The antenna needs to receive signal from the satelites. Its a digital signal so either you get it or you don't. If you put it on the dash (or anywhere inside the car) you MAY loose signal from time to time. You MAY also notice that you get drops quicker when under trees and under a overpass. This is because you have deminished the amount of signal and are using the oversampling and correction to make up for it. Here is the real scoop:

You should put it on the roof. That 6" tail is a spacer. 12" of metal should be under the antenna. This helps as a ground plane for reception.

Put it inside the car and it will work 98% of the time and for my money thats fine too.

There is a nw kenwood antenna that is alot smaller and does not have the tail attached. You should still use it though.

One thing that I can tell you, and youll hear it from anyone that has it is that Sirius is the best thing that has happened to radio...ever. Athough can we really call it radio, which refers to analog radio waves.

 

Based on my experience with satellite communications, it's not going to work. The antenna MUST have a clear line of sight to the satellite unless you are picking up an FM repeater. If you put it between the headliner and the roof you will obliterate that line of sight.

The antenna works pretty well on the dash becuase it's got a reasonably clear view of the sky in most directions.

Think about it, you can't receive a signal under many overpasses, or due to dense tree cover becuase the line of site is obstructed, putting a car's roof between the antenna and the satellite is going to block out the signal... If my antenna slides up the dash against the glass below the windshield wiper I get a lot more dropouts...

Heck, just have somebody hold the antenna up to the headliner like you want to mount it and drive around, that's probably the easiest way to see if it will work...

 

You are 100% correct. Put the antenna under mettal and you will not get signal. Put it behind a metal tint and you will not get signal.

Put your antenna on top the roof for best signal.

 

Heck hold the antenna upside down in your hand and you won't get a signal! I wasn't paying attention when I was setting my radio up and did just that, took me a few seconds before I realized what was wrong!

 

Well, XM and maybe Sirius both have terrestrial repeaters in many cities so even less than ideal mounting will work there but cause problems if you drive over long distances. There are some places here in Raleigh where (if you have a receiver like the SkyFi or Roady which can monitor the signal level) the terrestrial signal is as high as possible and completely overpowers the Sat feed so that it won't even register. I've even read of people in office buildings that did not even need to hook an antenna up at all and the signal just comes in fine.

 

While that's true, what's the point of paying for satellite radio if you are going to rely on the FM repeaters? Those repeaters are supposed to augment the satellite signal when it's weak, that's why there's very limited coverage...


It's pretty silly to install the system to depend on the FM repeaters...

 

here's my sirius setup:

http://www.seriousjazz.com/mini/sirius.html

with the antenna on the roof, i've NEVER lost a signal. not once, except if i go in a tunnel. however, i can go in many high rise parking garages and it still works!!

 

Looks really good.

 

I have XM direct. It uses the factory sterio and stering wheel buttons.

 

Hey Haf,

I always thought you had the MINI branded system modified to work in your car and not the plug and play...

 

No, I was going to do that, but now I'm waiting on the 2005 OEM HK stereo that reads MP3 cds and will put that in instead.

 

I agree completely, I was really using that as a warning since because the repeaters can allow a sub-standard install, they can also mask it, leaving you unaware until you leave the area covered by the repeaters.

 

NinjaMini and other experts ...

I had Sirius installed today on GBMINI. The Tweeter installer wanted to put the antenna on the front of the roof - I thought that looked ugly.
I wanted the antenna on the back of the roof - he thought it would be a difficult install there.
I came up with the idea of putting it at the back of the hood, between the air intake vents & windshield wipers - which is where it is. But I am wondering if the antenna is being blocked by the car windshield/roof.
A few dropouts tonight driving around. I am driving along somewhat tree lined roads, where the trees overhang the road too.

What do you think about this install:

 

First let me say how great that unionjack looks on your car. I always thought red was the best color for the UJ but now I know better.

I would not be concirned with the placement of your antenna. Your muteing is caused by the tree coverage and not the antenna placement. Official Sirius (& XM for that matter) party line is that it should be on the highest point of the car (AKA the roof). But it will work most of the time in other places. The questions to ask are where does muteing happen and for how long. If its only while you are under something (tree, overpass..) then that is normal. If its only for a second or two that is normal. Any longer or under clear shy and you may have an issue.

Try it for a month. If your ok with the reception then let it be. You can go back later and they will move it if you want them to.


Just a note...my mini is on order but my Accord has the antenna inside the car on the back deck. I will probebly mount it just behind the fm antenna on the mini. I have herd that the 05s will come with the sirius antenna as part of the fm antenna and thus standuard equipment. I have yet to confirm this. I guess I will know when it gets hear. That is not to say that it will be the same connector as on my tunner box.

GBMINI what system did you get installed? Lets see a pic.


I just took another look at your antenna pic and I have changed my mind. I do not like it because I think that in rain the windshield washer arm might interfear with the reception. I would move it to the roof. They should be able to run it into the 3rd breaklight. Signal will not drop out due to rain or snow. No matter how hard the storm is!

 

That's just laziness... I'd have them move it also. I've got mine on my dash and it slides a little. Occasionally it slides up against the windshield and I'm pretty sure that the wiper arm causes dropouts then...

 

Thanks both.
I have a Kenwood aftermarket head unit and a Kenwood Keg, so I had the SR902 Kenwood tuner installed - integrates nicely, though with only a two line HU display I can see any 2 of 3 out of channel name, artist name or track title. I would like to see channel name on top and BOTH artist & track on bottom, but that option is not available.

Talking of lazy installs - the tuner is mounted in the passenger footwell, tucked behind the carpet. It does not seem to be in the way or in danger of being kicked, but it is not what I would have done ...

 

I'm using it on an '04 Cooper with H/K - sounds fantastic! Most of the title and track information comes through on the head unit.

 

Sirius Rocks and pops and jams and....