We recieved our 05 MCS one year ago today. Turned over 15,000 on Saturday. That was about the time the XM Blitzsafe rage was on so we did it. I always wanted to have the antenna in the base. Back in August I think Americonium had done some Sirious ant jobs, and I had just recently torn my antenna off in a car wash! A new base and a Terk XM Micro antenna was ordered. The Terk ant is noticeably smaller than the one that came with the XMD1000. The Terk has protective tape under it. Remove it and four screws. The metal magnetic base comes off. Carefully pry component together with wire out. Slowly! Have all come together as it has glue around wire grommet.There is a rubber base on component. Leave it there. Put magnetic lid back on Terk shell with screws and tape! You got a refridgerator magnet! Now its time for the pink Terk terminal. It wont fit through base. I do not want to cut and splice. So I used a razor blade, split and removed pink sheath from connecter. Trimmed rubber with a razor blade. Terminal has some rings that are to large to go through base. I carefully held it against a bench grinder and squared terminal to fit through. After pulling wire through I siliconed component and rubber base to 05 base. Their is a groove in base for wire to be siliconed also. Install base as described elsewhere. I rolled up excess wire and secured under theft cover of headliner. That butchered connector fits just fine without the pink latching device. And it is all working well. When I did the install, car was facing south. With rear boot open signal was gone. Close boot OK.So I turned it around facing north. Opened boot. Good signal. Dont sound right does it. So I motored about the neighborhood with no side effects. I'll report back in a week to verify. Picture of terminal install coming. Rick

 

 

 

just could not spend the $$ on a xmdirect. I am have an interest in your antena. When you get the picture to work. I was looking at the base of my FM to see if I could figure out how to put the xm in the base but after getting into the roof I gave up after realizing it looked like I would have to get the headliner out. So for now it just sits behind the antena.

Jim

congrats on 15,000

 

Help. Sorry. What do I need to do!

 

At Ricks request. Picture attached

 

Thanks alot! I'll send another to ya for this. Wow thanks.

 

how did you get the FM antena base off. Does the cap just pop off or do you have to take out some fitting to get the shell off? I guess its that new car thing just scared to really pull on something. Dont want to break it.

 

It will come down with your fingernails. Just grasp all around with nails and give a quick jerk. Arrows face forward for reattachment. I dont know whats in your antenna. I'd like to see what yours looks like. I'd get it in for you!

 

I got the XMDirect unit to use with the OEM head unit and steering wheel controls after first using a Roady add on unit. I tried plugging the smaller Roady antenna into the XMDirect unit and it gave me the ANTENNA error code. Can anyone suggest a mod so I can use this smaller puck on the roof, or am I stuck with the larger Direct puck antenna?

thanks,

 

You might write a PM to ricky. His unit is a Direct XM unit also. He could tell you where he got his aftermarket antenna. If you look at the pictures that I posted for him the antenna has been moved into the base of the FM antenna.

From what he tells me he has not had any signal loss

 

I installed the XMDirect antenna in the OEM antenna unit on the roof today. Not easy, but very neat when completed. I will post photos and installation notes later today. This is *the* ultimate XM upgrade as far as I'm concerned.

cheers,
phil

 

Please please post details. I might just go buy a 2006 antenna to do this, but I want to make darn sure I have everything I need (especially the correct size XM antenna) first.

 

Here are the installation notes for my integrated antenna:
http://gandini.unm.edu/PGpages/Interests/XMantenna.htm
I warn you that not all antennas work with XMDirect. I had the little one that came with the Roady and tried it, but the XMD unit threw error codes having detected that it was not the right antenna--I'd guess it detects difference impedence, or some other electrical parameter. I also had to mess with the XMD antenna (more in the write up) to get the unit to think I hadn't messed with it--very smart unit!)
There's enough room inside the Hatchback antenna base to fit a small loaf of bread, so don't worry about the size of the XM antenna--worry that you have the right unit electrically (the one that comes with the XMD kit.)
Later,
phil

 

Having done this back in Nov. 05, No regrets at all. I like not seeing that XM magnet behind the factory antenna. Their is one glitch if you have the sun roof. When fully retracted, reception blips out 10 percent of time. I just move the sun roof about 2 inches ahead, and all is OK.

 

I'll try this picture. Hope it works. That is original XMD ant behind Base. Terk XM on card. Used guts from it for new base.

 

ricky: Did the XMD unit actually recognize the Terk antenna? It looks like the one that comes with the Roady--but when I plugged it into the XMD unit it gave the Antenna error, every time. I ended up using the guts of the XMD antenna in the rear of your photo. Looks *like* the Terk guts, but different.
At least we now have two observations...waiting for more data always.
cheers,
phil

 

It was a TERK XM micro2. It recognized it right away. I know its got to be on the roof and mounted to work good. When I first tested it in my hand I got that hot feeling like this is not working as well as hoped. Awful. But as soon as I mounted it. Yeah Baby.

 

That's good news, but suggests to me that the Delphi Roady antenna, while looking like the little Terk, is electrically different in some way. It would make sense that any after market XM antenna should work with any XM radio unit such as the XMD1000, and it did so for you.
So far, then, we have two confirmed integrated XM antenna mods: Yours using the Terk Micro2, and mine, using the XMDirect supplied antenna.

cheers,
phil

 

Cool. It looks like I can use my current antenna, the one that came with the XM Direct unit and be good to go.

Now, I just need to order an 05 antenna from Classic!

 

LeeL: Yes, you can use the XMD antenna. Read my website notes about the wire etc. and if you need more help, just PM me, I'm happy to help you out. I saw a 02 antenna base today, and they are tiny! You will need the later model stock base to put the XMD antenna inside for sure.

cheers,
phil

 

Enlightening thread. Thanks!

Will this work on the Cabrio antenna? It's slightly different.

 

coolcab: there's a possibility the XM antenna will fit, as it's pretty small when removed from the plastic puck it comes in. I'd guess about 1"x1"x1/4" extreme dimensions. The early antenna bases are pretty small, and if they contain an RF booster there'd be little room left for an XM antenna. But the 05/06 base that I have is very roomy. I haven't checked a Cabrio antenna, but from pictures it seems like its worth a try. Many cars are coming out with Sirius or XM radios or the capacity to install them afterwards, so most bases (especially the ubiquitous sharkfin bases you see on all German cars these days) are big enough for the satellite antenna.
cheers,
phil

 

The XM Terk guts, if I remember was about the size of a Chicklet.

 

That's not the Chiclets they sell on the border crossings? From your photo and my experience that's a pretty big Chiclet. I'll stand by my measurements given above, which fit in the mounts cast in the stock base for the OEM Sirius antenna install. You can almost make them out in ricky's photo above.
cheers, phil