Satellite radio - install questions

How many of you guys have XM/Sirius radio? I normally have listened to plain old FM radio or sports talk. However, the FM stations here are really getting crappy. Plus, now that the NBA and college sports are in season, I totally tune out of sports radio, I'm not a fan of either of those. So I decided to give satellite a try.

I bought a radio and went to install it in my '06 Miata yesterday. I'm not too keen on using some ultra sticky crap that could make a mess of my dash in trying to mount it...or eventually take it off. But I can figure out a way to work around that.

My biggest question is with the antenna. How do you mount the darn thing? The diagram shows to run it along the carpet where it meets the sill, then I guess up behind the passenger seat and through the trunk. But where? How do you get it from the inside of the car and onto the trunk? There is no "pass through" to the trunk like there is in most sedans. Also, is that antenna sticking onto the trunk during rain, snow, etc...going to leave a mark (or rust spot) on my trunk? For now, I stuck the antenna on one of the metal bars for the roof frame inside the car, but I think it compromises reception.

Figured you guys might know a way to mount this thing without messing up the car...and perhaps as a bonus make it easy to remove so that I can swap it into another car quickly.

I leave the antenna on the back deck, under the top. Even with the hard top installed, it still works. Just make sure that it's looking through the top and not the frame with the top down.

The antenna in my van runs up the A pillar under the trim, under the door gasket and is stuck to the roof with the magnet. I just looked under it, and the paint seems to be fine. I can't help with the Miata.

I used to have a stand alone XM receiver. It came with a air vent clip mount that worked well but I don't think it would work with the Miata's eyeballs. To mount it I'd just use self-stick velcro.

For the antenna, as long as it has a clear view of the sky not obstructed by metal it's good. I had mine in my E46 and I stuck it to the top of a metal reinforcement in the trunk under the parcel shelf, so only fiberboard and glass were above it. Worked great. On a Miata that won't work, but on top of the metal shelf where the top sits should be fine as long as it's not blocked by a top rib when the top is down.

alfadriver wrote: I leave the antenna on the back deck, under the top. Even with the hard top installed, it still works. Just make sure that it's looking through the top and not the frame with the top down.

So you're saying it's behind the seats looking up through the rear window? I don't remember off hand, is there anything metal back there for it to stick to? If not, does it slide around?

Klayfish wrote:

alfadriver wrote: I leave the antenna on the back deck, under the top. Even with the hard top installed, it still works. Just make sure that it's looking through the top and not the frame with the top down.

So you're saying it's behind the seats looking up through the rear window? I don't remember off hand, is there anything metal back there for it to stick to? If not, does it slide around?

yes- and velcro works great. but it still doesnt move much w/o velcro. I fished the wire beneath the wind blocker, and tried to hide the excess wire under the center console.

With the top down- say when I put the hard top on in a few weeks, I let it sit on the frame.

I move mine back and froth from my truck (Freightliner Columbia) to my Honda Accord. In the car I just toss the antenna in the dash and try not to forget About it. I use a plate on the CB antenna base in the truck.

You did get the FM direct connect thing too, right.

SillyImportRacer wrote: I move mine back and froth from my truck (Freightliner Columbia) to my Honda Accord. In the car I just toss the antenna in the dash and try not to forget About it. I use a plate on the CB antenna base in the truck. You did get the FM direct connect thing too, right.

Mine works off the FM radio, but I don't think it's direct connect. I pick an unused FM frequency and tune the XM to broadcast off that frequency.

In reply to Klayfish:

Yep, I got one for the car and one for the truck. If you say in the same area most of the time, you can do without the FM Direct connect. Before I got mine I was hunting open frequencies to often. No I don't have to.