I had XM installed yesterday. I told him I wanted antenna on strut. He said okay but he installed one on Z and it did not have good reception, Ended up putting it outside the Z. He installed mine on driver's side. If it did not work, would try something else. installer works with me.
It worked fine. So far reception is good and it sounds fine. I am only using preview channels since I have not signed up yet. I Like ch 46. Syrius had a couple of channels I would have liked. They also have more commercial free stations. I just intend to use my options and I like the alpine head units. Have not been out of middle GA yet.
Had the orange hu but I like the blue color better so traded up. intended to buy 7995 in first place but it was out of stock there so I got the new model. Really wonder why some knock blue since it is just opinion and taste. I don't really like the alpine or the stock orange much so color coordinating was not a concern to me.

 

I finally have pics of my Xm antenna install in the dash... The antenna is place where the stock navigation GPS antenna goes..... Reception is pretty good... not as good as having it on the roof (possibly the strutbar too but dounbt it is better).
www.geocities.com/jtree007/gallery3/

there is plenty of room in tehre to hide an antenna even if you have stock NAV

 

Can anyone suggest how to get the FM modulator hooked up to the antennae? Do I have to pull the radio out or is there another way?

 

I noticed that everyone mounted the antenna towards the middle of the strutbar, would the reception be worse if the antenna was mounted at the end of the strutbar to conceal it a little better?

 

I have a clarion head unit with sirius, my antenna is on the driver side dash, it is pretty small and inconspicuous, I'm too lazy to take a picture right now...but if you really want to see just email and i'll do it tomorrow. It seems significantly smaller then the XM antenna others have here. The reception is good!

 

My antenna is right behind the 3 gauge cluster on that little flat area. Reception only cuts out when I'm like...under things. Basically it is unaffected by being inside the vehicle.

 

I have a very small Sirius antenna that came with my Starmate Plug and Pay Kit. I actually put it under the plastic panel on the passenger side of the strut bar. It had a magnetic base that attached perfectly to the metal strut bar. You just have to position it right to pop the black plastic panel back in. Persect reception and no visible antenna. Keep in mind this antenna is probably a mini antenna, that is why it fit underneath.

 

that is exactly what i did with mine. there is no reception problem what so ever but once again we have the mini antenna. it has to be a mini to do this

 

I guess mine is a little different. I got an XM Roady2 last week and I put the ant. UNDER the Z cover so it is completely stealth. Plus it is touching metal like it is supposed to. I fed the wire through all of the covers and into a factory hole into the factory sub area. When I get the receiver permanently in the NAV cubby the wire will go up the center console and come into the back of the cubbly. I get 3 bars almost everywhere I go. Even inside the garage sometimes. There is one road close to home that goes E/W and is heavily overgrown with trees that it cuts out 2-3 times within 3 miles but I'll live with it. My boss lives near me and had same problems on that road. He had put his on the trunk lid of his old Taurus and then I think he moved it to the center back of his roof and the problem went away. I have nothing to compare mine too as it was only 2 choices for me or I wouldn't have gotten it - hidden under strut cover or under the dash like some did. Since the back end is already torn apart somewhat for my sub install the choice was easy to make and don't intend on changing it. Plus if you look at the window in the hatch that is a very nice almost horizontal view to the sky above. At the crest of a steep hill it has cutout for 1 second or so also. I don't see why it has to be perfect 100%. FM has way more reception issues and people still listen to it. Depends on your terrain in your area too. Your results may vary.

 

Hey, where did you get that cargo net that mounts vertically under the strut bar?

 

Had mine installed in the hatch brake light housing. Out of the way. Can't see it at all.

 

i think the location depends on where you live. Some areas can get away with installing the antenna inside their car and even out of sight, while others would get a bad signal if they did so.

 

that's a good idea have any pics?

 

I have mine installed on the strut brace in the rear. Perfect signal and I am in Canada

Does anyone have it installed on the strut brace and have tint on the rear window? How is the signal?

 

you mean on the exterior of the car? eww.....

 

I've placed mine under the strut panel.

 

under? hows the reception?

 

It should be fine. As long as there is nothing metal over top of it. As I said, the GPS antenna for the OEM Nav. system in the Z is mounted UNDER the dash just in front of the triple gauge pod.