Satellite radio antennae location?

gr8dain · Jul 23, 2016

So I am going to be installing a new head unit in my console today and have the sirius tuner and antennae for it. For anyone who is using satellite radio in the Scrambler, where do you have the antennae? I am thinking of putting it in front of the windshield on the cowl and running the wire along the gasket between the windshield and the dash.

I thought about hiding the antennae in the cowl vent. But maybe that will block the reception. Ideas?

BRKLYNZ28 · Jul 23, 2016

I had mine on the inside of the windshield. It was magnetic so it stayed on there without problem.

jerseyjeeps · Jul 23, 2016

I've got one right near that cowl vent. It's on the army tan flat painted one, and I was able to paint over it and it didn't effect the reception. And on the overlander , I have it on the top of the mirror head. It was kind of a temporary idea previous to the 2000 mile road trip to sandblast and Toledo, and needs to be removed. But it was the way I did it without it being on the paint. . It was a tiny one that is only 3/4" or so square. Unfortunately no pics of each , both are not in front of me. Here's another tip, mount on the driver side or more to the center of the road. If on a heavy tree'd street, it helps a lot. :wave:

gr8dain · Jul 23, 2016

Thanks guys. The magnet won't help on my glass body, so i will be using double face tape. I am going to fold the windshield and run it to the cowl area. And I will use you idea Eric and put it closer to the driver side. I definitely have enough wire. Thanks a lot

gr8dain · Jul 23, 2016

Here is where I mounted it.

don87401 · Jul 23, 2016

My 2006 Jeep factory one is on the drivers side roll bar under the padding.

gr8dain · Jul 23, 2016

don87401 said:
My 2006 Jeep factory one is on the drivers side roll bar under the padding.

I thought about the rollbar as well, but would have required more holes to take it under the bulkhead. And I don't have padding to hide it or the wires.

barrys · Jul 23, 2016

How about mounting it on the black windshield hinge to kinda hide it?

Sent from my SM-J320P

gr8dain · Jul 23, 2016

barrys said:
How about mounting it on the black windshield hinge to kinda hide it?

Sent from my SM-J320P

Good idea! Why didn't I think of that? And it is metal so it would stick there. I may see about moving it tomorrow.

CJ8Rockcrawler · Jul 24, 2016

I've seen then on the cowl right by the air intake for the hvac as well. I think that was on a TJ though, so the spacing is a little different.

Sent from my SM-G900V

Bad Karma · Jul 26, 2016

for my Speedhut GPS antenna (about the same size), I mounted it IN the air duct under the cowl vent cover. Can't see it unless you look and always have had perfect reception.

gr8dain · Jul 26, 2016

Bad Karma said:
for my Speedhut GPS antenna (about the same size), I mounted it IN the air duct under the cowl vent cover. Can't see it unless you look and always have had perfect reception.

I thought about that location. But wasn't sure of the reception I would get.

So far I am happy with where it is. I don't mind seeing it. I did notice signal cutting out while going along a road flanked by trees. Reception in my other 2 vehicles that came with sirius already installed seems a bit better. But I won't complain.

Bad Karma · Jul 28, 2016

Only time I have lost signal was in tunnels in Colorado.

bigwalton · Jul 28, 2016

Bad Karma said:
Only time I have lost signal was in tunnels in Colorado.

Same here, but FWIW, I think GPS signal and satellite radio signals are apples and oranges in terms of bandwidth and strength. We've had some bad luck with satellite radio signal, even on Kate's JKU where it was all factory installed. Any trees of any kind would cause her to drop signal on the radio.

If it were me, I'd make a small metal angle bracket that picked up some stock bolts on the back side of the windshield and then put the antenna on that, facing up. Keeps it inside, up high where nothing on the body can block it (it will work fine right through fiberglass or a soft top).

Randyzzz · Jul 29, 2016

bigwalton said:
If it were me, I'd make a small metal angle bracket that picked up some stock bolts on the back side of the windshield and then put the antenna on that, facing up. Keeps it inside, up high where nothing on the body can block it (it will work fine right through fiberglass or a soft top).

Winner!

trust · Jul 29, 2016

I have mine on the cage, center span, its two parallel tubes with a sheet between them (Rockhard cage kit) sits in there fine and can see through both soft and hard tops.

gr8dain · Jul 30, 2016

trust said:
I have mine on the cage, center span, its two parallel tubes with a sheet between them (Rockhard cage kit) sits in there fine and can see through both soft and hard tops.

Ooh yeah. When I put in a front cage, that will be a good place for it.

Satellite radio antennae location?

gr8dain

Old and Slow

BRKLYNZ28

Scrambler Junkie

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps

gr8dain

Old and Slow

gr8dain

Old and Slow

don87401

Original Owner

gr8dain

Old and Slow

barrys

Scrambler Junkie

gr8dain

Old and Slow

CJ8Rockcrawler

The FABLED 8

Bad Karma

Captain Sarcasm

gr8dain

Old and Slow

Bad Karma

Captain Sarcasm

bigwalton

Alaskan Postal nutjob

Randyzzz

Blown Budget

trust

PITA

gr8dain

Old and Slow