BigButtLover

Just got my serius satellite radio installed and it looks and sounds great. Removed the ashtray and cigarette lighter and installed the serius cover plate. Door can still be closed to hide radio. Hardwired the sirius stereo to an accessory lead and plugged in the antenna adapter to get better reception and sound. Routed the antenna wire to the taillight where I placed the antenna. Sounds good but in the next few days, I'll be adding a sub and an amp which should make it sound even better.

with door closed


with door open and radio off


with door open and radio on

Michael in S.C.

Lookin' good. I've got the Starmate and can't figure out where I want to put the unit. Could you post a pic. of the antenna set-up?


Michael

BigButtLover

Mike, Here's two pics. Ones shows the small antenna placed on the rear bumper(not a good pic but you get the idea). You can access this area by taking off the tail light(2 screws). I chose the inside tailight on the passeger side. The other pic shows the tailight taken out. I get very good reception. I drilled
a small hole in the fiberglass between the taillight and the rear trunk area. I ran the antenna wire through this hole under the carpet, across the rear wheel well, under the passeger seat and up to the rear of the radio. Very simple.

BigButtLover

I really like this location, since the cigarette lighter and ashtray
are useless to me except for being a change holder and I have
one of those already. Very easy to use and ergonomic. Didn't
want to use any large suction cups on windshield or brackets
off my dash. Thought about putting it in armrest holder, but
ashtray won out.

Rans03

Looks great, perfect location for everything

ytwokc5

Really similar to my install. I ended up putting the antenna in the cargo area on top of the driver's side rear tire well. I need to put it under the carpet but it works ok there for now. Everything I have read indicates the antenna essentially uses the metal structure underneath to amplify the signal. The location I have chosen has no metal underneath so the signal is OK but not great. I was considering putting foil underneath the antenna when I get it under the carpet to help amplify the signal.

I would love to see pics of how you wired the FM transmitter that cuts out the car antenna. I understand you tap into the antenna somewhere behind the driver's seat, but I have not seen any pics of the install. At the moment I am using the wireless FM transmitter built into the Starmate which works well.

DoubleZ06

Excellent!

Ron C!

I have the same setup and mounted it nearly identical to BigButtLover. I also used the antenna interface to eliminate the RF transmission. I also had to buy 2 adapters (they step the coax size up and down) since the factory radio uses the small coax where the interface unit uses the larger diameter coax. I hope this makes sense. The antenna coax plugs into an adapter cable, then into the interface. Another adapter connects the interface to the antenna plug on the back of the radio. I coiled the cable and interface and let it drop down behind the a/c controller. Works great. Signal is great, fades under some overpasses and in parking garages but that is to be expected. I purchased the interface and the adapters at Circuit City for around $50.

Michael in S.C.

Thanks for the pics. You may have just solved my antenna delima.


Michael

BigButtLover

ytwokc5 it's very easy. You have to buy the interface. Bought it at radio shack along with 2 antenna adapters(if you have factory radio) because the vette factory radio has the mini antenna plug. This steps the antenna plugs up to "normal" size.
Behind your radio you will find a thick black wire. This is the lead from your car radio antenna. Pull it out of the back of the radio. Plug the lead from your car antenna into the adapter and then into the interface. Plug the lead from the interface into the second adapter then into into the back of your car radio. Plug the other small wire from the interface into your starmate FM signal plug. Very hard to get wrong.
Enjoy.

BigButtLover

If this works well, then you may not need to change it, however;
if you did I think your sound quality would go up.

ytwokc5

Thanks, it sounds like your install requires me to pull the stock radio out of the dash to access the back of the radio. I thought I saw another post on here where someone mentioned that is a PITA and there was another spot to tap into the antenna.... somewhere behind the driver's seat? If anyone has that info I would appreciate it... sorry to hijack the thread. :o

BigButtLover

I don't know of any other spot to tap in. Maybe someone else can help with that info, however; It only takes about 5 -10 min. to pull the radio. If you don't know how, you can do a search. Very easy.

FogelDM

Great info. You detailed the antenna hook up, can you give details on the power hookup as well. Thanks in advance.

BigButtLover

First, you need to purchase the hardwire kit for the tuner. Mine came
with the interface kit that I bought. On the passenger side floorboard,
remove the floormat and you will see an access door. Remove this door
and near the top of the opening you should see two wires hanging loose. If you don't see them look really close, because there are many wires in this area. I think one is black and one is black with a white stripe. I think the black one is the ground and the one with the white stripe is an accessory wire that gives you power when the car key is in the accessory position or when the engine is running(like your radio).
If you're not sure, use a volt meter to check the wires before you hook the tuner to them, when you're sure which is positive, you can tap into these wires for your hookup. Very easy.

FogelDM

Do you any photos of the leads? I can't see the wires you mentioned. There are tons......Sorry,I'm a rookie.....:

BigButtLover

The leads are on top of the silver box, right underneath the hvac
stuff. Here is a pic that might help. You can see where I
crimped the wires together with the light blue thing-a-ma-jigs.
One wire is black(ground) and the other is black with white stripe(positive).
They are right underneath the hvac and above the stainless box.

FogelDM

You ROCK! Thanks. Wish me luck....

BigButtLover

They are fairly short wires, and they may have tape on the ends to
prevent them from making contact.

ebubman

(((xm))) here; satellite radio ROCKS! bub