question about XM/Sirius ready radios

[aldamiani]

My radio is XM/Sirius ready. I was wondering what that means. Do I just need to activate the radio through Sirius or do I need to have an antenna installed. There is a regular antenna on my AS but nothing that looks like the Sirius antenna on my TV or car. I would be grateful for any input.

[idroba]

If it is an original 2006 radio, I rather suspect that it has an input for S/XM but not the receiver built in. It would have the controls integrated with the head end, but not the actual receiver. Nor would it have the proper antenna. Although you might be able to get the original adaptor it would take some looking most likely.

It probably would be easier and cheaper to simply replace the unit and add the necessary antenna.

[amazingwoody]

Think your best best is to refer to the radio's owners manual. My Suburban uses the car antenna
which is designed for multi band radios, i.e. AM/ FM / XM. The radio in the AS I had to add a docking station and an XM antenna. Some radios, as yours, are XM radio and only require an antenna and activation. Hope that helps. I believe it is spelled Turk makes a nice XM antenna. Find them on Amazon or E-Bay.

[AWCHIEF]

You can get receivers for your 2006 radio direct from XM/Sirius. Including mounting kit and antenna they have several for under $50. Plus the cost of a new subscription. Call them direct and you can get substantial discounts for receivers and the subscription cost. I spoke with them less than a week ago. Still trying to decide what I want to do.

[aa6rv]

Most radios that state they are Sirius/XM Ready means that there is add on module that you need to purchase for the radio that plugs directly into the radio. Then you need an Antenna. Purchase a subscription and you are good to go. I'm very fortunate, I have three lifetime subscriptions. They are now worth their weight in Gold. They don't even offer that anymore. When the company was first starting they had that program. You can always check....it's not available online. You need to call them. I originally paid 399 upfront, my two others were 499. They have now paid for themselves....so I now listen for free.....I still pay 35 a year for the Sirius/XM onliine and stream music throughout my house and garage....mostly for Howard Stern and MLB. Once Howard goes, so goes the Online Subscription. The antenna shouldn't be difficult to mount. Just make sure you don't hit anything else.

David, Future AirStream Owner once I retire.

[m.hony]

What AWCHIEF said-
They will need to know the make and model of your radio. This can also be done at a car stereo store or Best Buy.

[m.hony]

What aa^rv said-
I have 2 lifetime subscriptions. You can transfer a lifetime subscription to another radio for $75 twice. I have transferred to another radio once.
After I transfer my lifetime subscription one more time and then those 2 radios quit or break I will no longer be a subscriber. I will just Bluetooth Pandora or iPod from my iPhone.

[graysailor]

Yes you will need to install an antenna which will plug into your Clarion radio.

[BAB]

Sirius/XM has a "highly negotiable" fee structure. Particularly if you have more than one receiver. You do have to call them (won't work with on-line activation), and when the customer service person -- usually not a primary English-speaker--quotes you the fee, you can obtain a lower rate if you play a bit of hardball. "Wow, that's a lot more than I thought it would be....maybe I should cancel service on one of my other receivers." If you press you can talk to a supervisor and get a much lower rate -- perhaps on a 6 months basis. Then when the 6 months is up, you call and repeat the process. Sat. radio is a great adjunct in an Airstream, particularly if you are boon docking and local radio reception is iffy. You can obtain an exterior antenna and the Sirius module that plugs into your "Sirius/XM Receiver" for less than $100. Of course, they are going to get you for the subscription service. The traffic and weather integration with both my truck and my cars is (to me), invaluable. The new Classic comes with the Sirius module and the antenna factory installed in the Polk unit. Nice.

[Howard L.]

Originally Posted by aldamiani

My radio is XM/Sirius ready. I was wondering what that means. Do I just need to activate the radio through Sirius or do I need to have an antenna installed. There is a regular antenna on my AS but nothing that looks like the Sirius antenna on my TV or car. I would be grateful for any input.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f450...ml#post1202587

Installed one in our 2012. See above thread. Basically you need an Sirius antennae and receiver (such as is sold by XM/Sirius) the wires from Radio shack, etc. , and access to behind your Radio. PM me if you need detailed guide. Works great.
Howard

[SuzyHomemakr]

I wound up not using the Sirius/XM capability in the radio, and using a separate head unit that can be plugged into various bases. I have a base in the TV, and one in the Airstream, both with their antennas/power supplies wired in. The one in the TV is on a stem that fits into a cup holder (which also has a mount for my phone).

It's not the cost of the radio that'll getcha, it's maintaining the subscriptions! Still, seems I can't get by without Symphony Hall and Bluesville!

[splintair]

when we got the Sirius lifetime
the on-line was, and remains, free.

[aldamiani]

Thanks for all the great advice. I went out and purchased an XM/Sirius receiver that I can move from my TV to the AS. I plan to discontinue my TV subscription when my contract is up and activate the new receiver. I should be able to install the Sirius antenna through the same opening as the regular antenna. At that point I'm hoping to be able to jack it into the regular radio to use the AS sound system. Thanks again all...

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by splintair

when we got the Sirius lifetime
the on-line was, and remains, free.

It is good to know that the online service is included with the lifetime subscription. I have 2 lifetime subscriptions, and I did not know that. I might attempt to log on tomorrow.

[Howard L.]

Originally Posted by aldamiani

Thanks for all the great advice. I went out and purchased an XM/Sirius receiver that I can move from my TV to the AS. I plan to discontinue my TV subscription when my contract is up and activate the new receiver. I should be able to install the Sirius antenna through the same opening as the regular antenna. At that point I'm hoping to be able to jack it into the regular radio to use the AS sound system. Thanks again all...

I would reconsider that. You have to snake the antenna wire anyway and above all you want a water tight roof connection for your antenna base. Don't use a cheap (or free that comes with the radio) antenna either.

[ghatfield]

Reviving this thread to ask a related question about the original XM-ready radio in our 2006 19-ft Bambi SE....

We like to listen to NPR, but we are most often in areas with poor FM reception (for example, Ely, NV). Our usage of the AS is sporadic, so a SiriusXM subscription does not make sense. (And we do not have the receiver/antenna module.)

I am wondering whether there is a way to connect my iPhone 6 to the radio in the AS, so we can utilize the AS speakers (perhaps using Apple Radio or TuneIn Radio on the iPhone for an NPR station). Other hardware includes my iPad Air that uses the iPhone 6 as a hot spot... so perhaps the iPad can be connected to the radio for NPR streaming? Am wondering if that would be as simple as a 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male cable?

The preference is to use the AS speakers, as the iPhone/iPad are not that great for general NPR listening in their "speaker" mode.

Thoughts and suggestions would be most appreciated - and, thanks in advance!

Patricia

[m.hony]

If the stereo has a 3.5 mm auxiliary input, then yes, it is that simple.
I'm afraid that a 2006 model stereo may not have that auxiliary input right on the front face.
Maybe the stereo has RCA inputs on the back for auxiliary in?
If so, you could run a 3.5 mm male to 2 RCA males, but then where would it come from behind the radio through the cabinet?
Another way, but with terrible sound quality, is 3.5 mm male to FM transmitter- set the transmitter and the FM radio to a certain station with nothing on the air.
Possibly a little more expensive and still bad sound quality is a Bluetooth from the phone to FM radio frequency transmitter.
It may actually be easier to change out the stereo to a modern Bluetooth stereo with auxiliary input on the front face for not much over $100.
Sound quality may improve as well. The new stereo may have a cleaner amplifier section.

[Steamy1]

Our radio is not Sirius ready so I installed a Sirius auto kit in the overhead next to the radio in our 2007 Bambi, using the in-line antenna kit. This way, we can remove the tuner head and use in our other car while only paying for one subscription. I did have to install an antenna on the roof of the Bambi, but it is directly over the radio cavity in the overhead.

[ghatfield]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Maybe the stereo has RCA inputs on the back for auxiliary in? If so, you could run a 3.5 mm male to 2 RCA males, but then where would it come from behind the radio through the cabinet?

And that's exactly what we'll try, since there are indeed RCA inputs on the back. So, for <$5 on Amazon, we'll have a Monoprice cable here to try it on Monday. We can drill a hole in the side wall of the cabinet which connects to the overhead cabinet, so the 3.5mm male end of the cable can extend out to be used whenever we want to make that connection with the iPhone/iPad.

We have already accessed that connecting wall by installing a little on/off toggle switch which cuts off the power to the radio. On occasion, it used to mysteriously turn itself on, thus creating the potential for a drain on the battery!

Originally Posted by m.hony

It may actually be easier to change out the stereo to a modern Bluetooth stereo with auxiliary input on the front face for not much over $100. Sound quality may improve as well. The new stereo may have a cleaner amplifier section.

if the above solution doesn't work, then this is clearly the way to go!

Originally Posted by Steamy1

Our radio is not Sirius ready so I installed a Sirius auto kit in the overhead next to the radio in our 2007 Bambi, using the in-line antenna kit. This way, we can remove the tuner head and use in our other car while only paying for one subscription. I did have to install an antenna on the roof of the Bambi, but it is directly over the radio cavity in the overhead.

When we had our Foretravel motorhome, that's exactly what we used to do... moving the receiver between the motorhome and the Honda CRV towed vehicle. However, our Jeep Grand Cherokee has a built-in SiriusXM radio, so one subscription for two locations (TV and AS) is no longer an option, unfortunately.