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Topic: Roof penetration (Read 831 times) previous topic - next topic

Roof penetration

                       Trying to find a place to get our XM antenna through the roof without drilling a hole. I can route the wire from the dash to the removable panel at the drivers side windshield and up into the overhead cabinet.
        It doesn't appear that there is any direct access to any of the existing penetrations or raceways like the crank-up tv antenna etc.

            We have it mounted on the dash at an angle against the windshield and it works okay but cuts out frequently. I even considered routing it onto the top of the drivers mirror.
 Any suggestions?

            Thanks, Dean
Dean & Deirdre

2012 Arctic Fox 22GQ
Was 2003 U270

Re: Roof penetration

Reply #1 –
Driver mirror would get lots of signal.  I have mine on the dash, but have Grand Villa sloped windshield.  I move it from the coach to the motorcycle to the van as needed.  I do find a flat position is better than anyone with some slope on the bike.
Dave Cobb
Buckhorn Lake Resort The Club, #6202, Kerrville TX
check the map.  I do rent it out when I am traveling!
2001, U320, 36' #5887, in Kerrville, FT Club #17006, (7/23 to present)
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Summit, white
EX: 98 U295, 36' #5219, (mid door), (4/13-10/23)
EX: 93 U225, 36' (4/11 to 4/13)

Re: Roof penetration

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Dean & Dee –
Trying to find a place to get our XM antenna through the roof without drilling a hole.
Thanks, Dean

We routed our XM antenna up the wooden race-way that mounts the Dometic thermostat, then through the street-side cabinet to the roof. Quite simple, actually. I put our XM module under the couch, so that routing worked particularly well.
Chad & Judy
'98 U320 - Build #5315
Motorcade 16317
Wickenburg, AZ

Re: Roof penetration

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Dave and Dolly Cobb –
Driver mirror would get lots of signal.
                Thanks Dave.  Actually the after looking at it again I am thinking the passenger mirror might have better line of sight because it is out in front of the windshield. I have my drivers side tucked back to the side window.
                    Will have to look at the difficulty in routing the wire to that side and up behind the mirror glass. I want as little exposed wire as possible.

                        Dean
Dean & Deirdre

2012 Arctic Fox 22GQ
Was 2003 U270

Re: Roof penetration

Reply #4 –
Hi Dean,

I put my XM antenna on the dash - works great, no drop-outs.

Jim

2002 U320
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'

Re: Roof penetration

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Chad and Judy –
[Snip: Trying to find a place to get our XM antenna through the roof without drilling a hole.]

We routed our XM antenna up the wooden race-way that mounts the Dometic thermostat, then through the street-side cabinet to the roof.

                    Did you drill through the roof or use an existing hole? I just have a block with drilling the roof although that's probably the easiest solution.
Dean & Deirdre

2012 Arctic Fox 22GQ
Was 2003 U270

Re: Roof penetration

Reply #6 –
Attach small XM antenna top side facing the sky directly under the front fiberglass cap inside the cabinet over the dash area. Access the back of the cap by removing thin panel vertical wall. This will be about the same as being on the top of the roof as fiberglass will not stop radio waves. You may also attach it a little further to the rear within the cabinet to be under the roof, but you risk being under a metal roof support. You could attach it with Velcro or you could make a 'shelf' under cap and place the XM antenna on it.

We mounted an aluminum plate on our roof to which we have a tall marine XM antenna, and other antennas for cell, GPS, FM, CB. All of our cables enter roof through a hole siliconed to a waterproof solar combiner box. Underside of roof hole is in cabinet above dash. We mounted a black wire management strip against the center windshield vertical rubber molding and all cables from above dash cabinet to dash are hidden in it.

Re: Roof penetration

Reply #8 –
               Went with Barry's suggestion and pulled the antenna up into the overhead cabinet. I turned on the XM radio and went to the signal strength screen. Moved the antenna around until I got full bars which was about over the TV. Velcroed it on and put everything back together. Works great.

                          Thanks, Dean
Dean & Deirdre

2012 Arctic Fox 22GQ
Was 2003 U270

Re: Roof penetration

Reply #9 –
Took Barry's advice and mounted our Sirius XM antenna at the top of the front end cap.  it points up.  See photos below.  This is an easy area to access in our coach because the TV is there.  Seems to work like a charm, even in our RV garage.  I put the tuner in the cabinet in front of the passenger seat.  Again, easy access.  The audio runs into our Yamaha receiver which is in the cabinet above the driver's seat.

George
The selected media item is not currently available.
George Hatfield

  Never ever use World Line Motors of Nacogdoches for service!

Re: Roof penetration

Reply #10 –
Quote from: George Hatfield –
Took Barry's advice and mounted our Sirius XM antenna at the top of the front end cap.  it points up.  See photos below.  This is an easy area to access in our coach because the TV is there.  Seems to work like a charm, even in our RV garage.  I put the tuner in the cabinet in front of the passenger seat.  Again, easy access.  The audio runs into our Yamaha receiver which is in the cabinet above the driver's seat.George
FYI, this is the home installation kit for SiriusXM satellite ratio.  I'll explain below why we chose that kit for the coach instead of the vehicle installation kit.

We wanted only the minimum SiriusXM package - $7.99 a la carte and no contract.  It requires a specific (limited) choice of receiver - and I chose the Starmate 8.  It is a dock-and-play model which we wanted in order to easily move the receiver from car to coach to house.  The main package comes with a vehicle mount, so I purchased a "second vehicle kit" and a "home installation kit."  I used the home installation kit in the house, with its indoor/outdoor antenna, to activate the account - and temporarily used powered/amplified computer speakers at my desk near a window to set it up.  Then, the "ah ha" moment... our receiver is in the middle of the house (not near a window), and we would need additional modification to play it through the speaker system at home.  Forget that... besides, we can play Pandora through the DirecTV DVR.

The vehicle installation kit (and dock) that came with the receiver went into the toad (Honda CRV).  So, we returned the second vehicle kit and decided to see about making the home installation kit work in the coach, since we were going to run it through the Yamaha receiver anyway.  And that is what you see in George's post.  Going down the road, we will use the inverter (which we hardly ever use for anything... this will keep it used/exercised on a somewhat regular basis) to power the SiriusXM radio and the Yamaha receivers.

In retrospect, we probably could have used the "second vehicle installation kit" in the coach instead of the home kit... but Amazon has a good return policy for unopened products... so why not?

FYI, at the time I ordered, the best price I found for the receiver and installation kit was on Amazon.  ^.^d
The selected media item is not currently available.Pat Hatfield
2000 U295 3600 #5666 WTFE (sold 1/7/20)
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
previously: 2003 U295 3610 #6228 (sold 5/29/14)
previously:  2009 Honda CRV (sold 6/9/14)