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Old 09-08-2006, 07:55 PM   #1
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1986 34' Excella
Austin , Texas
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Question Satellite XM Radio

Hi. My Excella just got a new radio. The old one quit some time ago and I have just not gotten around to replacing it. For some reason, though, it only picks up the very close stations. Anybody have any idea why? Yes, the antennae is plugged in. Also, I want to put an XM satellite receiver in as well. The electricity is there, the space is there, but how to I run the wire from the radio position in the end to the roof? The little receiver module has to have a clear view of the sky to pick up. I (Circuit City actually) ran the wire up around the window molding on the truck, but how can I get it up to the roof without looking bad?

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Old 09-08-2006, 09:26 PM   #2
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Love XM

I've been listening to XM for several years in my office really like it......wish the two companies would hurry up and do a merger offer dual programming new name....your... XMSIR....
I've been thinking of hooking up the AS. I've got a couple of ideas on the how to but I'm no expert... my thought is the AC unit is near my radio, remove interior panel to run line up through the AS to roof, through the unit.. to the roof.. for a clear view and mount the little tiny XM dome.... I think a back-up antenna that you can move around would also be a plus you never know when your travels may take you to the Sherwood Forest......
But the interior panel removal is where I get a little nervous... my TINCABN is new...don't want to use a hack saw yet.... so I'd better go back to a Dr.. need a second opinion.... someone more qualified can speak on this matter...

PS...this is a long winded bump....
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Old 09-08-2006, 09:52 PM   #3
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I have Sirius in my truck, but would imagine my system would work equally well with XM gear. In my '92 Excella, I have a small cabinet just aft of the doorway and forward of the refer. It contains a 12 volt cigarette-lighter plug. I move the Sirius receiver from my truck and plug it into an identical 12 v cradle in my trailer when I'm stationary. I drilled a small hole in the back of this cabinet into the open space between the refer and the outside walls. The antenna cable passes up thru the refer vent and can be mounted on the roof or on the awning, depending on where I get best reception. When I pull out of camp, the antenna cable is coiled up and resides in the the refer access compartment. I have a 3 foot plug connecting my Sirius receiver audio output to my stereo amplifier. If I have 110 volt service (or my generator is going) I have Sirius and 100 watts per channel to my bookshelf speakers. If I only have 12 volts from the battery, the Sirius receiver re-broadcasts on FM and my trailer's FM original receiver (above the front couch) picks up the signal. It's improved camping a lot!!
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Old 09-08-2006, 10:12 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Wiltrakis
......the Sirius receiver re-broadcasts on FM and my trailer's FM original receiver (above the front couch) picks up the signal. It's improved camping a lot!!
Mark
This is what I do, sorta. The original radio in the camper is long gone, but I just keep it plugged into the truck, use the FM broadcast feature on the XM and pick it up on an FM radio in the camper. Works well. And I don't have to move it around all the time.

Jim
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Old 09-08-2006, 11:06 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim & Susan
This is what I do, sorta. The original radio in the camper is long gone, but I just keep it plugged into the truck, use the FM broadcast feature on the XM and pick it up on an FM radio in the camper. Works well. And I don't have to move it around all the time.

Jim
We do the same thing with Sirius in the trailer. Its in the truck and we pick it up on the radio in the trailer. The other thing we have done is plugged the sirius directly into the speakers I use for my laptop. Works great. But you do have cords a danglin'.
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Old 09-08-2006, 11:30 PM   #6
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Doesn't it run your battery down in the truck to have the sattelite receiver going?

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Old 09-08-2006, 11:54 PM   #7
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Nah, I've used it all day several times with no problems. XM must use only a small amout of power. Also, on the XM (don't know about Sirus), there is an "auto-off" feature that turns the radio off after 1, 2 or 3 hours (based on what you set the time limit as). Or you can leave it on 24/7.

Jim
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Old 09-09-2006, 03:12 AM   #8
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I installed an XM in Chummy and ran into a problem with the antenna wire: Do not cut the wire, you can not splice it back together! I was unable to do the run with the plug on the end so I cut the wire and ended up replacing he antenna.
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Old 09-09-2006, 04:47 AM   #9
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Airstream One was blessed with an existing antenna right on top of the front cap. I unscrewed the existing two-way antenna and used the wire as a fish to pull the new Sirius antenna wire down.
I epoxied a square of metal plate to the area around the hole to give the magnet a place to grip.
If you deside to go with a permanent mounting I would suggest using epoxy alone as this is what I did on my previous SOB and it works just fine.
Once you have a small hole for access then it's a matter of patience and a flat fish tape to get the wire from the top to the bottom....or vise versa.
I can't imagine being without Sirius now. Scarcely remember station hunting in the life before Sirius (BS).
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Old 09-09-2006, 09:11 AM   #10
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I use an XM MyFI radio. I have a car kit in the truck and a home kit in the Airstream, positioned near the front window. The antenna in the Airstream is run out through the front window and mounted under the plastic cover for the propane tanks. I just move the MyFi back and forth from the truck to the trailer, depending on where we are. In the trailer I just use the built-in FM transmitter in the MyFi to listen. This setup works great and took little or nothing to install. I do occasionally have to move the antenna to the top of the plastic propane cover or even on top of the window cover in the "up" position if the signal is weak -- this is not too often.
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Old 09-09-2006, 05:31 PM   #11
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XM Music to go

I have a Belkin boom box to house my XM Roady XT. It makes my tunes portable without worrying about wires. It will run on batteries but so far I have just used the plug in. I can have it outside on the picnic table, inside the trailer by the southern window or take it with me wherever. An antenna booster would be a good addition for it.

We have a miserably small CD collection so this gives a choice of music anytime, almost anyplace. Costco had a great buy on the Roady with car kit AND home kit.
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Old 09-09-2006, 05:44 PM   #12
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I drilled a 3/8 " hole in the roof a few inches away from the am/fm antenna, then fished the wire down into the front overhead cabinet where the stereo resides. It is plugged into the aux. input. Used a rubber grommet in the hole with some caulking.
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Old 09-19-2006, 07:48 AM   #13
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Just got Xm

I got XM radio yesterday, and all I have to say is WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO! Man, I'm in high cotton now. I havent gotten the AS installation worked out yet, but it worked fine adhoc last night. I got the new reciever that can act as an MP3 Player (not the REALLY cool one that is completely portable). I'm really diging this.
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Old 09-19-2006, 08:39 AM   #14
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Thanks for a great Tip

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim & Susan
This is what I do, sorta. The original radio in the camper is long gone, but I just keep it plugged into the truck, use the FM broadcast feature on the XM and pick it up on an FM radio in the camper. Works well. And I don't have to move it around all the time.

Jim
I tried this out this weekend, and it works great. I park my truck in my driveway with the bumper next to the tongue of the trailer. The radio in the trailer picks up the signal perfectly. Bonus the signal is also picked up in our kitchen, which is next to our driveway.

Great tip.

Thanks Jim
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Old 11-11-2008, 09:20 PM   #15
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Ok guys or gals I have a very simple solution. Open your front window and loosen the screws on the left or right of the screen. Use the vehicle satellite antenna radio antenna (the magnetized one), and run the wire Though the bottom corner of the window into the screen molding. Run it up inside the screen molding to the top, below the overhead cabinet which is where your radio should be. You can drill a small interior hole or just remove the reading light and go up through there into a hole inside the cabinet. Run to the stereo, install your radio mounting bracket there (power hooked up to the stereo there) and an FM modulator between your antenna plug and your stereo. Power up and you are ready to go!!! It plays through your FM stereo on the channel you select in the unit.
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Old 11-12-2008, 08:01 AM   #16
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Sunrise Beach , Missouri
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Antenna Placement for XM Radio

I installed my XM radio antenna a couple of years ago without any drilling in the outer skin of our 2005 31 Classic. I concealed the small XM antenna under the frame inside of the front skylight and ran the wires underneath the trim strip that runs completely across the top of the interior and then down to a location outside of the front kitchen cabinent where I mounted the XM automotive mount. The power cord was attached inside the cabinent bottom to a power line for the kitchen under cabinent light. The unit then sends the signal to my factory installed radio via an unused FM frequency and we have full-time XM with no exposed wires and great reception just about every where we go with the possible exception of a dense overhead woods. It works great. Hope this helps.
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