I am soon going to install a XM radio and antenna in a '98 F-150. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

yeah I don't like the llooks of it on the GM's that put it on. Maybe if it was disguised as a whip antenna it would look good. Depends on the look that you're going for. This woudn't be a sophisticated truck with that on.

 

Here are a few of the install of my Roady XT in my 97, sorry about the low quality pics. but it is dark and the flash messed them all up. Here is a shot of the antennae. It is ran behind the dash and out the passenger side door under the wiper cowl and up the weatherstripping of the windshield to about the middle of the windshield, no wire showing. I used one of these and tapped into my head units hot wire and grounded the negative, than plugged the unit into it and hid it behind the dash, whatever you do you dont want to cut the cig. lighter plug off of any XM reciever cause most of them run off of 5-7 volts and the regulator is in that plug, just a cheaper alternative to buying a hard wire kit for $50.00. I am using the FM mod. being that my head unit only has amp. preouts and no aux. option, I am happy with it and dont see fit to purchase another head unit just to hook it up directly, I did however purchase a direct connect because I dont have too many empty frequincies in my area and this adapter connects to the trucks antennae and cancels out those freq. when the XM reciever is on. This is what it looks like at the end. I have had a lot of trouble finding a place to mount the reciever being that my truck is a manuel and all the professional made mounts arent compatable. If you have an auto. pm me and I will send you a couple links to find a good vehicle specific mount for your application. Before the XT I had a Roady 2 and I also had it there with velcro, and it didnt interfere with anything and the XT is small enough to use the full cradle and not interfere. Hope this helps, if you have anymore questions send me a pm and I will try to point you in the right direction. A few good sites for you too check out with lots of good information are xmfan and xm411. Good Luck.

 

Thanks for the information. The Sony radio I am installing is XM ready so I won't have to worry about anything other than the antenna converter. I was planning on running the antenna wire out the cab through the third brake light on the cab. Which do you think would be easiest?

Thanks,

 

I ran the antenna wire down the passenger's side, under trim, up and out so that the antenna is mounted about 8-10 inches from the edge of the roof on the passenger's side.
I kept the antenna wire hidden all the way until it runs out to the antenna on the roof.
My XM antenna is magnetic mount and the directions make it clear it should be mounted on the roof. I'm assuming it uses the metal as part of the ground plane for the antenna.
Also, I believe the XM antenna transmits the FM signal played thru the stereo, so having it closer to the stereo antenna would seem to be a good thing.
Regardless, I am using the basic FM transmitted signal (no in-line connection in the stereo antenna line) and am amazed at how good it works.
If you have some open frequencies on the upper end of the dial, it should work good for you too.

If you want, I can tell you how I mounted my XM receiver. It worked out GREAT.

 

I looked into running mine out of the third brake light but I found that the headliner had to be removed and then theres the water leakeage issues and I looked around a bit and found this way, It is almost totally hidden with no wires showing. BrianA, I would LOVE to see how your reciever is hooked up, I searched and searched all over for one decent clean install on a manuel and havent found one. I at one point made my own bracket on my Roady 2, and can be seen in my gallery, but did away with it cause it took away my ability to easily move it between the house and the truck.

 

OK, I'll try and get a few pics loaded into my gallery. It would be much easier to see rather than explain.
I will tell you, I made a "custom" bracket (just a bent piece of aluminum) and used the dead space in the adapter kit used to install an aftermarket stereo in the F150.
In looking at your pics, your dead spce is above your stereo. Mine is below, but I feel sure the same would work for you.
It worked out REALLY nice.
I'll TRY and get pics tonight, but it might be a day or two.

I'll post back here when the pics are loaded.

Maybe this thread should be in the Audio forum ???

 

This is what I did with my Roady 2 before it messed up. Yours something like that? I still want to see pics though, I always like to see other peoples trucks. How is your antennae mounted?

 

Bingo! Same as what I did.
Some pics (albeit not very good ones) are now in my gallery.

My antenna is mounted on the roof centered front-rear on passenger's side, about a foot from the edge of the truck.
I used spiral wrap and a small piece of velcro to dress it up and hold the wire secured.
I'll try and get a pic when it is daytime.

 

how do you run the antenna wire under the weather stripping? do you just kinda pull the stripping up and shove the wire under it?

 

Thats what I did and it seems to be working pretty good. Just kind of shove the wire up under the weatherstripping.

 

I did the same. It works fine.

 

Brian,

If you don't mind let me know how and where you mounted the receiver. I seem to be a little limited due to cable length. I have installed the antenna but am still considering going out the back so I can get it out of view. Any more thoughts on that idea? Thanks again for all the help so far!

srb1194