XM Radio and a Roof Top Tent

[wibornz]

So a bud of mine added a RTT. After adding the RTT, he no longer is able to use the satellite radio unless he is driving south. There is no to very poor reception. The XM antenna is located in the sound bar. The RTT and rack are over the top of it.

Is there anyone that has the same problem and solved the poor reception of XM due to the RTT? Is there a way to relocate the antenna? My bud loves music and is often in areas with very little choices of radio stations from the FM band, and often unable to stream due to lack of cell service.

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[bigfoot21075]

So a bud of mine added a RTT. After adding the RTT, he no longer is able to use the satellite radio unless he is driving south. There is no to very poor reception. The XM antenna is located in the sound bar. The RTT and rack are over the top of it.

Is there anyone that has the same problem and solved the poor reception of XM due to the RTT? Is there a way to relocate the antenna? My bud loves music and is often in areas with very little choices of radio stations from the FM band, and often unable to stream due to lack of cell service.

Funny, I JUST ran across this. https://maximus-3.com/home/maximus-3-jl-satellite-antenna-relocation-bracket

 

[redsyphon]

Funny, I JUST ran across this. https://maximus-3.com/home/maximus-3-jl-satellite-antenna-relocation-bracket

This happened to me the second I put on a three cross bar Rhino Rack Backbone system (not even the full platform)...

I got the Maximus 3 relocation bracket and it fixed the issues. I can confirm that the radio still has less reception than it did without a rack and stuff on-top, but it is FAR FAR better after the relocation. Be prepared to spend 2-4 hours (depending on how slow you go) relocating the antenna though.

For $40, it's worth the ability to use the SXM again.

 

[69 ORIGINAL]

So a bud of mine added a RTT. After adding the RTT, he no longer is able to use the satellite radio unless he is driving south. There is no to very poor reception. The XM antenna is located in the sound bar. The RTT and rack are over the top of it.

Is there anyone that has the same problem and solved the poor reception of XM due to the RTT? Is there a way to relocate the antenna? My bud loves music and is often in areas with very little choices of radio stations from the FM band, and often unable to stream due to lack of cell service.

Yes. You can relocate the satellite antenna to the little panel just in front of driver's side mirror. Just a few torx bolts to take that panel off and run antenna cable through the engine compartment following the other cabling for Am/FM antenna. Very easy.

 

[zrickety]

I'm all for spending money, but XM radio can kiss my ass. It costs way too much and even when I had a deal they had me on the phone almost 2 hours when it was time to cancel. I won't do that again.
Pandora or Spotify is the way to go.

 

[wibornz]

I'm all for spending money, but XM radio can kiss my ass. It costs way too much and even when I had a deal they had me on the phone almost 2 hours when it was time to cancel. I won't do that again.
Pandora or Spotify is the way to go.

Streaming is great unless you spend a lot of time away from population centers and have zero service. And that is why I pay the $5 a month... or $72 a year for the XM service.

 

[Will]

I'm all for spending money, but XM radio can kiss my ass. It costs way too much and even when I had a deal they had me on the phone almost 2 hours when it was time to cancel. I won't do that again.
Pandora or Spotify is the way to go.

I had the same experience with XM; spent a couple of hours on the phone trying to cancel and they just keep giving you the runaround. They even hung up on me once claiming a bad connection. They obviously employ tactics to make it as difficult as possible to cancel their service.

(Without any rack system) I would still have trouble getting a signal when in the mountains or on wheeling trips. Big trees or a deep holler would keep me from enjoying tunes and that's supposed to be the selling point that you always had service.

I pay $10/month for Spotify and I can play any song I want when I want. You can also download playlists for back-country wheeling trips and you never lose signal. I've been very happy with the switch.

 

[zrickety]

Streaming is great unless you spend a lot of time away from population centers and have zero service. And that is why I pay the $5 a month... or $72 a year for the XM service.

Don't you have to continually call to get that deal? Or what is your trick?

 

[zrickety]

I had the same experience with XM; spent a couple of hours on the phone trying to cancel and they just keep giving you the runaround. They even hung up on me once claiming a bad connection. They obviously employ tactics to make it as difficult as possible to cancel their service.

(Without any rack system) I would still have trouble getting a signal when in the mountains or on wheeling trips. Big trees or a deep holler would keep me from enjoying tunes and that's supposed to be the selling point that you always had service.

I pay $10/month for Spotify and I can play any song I want when I want. You can also download playlists for back-country wheeling trips and you never lose signal. I've been very happy with the switch.

Yes, exactly. I have ripped a bunch of music to a 256gb micro sd card with usb adapter. Either I have internet radio, FM radio, or my personal collection. Already have unlimited data on the phone. Not knocking you guys that can do XM, I just refuse to do business with them anymore.

 

[FrankFeag]

Has anyone solved this by unplugging the legacy antenna from the Alpine radio itself, and plugging in a new antenna and locating it somewhere up front? I suspect a new antenna is under $100, and if the RTT is already installed, it could be much easier to pop the dash and put in a new antenna than taking that RTT off again, relocating the antenna, putting the RTT back on again...

 

[johnnyj]

It is absolutely possible. One of the line items for labor on the install of an Ursa Minor J30 hard top is the relocation of this item, as once the top is on it, too, blocks reception. I declined this particular item on my build sheet because I'd rather do my own electrical wiring and work, but rest assured it is most very possible to move that sensor to the A pillar area or dashboard area, and still get reception.

 

[JimLee]

Has anyone solved this by unplugging the legacy antenna from the Alpine radio itself, and plugging in a new antenna and locating it somewhere up front? I suspect a new antenna is under $100, and if the RTT is already installed, it could be much easier to pop the dash and put in a new antenna than taking that RTT off again, relocating the antenna, putting the RTT back on again...

I have a magnetic one, stuck to the sport bar above the front passenger grab handle, works great and no signal loss from my rack.

 

[LooselyHeldPlans]

Yes. You can relocate the satellite antenna to the little panel just in front of driver's side mirror. Just a few torx bolts to take that panel off and run antenna cable through the engine compartment following the other cabling for Am/FM antenna. Very easy.

Did you do this yourself when you ordered the Ursa Minor? I'm wondering if I should pay to have this done or do it myself if it's easy.

 

[69 ORIGINAL]

Did you do this yourself when you ordered the Ursa Minor? I'm wondering if I should pay to have this done or do it myself if it's easy.

I had UM do the installation at their San Diego shop. However, moving that thing is not bad if you have a trim tool and a torx set. When I'm under the hood this week, I'll try to take some stuff off, take pix and show you. If you are considering getting the crate and doing hte install yourself - the cost of shipping vs. getting the install done at their facility seem like a push to me. And it legitimately took them a half-day to put it on. So, for the whole top, I'd have them do it. But, moving the sattelite antenna should not be your worry!

 

[FrankFeag]

I had UM do the installation at their San Diego shop. However, moving that thing is not bad if you have a trim tool and a torx set. When I'm under the hood this week, I'll try to take some stuff off, take pix and show you. If you are considering getting the crate and doing hte install yourself - the cost of shipping vs. getting the install done at their facility seem like a push to me. And it legitimately took them a half-day to put it on. So, for the whole top, I'd have them do it. But, moving the sattelite antenna should not be your worry!

I'd like to see those pics too. Since my RTT and rack were already installed and taking them both off/on again was going to be time consuming and costly, I simply bought a $100 new antenna, popped the dash, plugged it into the radio where the existing one was, and then routed the antenna cable inside the dash and up to the dash next to the windshield on my passenger side. It's working great, but I'd prefer to hide it like you did.

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