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Nav & Satellite radio antenna placement by Chief08
Started on: 12-29-2020 10:35 AM
Replies: 15 (327 views)
Last post by: Chief08 on 01-01-2021 06:28 PM
Chief08
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Report this Post12-29-2020 10:35 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Chief08Send a Private Message to Chief08Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
So I got a new double din head unit with nav & sirius radio. Where have you guys and girls mounted the antennas for these? The sat radio antenna is magnetic and it is supposed to be mounted outside and on top of the car, but obviously that won't work on a Fiero not to mention there isn't a good way to hide the wire. As for the GPS antenna, it comes with a pad that it has to be mounted on, but I don't want that on my dash. I was thinking of mounting it under the hood, but I believe that like the sat radio, it needs line of sight, so I'm not sure how the reception would be. Thanks in advance.

Dave
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ragoldsmith
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Report this Post12-29-2020 11:20 AM Click Here to See the Profile for ragoldsmithSend a Private Message to ragoldsmithEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Chief08:

So I got a new double din head unit with nav & sirius radio. Where have you guys and girls mounted the antennas for these? The sat radio antenna is magnetic and it is supposed to be mounted outside and on top of the car, but obviously that won't work on a Fiero not to mention there isn't a good way to hide the wire. As for the GPS antenna, it comes with a pad that it has to be mounted on, but I don't want that on my dash. I was thinking of mounting it under the hood, but I believe that like the sat radio, it needs line of sight, so I'm not sure how the reception would be. Thanks in advance.

Dave


How did you mount the double din head unit? I am currently in the process of installing one and I’m trying to figure out a mounting solution.

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Chief08
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Report this Post12-29-2020 11:32 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Chief08Send a Private Message to Chief08Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by ragoldsmith:


How did you mount the double din head unit? I am currently in the process of installing one and I’m trying to figure out a mounting solution.


I have the G1 dash which has a double din opening.
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Report this Post12-29-2020 02:23 PM Click Here to See the Profile for predmeisterSend a Private Message to predmeisterEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
there is a guy on several of the fiero facebook groups that does a double din kit. His name is Brad Wilbur. I have the the satellite antenna on my car . PM me your cell and I will send pics. too much of a pain to do it here
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TM_Fiero
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Report this Post12-29-2020 04:08 PM Click Here to See the Profile for TM_FieroSend a Private Message to TM_FieroEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
I put my XM antenna in the middle of the defroster vent inside the windshield. The grate is steel for the magnetic mount to stick to. I never had any problems with reception.
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Report this Post12-29-2020 06:12 PM Click Here to See the Profile for hnthompsSend a Private Message to hnthompsEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
My NAV/GPS antenna is mounted on the plastic cover at the back side of a t-top setup and the wire runs around the rear window and to the center console radio/HVAC stack. The hard top setup is similar but just mounted on the roof. GPS Signal reception at this location has always been good.





Nelson

[This message has been edited by hnthomps (edited 01-04-2021).]

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Chief08
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Report this Post12-29-2020 06:15 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Chief08Send a Private Message to Chief08Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by hnthomps:

My NAV/GPS antenna is mounted on the plastic cover at the back side of a t-top setup and the wire runs around the rear window and to the center console radio/HVAC stack. The hard top setup is similar but just mounted on the roof.

Nelson


I also have t-tops. I thought of putting it where you did, but there isn't a good way to hide the wire.
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dremu
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Report this Post12-30-2020 12:55 PM Click Here to See the Profile for dremuSend a Private Message to dremuEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Can't speak to sat radio, though I'd also imagine it works like GPS.

For my GPS, I ran the wire through an existing grommet in the firewall (somewhere above the pedals IIRC) and then stuck the antenna pod on the driver's side wheel well outboard of the brake booster. Seems to pick up just fine, and you don't need to dink with running wires outside the car or your dash.

-- A

[This message has been edited by dremu (edited 12-30-2020).]

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dremu
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Report this Post12-30-2020 01:04 PM Click Here to See the Profile for dremuSend a Private Message to dremuEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post

dremu

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quote
Originally posted by ragoldsmith:


How did you mount the double din head unit? I am currently in the process of installing one and I’m trying to figure out a mounting solution.


Don't mean to hijack the OP's post, but the problem isn't *mounting* a double-DIN -- that's easy enough, just cut the side brackets -- it's making the faceplate look nice. See

//www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/098889.html

//www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/099141.html

You'll also find the climate controls become ergonomically awful, even in the Fiero where everything is ergonomically awful to begin with. I ended moving the radio up and the climate down, like the second link, even though it was a ton more work and essentially irreversible.

-- A
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ragoldsmith
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Report this Post12-30-2020 06:31 PM Click Here to See the Profile for ragoldsmithSend a Private Message to ragoldsmithEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by dremu:


Don't mean to hijack the OP's post, but the problem isn't *mounting* a double-DIN -- that's easy enough, just cut the side brackets -- it's making the faceplate look nice. See

//www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/098889.html

//www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/099141.html

You'll also find the climate controls become ergonomically awful, even in the Fiero where everything is ergonomically awful to begin with. I ended moving the radio up and the climate down, like the second link, even though it was a ton more work and essentially irreversible.

-- A


I actually read through that post when I was doing research for the double-din unit. I'm already in the middle of switching the stereo and the climate controls. I bought an extra bezel to use as a template (or base) for a fully custom fiberglass replacement. I don't want big gaps or additional plastic surrounds for the stereo. Thanks for the help!
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Report this Post12-30-2020 09:21 PM Click Here to See the Profile for cyrus88Send a Private Message to cyrus88Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
I put the GPS Antenna somewhere high on the windshield in all my cars. In my Fiero it's on the driver's side upper corner.

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Report this Post12-31-2020 11:27 AM Click Here to See the Profile for ragoldsmithSend a Private Message to ragoldsmithEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Chief08:

So I got a new double din head unit with nav & sirius radio. Where have you guys and girls mounted the antennas for these? The sat radio antenna is magnetic and it is supposed to be mounted outside and on top of the car, but obviously that won't work on a Fiero not to mention there isn't a good way to hide the wire. As for the GPS antenna, it comes with a pad that it has to be mounted on, but I don't want that on my dash. I was thinking of mounting it under the hood, but I believe that like the sat radio, it needs line of sight, so I'm not sure how the reception would be. Thanks in advance.

Dave


Please post photos when you figure out where you’re going to mount the antennas. Interested to see what you come up with.
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Chief08
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Report this Post12-31-2020 12:02 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Chief08Send a Private Message to Chief08Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by ragoldsmith:


Please post photos when you figure out where you’re going to mount the antennas. Interested to see what you come up with.


Will do. For now my plan is to mount the GPS antenna on the wheel well as Dremu suggested. I'll mount the sat radio antenna on the defroster grate first and if the reception is bad, I'll have to mount it outside the car.
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Chief08
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Report this Post12-31-2020 05:12 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Chief08Send a Private Message to Chief08Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post

Chief08

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Here is the GPS antenna mounted on the wheel well.

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Report this Post01-01-2021 05:29 PM Click Here to See the Profile for theogreClick Here to visit theogre's HomePageSend a Private Message to theogreEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Not sure about sat "radio" but Many magnet mount antennas use body the magnet uses to mount as part of the antenna often called a "Ground plane."

If antenna doesn't mounted to metal right then get a crap signal.

Mounted to windshield defog screen maybe better then 2 side tape holding on to plastic.
Or maybe metal under roof skin is good enough.

GPS "brick" under hood might work for some and not others. Example: Some paints may act like E-shield and block signal sim to metal under 84-87 rear deck.
This is on top of other problems often blocking GPS.
When outside of cities, Many units see 6 or often way more sat's but in big cities many have a hard time keeping 3 sat's minimum that it needs to work. Mounting the "brick" under "plastic" body panels can degrade the signal more.

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Chief08
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Report this Post01-01-2021 06:28 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Chief08Send a Private Message to Chief08Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by theogre:

Not sure about sat "radio" but Many magnet mount antennas use body the magnet uses to mount as part of the antenna often called a "Ground plane."

If antenna doesn't mounted to metal right then get a crap signal.

Mounted to windshield defog screen maybe better then 2 side tape holding on to plastic.
Or maybe metal under roof skin is good enough.

GPS "brick" under hood might work for some and not others. Example: Some paints may act like E-shield and block signal sim to metal under 84-87 rear deck.
This is on top of other problems often blocking GPS.
When outside of cities, Many units see 6 or often way more sat's but in big cities many have a hard time keeping 3 sat's minimum that it needs to work. Mounting the "brick" under "plastic" body panels can degrade the signal more.



The GPS antenna that came with my head unit came with a magnetic pad which is what is stuck to the metal wheel well, and the antenna sits on top of that. We'll see how it works once I get everything put back together.
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