eightplustwo
12-05-2011, 09:22 PM
I just installed the Sirius tuner to my Pioneer deck, and the thing I hated most about the aftermarket add-on is the unsightly antenna you have to mount on your roof or trunk. I was doing some research on another forum and saw people talking about how you can mount the antenna internally. So I gave it a try.
And it works.
Here's the trick -- I took a tip from someone that said he cut a 2x2" piece of sheet metal and put it under the antenna to increase reception. I took that one step further, and made a 2x2" "black box" with 1/2" sides and 1/2" tabs to mount it with. I cut it with sheers, made the bends, and painted it black with a rattle can. I let it dry then added double-sided tape to the mounting tabs and popped the antenna in. It had good magnetic grip. I then mounted it my dash, as far forward as I could get it with a good clear shot through the windshield. The results are awesome -- I get great reception with it, just as good as I did on my old car with it mounted on roof. And its a nice & clean install as there's nothing to run to the outside of the car. Win.
Someone did say that it works better in the NE, so that works out to the TST area.
UPDATE: I made another one and took some pics.
Tool needed:
24G steel sheet
Tin snips
Sharpie
Vice
Black spray paint
3M double sided tape
Step 1:
Trace out the template below with Sharpie onto the steel sheet
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-l8K5mFoYXVQ/Tt7PY50CwKI/AAAAAAAAA9I/VVjMOJTC8cw/s512/bb1.jpg
Step 2:
After its cut out, make your bends in the vice. It should look like this:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IzXoCnXM-5E/Tt7PZCVhKjI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/yssEPzIIc-U/s512/bb2.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KpDJ4IZJ_O0/Tt7PYcIigyI/AAAAAAAAA9A/e0jIZ03yjkA/s512/bb3.jpg
Step 3:
Spray it with a few coats of black paint. I only painted the "top" where it will sit, so looking down on it. I don't think the bottom side matters. Once it dries, put the 3M double-sided tape on the top tabs and you're good to go. Obviously the notched-out section is for the wire. I notched the edged because the corners are sharp. And after I dropped the antenna in, I ran a layer of electrical tape around the sides to keep it together and finish it off. That's it.
I made this one pretty quickly so its a little sloppy, but you get the idea.
And it works.
Here's the trick -- I took a tip from someone that said he cut a 2x2" piece of sheet metal and put it under the antenna to increase reception. I took that one step further, and made a 2x2" "black box" with 1/2" sides and 1/2" tabs to mount it with. I cut it with sheers, made the bends, and painted it black with a rattle can. I let it dry then added double-sided tape to the mounting tabs and popped the antenna in. It had good magnetic grip. I then mounted it my dash, as far forward as I could get it with a good clear shot through the windshield. The results are awesome -- I get great reception with it, just as good as I did on my old car with it mounted on roof. And its a nice & clean install as there's nothing to run to the outside of the car. Win.
Someone did say that it works better in the NE, so that works out to the TST area.
UPDATE: I made another one and took some pics.
Tool needed:
24G steel sheet
Tin snips
Sharpie
Vice
Black spray paint
3M double sided tape
Step 1:
Trace out the template below with Sharpie onto the steel sheet
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-l8K5mFoYXVQ/Tt7PY50CwKI/AAAAAAAAA9I/VVjMOJTC8cw/s512/bb1.jpg
Step 2:
After its cut out, make your bends in the vice. It should look like this:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IzXoCnXM-5E/Tt7PZCVhKjI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/yssEPzIIc-U/s512/bb2.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KpDJ4IZJ_O0/Tt7PYcIigyI/AAAAAAAAA9A/e0jIZ03yjkA/s512/bb3.jpg
Step 3:
Spray it with a few coats of black paint. I only painted the "top" where it will sit, so looking down on it. I don't think the bottom side matters. Once it dries, put the 3M double-sided tape on the top tabs and you're good to go. Obviously the notched-out section is for the wire. I notched the edged because the corners are sharp. And after I dropped the antenna in, I ran a layer of electrical tape around the sides to keep it together and finish it off. That's it.
I made this one pretty quickly so its a little sloppy, but you get the idea.