Best Place For XM Antenna
 

We took a long ride in our 2007 Camry Hybrid and the XM radio faded in and out a lot. We complained to the Toyota dealer that installed it and he moved the antenna about one or two inches and put a thin square thing under it, about two inches on each side. The antenna is mounted on the dash in front of the passenger. It was pretty close to the windshield, now it's been moved back a little. We haven't taken the car out on the highway again yet to see if that helped.

Does anyone know where the antenna is supposed to be mounted? It seems that a lot of people have mentioned theirs is near the third brake light on the rear shelf. I can't find an installation manual. I have XM in two other cars and have never run into this reception issue.

Thanks

Re: Best Place For XM Antenna
 

My antenna is located on the trunk lid. It is unsightly, but the reception is good.

Re: Best Place For XM Antenna
 

You won't have as good reception on the inside as on the outside. I put mine in the back above the rear seats and every thing is working well.

Re: Best Place For XM Antenna
 

The installation manual shows it in the back window.
I had tint film installed and now the reception is not as good (if I'm driving west)
I kinda wish it was on the trunk lid like Ormond now (my car is black so it wouldn't be so noticable)

Re: Best Place For XM Antenna
 

there is a tint film that is non-metallic (ceramic) that is desgined for this exact reason. perhaps you can have the window tint removed (easy when it is recent install) and replaced with the ceramic tint.

Re: Best Place For XM Antenna
 

When my XM radio was installed by a Toyota dealer it was placed on the rear deck inside the car and I have absolutely no problem. I live in the NY metro area and have traveled from New England to DC and get good reception. I sometimes loose reception when I travel under heavy foliage or under a bridge.

:D

Re: Best Place For XM Antenna
 

This is where I mounted mine (XM RoadyXT aftermarket sat radio). I have since removed the XM and replaced it with an iPod interface (HK Drive+Play) that has been a bit of a disappointment because of noise/interference.

https://www.greenhybrid.com/share/fi...1/IMG_0322.JPG

Re: Best Place For XM Antenna
 

I put mine in the rear shelf, between the c-pillar and the HMBL, near the base of the window. It never fades no matter what direction I drive, except for in car washes and parking garages.:shade: It is a sirius radio, so I don't know if that is a lot different than XM.

Re: Best Place For XM Antenna
 

I placed both an XM & Sirius antennas on the rear shelf as-well (I started with XM then switched to Sirius for NASCAR). Even though I hid the XM underneath the Child Seat latch cover XM did fade a bit but no more that when it was previously installed outside on my former Murano running an XM Roady2. The Sirius has not faded at all & is loud and clear on my Starmate 4 conncected via AUX cable. I used velco to hold the Sirius to the rear shelf on-top of the Child Seat latch cover. I've been amazed at the great reception quality given its interior location.

From the rear shelf position I was able to run both antenna wires under the moldings without any wire showing except where the wires enter the cut-out for the cubby hole (I am think about cutting a notch in the cubby as the wires sometimes pop the cover off).

Also I have a PAC SNI-1/3.5 Minijack Ground Loop Noise Isolator from Crutchfield with a 3.5mm cable splitter to attach both the Sirius and a Belkin retracting 3.5mm plug for my iPod - and - a dual power cable from Bell to connect the Sirius and iPod power cables. When I want the iPod I turn off the Sirius. I found that prior to using the Ground Loop Noise Isolator the Sirius was hissing at reasonable volume levels - once I installed the isolator I have had no noise on either the Sirius or the iPod. Despite all this stuff in the cubby, including the Starmate 4, it all fits nicely and you can't see any of it in back of Starmate 4.

Good luck with your choice of placing the antenna.

Re: Best Place For XM Antenna
 

Well, I relocated my antenna to the outside on the rear deck lid. It works great.

I originally thought the antenna was not magnetic and just stuck to my rear shelf. After checking again, I figured out that it is magnetic AND it was stuck to the metal plate. Since it was magnetic, I decided to go ahead and move it outside.
I removed the rear seat cushion, the right shoulder of the seat , the c pillar panel and fed the antenna back through to the trunk. There was plenty of excess wire wrapped up behind the panel in the trunk
:)