Hi All, This may or may not already be posted but a good tip for an XM radio install. I know many here do not care for a radio so this is for those that do. XM for me is mandatory in all of my vehicles not just for tunes but Fox news also Anyhow, the adapters fit easily in behind the radio console, I chose an XM ready pioneer CD 60W head unit for the receiver. The 60W with the speakers installed actually give me pretty good sound & some good low end without the need for the aggravation of added amps & subs. Now the XM antenna can be snuck up under the dash pad by removing the passengers side A/C vent. Once you remove the vent you will see a gap about 1/2" wide or so...if you angle the XM antenna you can slide her right up in the gap. The base it slides onto is metal so the antenna actually stays put. Wires route easily to behind the radio console. The whole install (speakers were done prior) took me about 90 minutes start to finish. Reception is as good as in my Hummer where the antenna is external. Out of site & a very clean install. Again, just to put this out there if not already present on the Forum. Thanks again to all who post ideas & troubleshooting here...without it would make ownership of a Ferrari more expensive & the owners less knowing. Regards, Chris
pics of behind passengers side A/C vent where it slides to Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I have a Hummer H2 & a BMW z4 both mounted external. This is exact reception as those! No reception issues at all. Super easy way to do it. Chris
I couldn't get any of the sats with my antennae there, but maybe that's just me. I ended up placing the little black sat antenna at the windshield base of the instrument pod on top of the dash (can't see it from the driver/passenger seats, but you could see it if you stood over the front windshield and looked straight down). Be that as it may, XM bites for quality rock/metal/hits. Talk radio, sports, and stock quotes, cool...but for decent tunes...no dice.
Are the new sat antennas vastly superior to those made a year or two ago? Wouldn't surprise me, but I don't know...
They may be smaller. If you pull the vent, you will see a gap of about 1/2". there is a slight lip you angle up & over. Once in, it moves easily to position & the magnet holds to the metal. Maybe in a spider the area is different? dunno. but reception is the same there as on outside.
Cool. I finally got the thing working, so no big deal either way, except that your location is inconspicuous (an advantage).
Lucy is on all day at work. They could definitely use some new material. Or should I say to get rid of the new material. Nothing like Nickelback's 'Picture' to make me wish I hadn't subscribed for three years. Staind, also bites the big one. BT
Thanks for this tip. I just added a new XM antenna to the 348 as the old one had stopped working. I decided I wanted the antenna hidden as you described and I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of installation and the fact I was getting reception on a cloud filled day, in my garage, with the doors closed! Works much better than I expected. --Mike
