im working on installing my AVIC unit, and im trying to find the right spot for the antenna. ive got the service manual and it shows the factory GPS antenna under the center panel but i can tell exactl where it goes. anyone have pics of the factory location, or pics of where they have kept it so it isnt out in the open?

and for those of u who just want to tell me to search, ive looked through 5 pages of results using the terms "gps" and "antenna" and found nothing that gives me the answer i am looking for

TIA for any help

 

(Most) Plastic doesn't block radio waves so putting in up under the plastic near the triple gauge doesn't hurt. I put mine just forward of the triple gauge's front seam sitting out on the dash. It's just a tiny black lump that doesn't get noticed unless you're looking for it.

 

mine is run to the back and mounted on my strut brace. havent had any issues with signal reception.

 

thanks guys, but im really looking for a good place to put in under the plastic, same goes for my XM antenna. i have to have things be "just so". im weird like that

 

Both my GPS and Sirius antennas are mounted under the plastic on the strut bar. One on each side. Totally hidden, no reception problems.

 

Mine in the same place, under the plastic covers on each side of the strut brace.

 

i found a spot i think will work, its all the way in the front under the dash, right in the center, its a very tight spot, but both the XM and GPS antennas seem to fit there well. if it doesnt work, ill put them in the back

 

That's where I put mine and I always have the max number of satellites connected at all times. I just wedged it in there and used zip ties to make sure it never moved and always stayed aimed at the sky. Its way easier then running it to the back also.

 

do you possibly have a picture of this spot?

 

sorry, i dont, my wife went out of town and took my camera

 

thanks i installed my antenna in that vicinity but i only get 2 satellites.

 

With the center console removed, looking at the big hole that's now there...look about where the triple gauges go, just above the flat plastic piece where the cubby goes. Slightly to the right, is a small (maybe 1 1/2X2 1/2 hole that goes further forward. I put my GPS antenna there, and I get great reception. As far as XM goes, I have no clue, but I would assume that it may also work in the same place. That may help, may not...but that's what I did with mine.

 

thank you very much, ill try this asap and report if the reception increases

 

I also have mine in that tight spot to the by triple gauges. So far reception is working fine (never got all the satellite but good enough). However I did sometime notice when I come out on sunny days where the temperate is super hot -- it take longer for the Navi unit to acquire the GPS satellites.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21832652@N08/2563360390/" title="Kenwood DNX8120 Installed 280 by kaspia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/2563360390_5e90526ebd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Kenwood DNX8120 Installed 280" /></a>

I cut out the thin metal sticky sheet and place it in this opening.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21832652@N08/2562528999/" title="Kenwood DNX8120 Installed 245 by kaspia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2562528999_888f9f3673.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Kenwood DNX8120 Installed 245" /></a>

 

I got mine under the z on the strut bar, and my xm (too large to fit) on top of the strut bar on the black plastic.....no problems at all with recption

 

another crazy idea/location that my friend suggest to try to under the hood. He suggest to route it through the firewall, like by the battery or brake fluid compartment -- but I don't know about the heat from the engine bay.

 

Why would you go through all that trouble running the antenna to a dumb spot? The hood is going to block the signal of the satellites a lot more than the plastic in the vehicle. There is a perfectly good spot under the center gauges and it doesn't take a ton of effort to run the wiring.

 

lol yeah it was a crazy idea...I don't plan to go thru all that mess. If its not broken don't fix it right?

 

i guess i had it in this spot but my ipod was interfering w/ the reception. I didnt know i had to stand the ipod vertically to make it work.

 

i installed mine under the plastic on the rear strut bar. it has great signal