| esemes |
anyone have a neat looking antenna???
to me, less is more.....
as i am approaching the time to get my unit (grubbs, no doubt), i wonder jus how small and 'out-of-the-way' the antennas can be....
also, do they jus adhere (2sided 3M?) to the roof??
heres a new slimline model, but i have no idea of the true size....
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| comurano |
I mounted mine in the access panel for the rear stop light ... the one at eye-level. The back portion of the roof isn't metal, it's a plastic so the satellite signal is not impeded.
Open the hatch, and you'll see the access panel for the light. Pop it open (from the bottom of the panel - there's 3 clips on the bottom and two tabs on the top) and there's a whole bunch of room. The insdie of the panel has some "fins" which I shaved down using a dremel to get a flat surface. Mount the antenna with two-sided tape. You can run the antenna wires down the right black tube which holds the rear windshield fluid tube.
For good measure, I took the plastic top off the antenna and mounted the real guts of the antenna on that access panel.
I don't have any issue with signal (I'm in Colorado so there's not much in my way between the road and clear shot of the sky).
This installation is great and no antenna on the roof ! |
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| esemes |
quote:
Originally posted by comurano
I mounted mine in the access panel for the rear stop light ... the one at eye-level. The back portion of the roof isn't metal, it's a plastic so the satellite signal is not impeded.
Open the hatch, and you'll see the access panel for the light. Pop it open (from the bottom of the panel - there's 3 clips on the bottom and two tabs on the top) and there's a whole bunch of room. The insdie of the panel has some "fins" which I shaved down using a dremel to get a flat surface. Mount the antenna with two-sided tape. You can run the antenna wires down the right black tube which holds the rear windshield fluid tube.
For good measure, I took the plastic top off the antenna and mounted the real guts of the antenna on that access panel.
I don't have any issue with signal (I'm in Colorado so there's not much in my way between the road and clear shot of the sky).
This installation is great and no antenna on the roof !
excellent idea!!!!
thanks!! |
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| comurano |
Picture of installation.
The panel is upside down ... the 2 plastic tabs install rightside up, and the 3 silver clips install on the bottom. |
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| esemes |
quote:
Originally posted by comurano
Picture of installation.
The panel is upside down ... the 2 plastic tabs install rightside up, and the 3 silver clips install on the bottom.
looks like the perfect place for it....
the panel jus snaps in??
any loss of signal??
thanks
S |
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| jaak |
The antenna works fine in there, and you don't have to remove the cover from it.
There is a slight advantage on the roof as there is the metal around it which acts as a ground plane. If you want to mount the antenna in the hatch, I'd suggest some aluminum screen below it, as that will create the same effect as the roof. In the southern part of the country, it's not a big deal, but it will help a bit up north, where the angle of the signal is further down in the sky. |
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| dklanecky1 |
Keep in mind is that the Infiniti SAT "kit" includes the standard Terk antenna and the receiver.
If you decided to go with a different antenna, you'll be adding some additional expense.
I like the look of that antenna in the hatch. I may consider moving mine. Has anyone moved one yet from where it was originally installed? |
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| jaak |
If I was in WI, I'd leave it on the roof....
I'm about the same latitude as WI, if not further south and want every little bit of gain possible. The further north you get, the more likely the roof will get in the way (when you're driving south) as the antenna in the hatch will be lower than your roof line.
It works best if you're further south, but is OK, in the northern states. |
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| esemes |
quote:
Originally posted by dklanecky1
Keep in mind is that the Infiniti SAT "kit" includes the standard Terk antenna and the receiver.
If you decided to go with a different antenna, you'll be adding some additional expense.
I like the look of that antenna in the hatch. I may consider moving mine. Has anyone moved one yet from where it was originally installed?
which one is this???
will it fit inside the hatchlid???
id like to find the one to hide (im in sw florida)
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| comurano |
| The one I mounted in the hatch is the antenna that comes with the Grubbs-ordered XM receiver - the TRK-SR2 |
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| esemes |
quote:
Originally posted by comurano
The one I mounted in the hatch is the antenna that comes with the Grubbs-ordered XM receiver - the TRK-SR2
great!!
quick question.....
is the ant. still facing upward, when tyhe panel is snapped back into place (assuming it is snapped into place)
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| comurano |
| yes. visualize in my post above just flipping the panel back up (it's flipped down in the picture). The bottom of the antenna is mounted to the inside of the panel. When you put the panel back the antenna is facing up inside the hatch - close the hatch and the antenna is pointing straight up to the sky. |
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| esemes |
quote:
Originally posted by comurano
yes. visualize in my post above just flipping the panel back up (it's flipped down in the picture). The bottom of the antenna is mounted to the inside of the panel. When you put the panel back the antenna is facing up inside the hatch - close the hatch and the antenna is pointing straight up to the sky.
GOTCHA.........
(not too familiar with what the ant looks like, undressed)
thanks
eSe |
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| mattsmurano |
WOW! Terriffic! I first read about this "hiding the antenna" at work today and as soon as I got home I did it!
Thanks comurano! I wouldn't have thought if it without you. Though it does make sence. I noticed the hatch was not metal long ago, but hiding the SAT antenna in there had not ocurred to me. A perfect idea!
The reception seems to be the same. I played with it for a while after the move and I doesn't lose signal more easily like I thought I might.
Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matthew |
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| jaak |
I ran mine in there in June when I was trying to decide which I wanted. It works quite well. Two things though... 1)Do not remove the antenna's cover. You don't need to, and you expose the antenna elements to the risk of damage. Bend them and they won't work as well at that frequency. 2) Put a metal screen or sheet of metal, or aluminum foil, underneath the antenna that's at least 5-6 inches or so in radius (10-12"diameter) to give a decent ground plane. This will help optimise the performance when in fringe conditions.
You can also remove the plastic covers from the connectors, which will allow them to be passed through the rubber boot that's shared with rear window washer fluid. This way you won't see the antenna wires either. There's a white clip that gets pushed out, and the shell releases. Once you've run them, you can put them back on. Mark one of them, so you don't get them mixed up. It does make a difference!
Be very careful not to ever kink the antenna wires while doing the install. A kinked wire is going to create attenuation and reduce signal level. You won't ever notice this, unless you do side by side comparisons, but it makes the difference between the best possible performance and experiencing more signal dropouts.
Look at "A potential SAT antenna location" in my Gallery, there's been some pics there for a while that show how to get things open and what runs through the rubber boots. |
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| jpburk |
quote:
Originally posted by jaak
Put a metal screen or sheet of metal, or aluminum foil, underneath the antenna that's at least 5-6 inches or so in radius (10-12"diameter) to give a decent ground plane. This will help optimise the performance when in fringe conditions.
Here's a dumb and slightly OT question....
Would putting a metal screen under the antenna for a home XM radio (e.g., the Delphi SkyFi boombox) help to increase reception? I'm having a heckuva time getting a good signal in most parts of my home.
Jeff |
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| jaak |
It might help, but it would be marginal. The real problem you have inside, is the antenna can't "see" the satellite(s).
If you can get it near a southern window, external, somehow, that should help. Failing that, build a big aluminum reflector outside a window to reflect the signal into the house! (I can see your neighbours scratching their heads over that one... )
Think of the satellite as a flashlight in the sky and what it would take to be able to see some of that light, either directly or reflected. |
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| jpburk |
Thanks, Jaak. That's kinda what I thought, but I wasn't sure. My house doesn't have a real good Southern exposure, but I have been hooking the antenna over the slats in my blinds and can get a signal strength of two bars. Of course, the only rooms where this works are rooms I don't spend a lot of time in......oh well.
I doubt my homeowner's association would be happy with a big aluminum reflector hanging off my house. They get pretty torked when someone puts a plastic flamingo in their front yard, and that's pretty much a necessity for a Florida house! :5: Maybe someone will come up with a more acceptable signal reflector one of these days!
Jeff |
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| jaak |
So I guess hiding the antenna in a pink flamingo outside would be out of the question... :D
It might be better in the attic, if you can get it there. The less building you have in the way of the antenna, the better the chances of decent signal level. |
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| Enforcer |
LOL!
What if you used a direct TV dish and mounted the antenna where the LNB goes? |
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| jaak |
Actually, that would help, but you'd have to mount the antenna facing the dish, not the sky, and you'd also have to know where the satellites are, to aim the dish that way...
That would work better with XM as they have two birds that are geosynchronous. You'd pick one, either Rock, or Roll, whichever you can see better, and aim the dish at it. Sirius has three that move up and down. |
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| milgrad |
| I am going to install my XM tomorrow in my MO. I live in PA. Do you think installing the antenna in the hatch will work ok since I am pretty north? Or do you think the roof will give me the best signal? Any advice would be appreciated. |
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| jaak |
The roof is marginally better. The hatch moves which over time, will fatigue the antenna wires, if they're not run carefully.
If you make sure the wires are run well (make it so it twists slightly when the hatch is opened, instead of pulled or bent) and don't want to see the antenna, the hatch is good.
The roof install is easier to do. |
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| ----------j---- |
Jaak,
Did I read somewhere that you must tape up and not expose any of the SAT antenna wires to the outside elements? I taped and used that sticky clay crap to cover my wires but there is about a inch not covered. Right in the hatch seam area where its almost impossible to reach. |
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| jaak |
Yeah, it's not easy to get that little section at the top. If you can manage to get most of a patch in position, with the hatch closed (insert it from the top), then you can open the hatch and use your fingers, or something firm but flexible to stick it down. Then what's left sticking up, you can trim off. I actually pulled it back slightly and cut it with scissors, then stuck it back down.
That part is the worst part of the install.
If you don't bother covering it, it may not be an issue, or potentially water will try to travel along the wires in a heavy rain, and make it's way inside. The black goop should block it though. |
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| rtking |
Thanks Jaak! Your pictures on your website helped tremendously! I took my time and did the install in 4 hours (including a few water breaks, one bathroom break and a 40 minute telephone call.)
I installed the antenna in the hatch, but I ended-up trimming some of the ribs on the panel. I used foam strips (adhesive on both sides) and Velcro to attach it to the panel. (I want to be able to remove the panel and leave the antenna just in case I ever need to get in there again.) By trimming the ribs, I was able to put the adhesive foam onto a flat part of the plastic panel and make it stick well. It also gave me enough clearance to close the access panel again.
Probably the only thing I regret was not leaving more cable under the dash! (And I left about 10 inches of slack so I could pull-out the radio if need be.) There's A LOT of cable remaining when you get to the access area behind the back seat!
The XM radio started right up and after driving for about 40 minutes, was activated! It's a bummer that we don't get 18 presets for SAT, another 18 for FM and 18 for AM. I guess we just get 18 presets total that we divide-up between AM/FM/SAT.
Man... now that I know how to do this, I'm almost certain I could do this job in about 2.5 - 3 hours the next time! (not that I need to, but it's nice to know that I can!)
Thanks again, Jaak!
Bob K. |
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| jaak |
Bob, you're very welcome...
I really didn't expect my site to get that much use, as I was told back in July that Nissan was going to release the installation instructions for all the Infinitis and I hoped the Nissans. So I almost didn't do the site. Looks like it's been a good thing I did it. Check out the link to the Florida site as well, as there is a lot of good pictures from that install.
Good tips on the antenna install. If you, or anyone else wants to take some pictures of how they put it in the hatch, I'll stick it on the site or link to yours, if you want...
I love the Murano, so I'm delighted to be able to help out...:D |
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