Open Air

On my '04 Roadster I installed antena between the trunk and the tonneau cover on the rail. Antenna was compltely covered be the trunk. That is where I originally place it. It did have a diminished signal though. Became rather irritating, so I moved it to the outside of the tonneau cover in the middle. Works a whole lot better now.

CAN0802

Thank you topdown-z for further showing your total lack of intelligent offerings to this topic, so I figure someone has to take you to school.
You see, satellite radio (we'll use Sirius here as an example) is transmitted around 2.3 GHz (2320.0 to 2332.5 MHz if you want to get exact.), which lies in the UHF band. The higher the frequency, the more energy it has, and the more likely it is to penetrate into an object. The less dense an item is, the less stopping power it has for these waves. For example, try wrapping your car's antenna with plastic wrap. Chances are, it will still receive a signal, but if you wrap it enough, it will eventually choke off all of the power of the signal, and you will lose reception. The same goes for satellite radio. The trunk on my Sebring convertible, and the material in our dashes, is made primarily of plastic substances. They are not thick enough to block off the signal altogether, thus you are able to retain reception. Sure, it says on the packaging to place the antenna in a particular location, but how do you know it won't work until you've tried it yourself? Custom car audio would not even exist had someone not come out of the blue and said, "What if?" I've shaved broadcast radio antennas off my cars before and placed them under the dash, and they have worked. I have done XM antennas under a composite surface, and they have worked flawlessly. Here in a few months, I will do my install in my 350ZR, and chances are, I'll place it under something as well, and it will work. My advice is just don't place it under a solid piece of metal, becasue that is dense enough to absorb and reflect enough of the signal to where the receiver can't discern the signal.
That is about as easily as I can put it for you. If you want some background, I have been working primarily with radars and high frequency radios for the last 12 years, and have my FCC license with radar endorsement, as well as being a certified master electrician, so you could say that I have a really good clue as to what I'm talking about when it comes to transmitted signals. So, if you'd like to discuss this more in length, you can either PM me, or we can chat in an open forum, but please, don't come back with something as weak as "the manufacturer's say this or that", because truthfully, they don't fully test them to those extremes. My point is that while yes, you will lose a little amount of signal, if placed correctly, you can have the antenna under a solid object, out of sight, and still get great reception.
Class is dismissed.

nissan350zfan

You obviously do not know that of which you speak and you are a poor representative of your "profession", if we can call it that.

If you want to know the scoop, you should contact Grubbs Infiniti who will tell you how to install an OEM SAT unit into a Nissan product. Do not reply until you have done so. For the rest of you, contact their web site or phone them if you want accurate information.

As for the statellite signal, it will pass through glass and plastic, (just like a GPS signal). The GPS antenna location on any car, if free, is deal for a SAT antenna install. One again, I have done it so I know it works. You should do a search on this forum and you will see that others have located the sat antenna in the same location.

topdown-z, God help your customers. It looks like you will not. Care to post your business name?

ZBoater

I just installed my Sirius antenna in the GPS antenna location under the dash, and it works perfectly. I had heard that it worked but I didnt believe it until my wife got a brand new Explorer last weekend, and had the OEM Sirius tuner installed. The installer hid the antenna under the front dash, and it worked fine, so that convinced me to try it on my Roadster. Looks great! (Actually, it doesn't look at all, since its 100% hidden! )

Cambelsoop

where is the GPS antenna location?

nissan350zfan

See attached.

Cheers

Cambelsoop

thank you im gonna try to find that tomorrow if i get a chance to do the install

jbl8697

Hi All-

I went through same thing myself two months ago. I did a lot of research (including Grubbs) and hardest thing was the connection of the factory kit to the Bose head unit.

If it has the radio button it is SAT ready with the kit....however the radio is pre-wired with an SAT out cable of which no one could figure out where it is hidden on the Roadster and a new harness(by itself) is not available throuugh Nissan.

I did end up opting for the XM Commander and the PAC kit, I did pull out the harness from the Bose to put in the Pac Harness and it does work flawlessly. The down side was the info (station , song tittle,artist, etc) needs to come out of the commander.

seanlaw

iTrader: (4)

i've followed this post only b/c i wanted to mount my antenna in a good location but just not on the outside of the car.

i actually ended up mounting it in the brake light area on my coupe (not roadster) i first mounted it on my dash but was unhappy with the quality of signal and since i've put it on the brake light plastic on the rear hatch it seems to work better but i still think i have a diminished signal only because it's right against the glass...i can't see the signal strength on my headunit (kenwood ddx 7015) but i can tell it's not the best b/c i get that 'tin sounding midrange' and it's just not digitally clear....almost sounds like a poor quality mp3

i think the best thing to do with antenna placement is trial and error. i'm going to go out to my car and check it out now. maybe i'll come up with a better place but i still think the best is on the outside of the car if you want the best signal strength

DWS44

iTrader: (1)

I've had good luck with mine mounted on the dash. No signal problems that I am aware of, and it almost never drops out. I also used the PAC Audio kit to connect Sirius to mine, and the sound quality is awesome.

seanlaw

iTrader: (4)

well i ended up putting it on the outside of the car and what a difference. i have it right above the washerfuild squirter on the roof. if i ever goto a show or meet i can easily take it off...it actually doesn't look all that bad.

i guess it depends where you live/where the satellites are positioned/and environmental factors whether you'll get a good signal or not with the antenna on the inside of the car.

thanks for the informational thread though guys.

stinkboy

iTrader: (1)

any new info from the 06 owners. like where the **** is the other end of the satellite wiring harness. i know on the coupe its on the passenger side in the trunk but the softtop takes up that area. is it still in the trunk? i need to know so i can tell my installer. the damn dealer wont mess with it on a roadster but they will sell me all the crap.

so what is needed. i know the bose 6 disc is satellite capable which means the display will work on the HU if the HU gets a signal from an oem sat receiver. so i need the sirius receiver oem, an antenea which is for sirius oem (use different frequencies) but do i need the wiring harness or is the other end that is plugged into the HU ready to plug into the satellite receiver or do you still need the harness if mounting in a different location as in the wiring harness is an extension?

nissan350zfan

The latest info that I have is that Nissan did not install the prewire harness in the roadster, although there are some in this forum that reportedly found one in their roadster. if you do not find one under the passenger side of you trunk floor, get your HU pulled, if you don't have a wire plugged into the Sat connecter you need a prewire harness from Grubbs.

Scotty1230

Those with successful sattelite installs, can I see some pictures for ideas?

stinkboy

iTrader: (1)

i didnt pull the HU to check the satellite plug in there but i did pull everything out of the trunk. i found no wire that had a naked end which should have looked like the a16 plug end. so i guess i need the wiring harness which means the HU has to be pulled i guess to hook it up.

stinkboy

iTrader: (1)

i also have an email into grubbs for price and info. their site does not allow you to buy a sirius antenna which is odd since they sell the receiver. they have an xm antenna but they are not compatible whatsoever. i also found it messed up that people that bought the sirius receiver on their site also bought the xm antenna. that doesnt work and never has. they are on different frequencies. so grubbs needs to fix their website because something is a miss on there.

Blue Komodo

OK, so I just picked up an XM set up for my Alpine. I was going to put the antenna on the trunk lid, but just realized it's aluminum. I don't like how it looks at the top of the windshield. Am I reading correctly that I can place it on top of the dash as long as nothing is between it and the glass? Would double sided tape hold up to the elements if I just tape it to the trunk?

Thanks guy's.

CAN0802

You can put it on the dash with few problems. The only time I have skipped reception is when I drive due north, but then only when I drive up a steep hill, and even then, it is only temporary. It only gets annoying when I an singing along in traffic, and everyone hears me, without the radio.
Double sided tape is your best bet, I have used 3M auto tapes with great results, and it will hold your antenna through any weather. Just remember, where you stick it, it will stay. It is hard to get off without any adhesive remover, but any idiot will have a hard time simpyl ripping off your antenna.

lamaz

iTrader: (5)

Notice on the 2006 Grand Touring model, that after you do the build and locate...click on the "View all standard features" link on the left hand side. You will get a little pop-up window, scoll down to audio and notice:

"Audio

240-watt digital Bose® audio system with AM/FM/in-dash 6-CD changer
Seven speakers, including 10" Nd® subwoofer
Radio Data System (RDS)
AudioPilot™ noise-compensating technology
Illuminated steering wheel-mounted audio controls
Satellite radio pre-wiring

"

It says that it's pre-wired for sat.

So from what I've read, it shouldn't be to hard or expensive for somebody to install it for me. How much do you think is fair price to pay for an install (keeping the factory head unit and speakers, just the sat)?

-LamaZ

Blue Komodo

Thank's man. Used the tape and stuck it to the trunk last night. Now I just have to finish my 5.1 system, and put the car back together.