posts: 1,785
From: So Cal
One of my future projects is to have a body shop shave the rear wiper. If I could I would also shave the front antenna but someone needs to combine satellite and AM/FM for me to do that. Or move that antenna to one of the fenders???
I don't even listen to AM/FM anymore so I could really go without that contraption. But Murphy's law...the day I get rid of the analog antenna is the day satellite radio probably stops working
Ng
I don't even listen to AM/FM anymore so I could really go without that contraption. But Murphy's law...the day I get rid of the analog antenna is the day satellite radio probably stops working
Ng
Senior Member
Joined: 05-08-2006
Posts: 217
From: Albany, La
Originally Posted by jerij
I spliced into my XM antenna lead this weekend and hooked my Sirius Starmate up to the XM antenna. I'm getting 3 bars out of 8 on my satellite, and about 5 out of 8 on the terrestrial. When I was manipulating the connections, it seemed to make a difference how much wire I used to do the interlacing. Something tells me I should have ordered the connector that one our members sells, but never got around to it.
Does anyone know if it would be worth the trouble and expense to try to mate the 2 ends together with a connector instead of just "splicing" like I've done?
jerij
Does anyone know if it would be worth the trouble and expense to try to mate the 2 ends together with a connector instead of just "splicing" like I've done?
jerij
because of the frequencies involved for satellite and the minute signal strength you may have created an impedance bump and mismatch.. it is always best to use connectors and leave the cabling uncut...
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 12-05-2005
Posts: 157
From: Nashville
Originally Posted by joesblackhhr
when you say spliced did you cut the wires and just twist them together??
because of the frequencies involved for satellite and the minute signal strength you may have created an impedance bump and mismatch.. it is always best to use connectors and leave the cabling uncut...
because of the frequencies involved for satellite and the minute signal strength you may have created an impedance bump and mismatch.. it is always best to use connectors and leave the cabling uncut...
jerij
Senior Member
Joined: 05-08-2006
Posts: 217
From: Albany, La
Also there were some comments and questions about using an XM anternna with Sirius elsewhere in the forum... I think I remember some guys said it would work,, others thought there was some kind of mis-match.. search the forums
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 12-05-2005
Posts: 157
From: Nashville
Originally Posted by joesblackhhr
Also there were some comments and questions about using an XM anternna with Sirius elsewhere in the forum... I think I remember some guys said it would work,, others thought there was some kind of mis-match.. search the forums
It does work. I'm using it now with my Sirius Starmate.
jerij