Anybody found the best place to mount a satellite radio

[guyzilla]

in an '03 H2? I was considering the dash right behind the AC vents but it would be awfully visible to thieves? or right under the ignition but it's kinda hard to see and difficult to release the hatch to make it portable?
Also does the 3M sticky tape used to mount one work well (or too well, will i ever be able to remove the stickum?)
I will not be hardwiring it since i'm afraid of removing the stereo so i will be playing it thru an fm frequency.
Thanks.

[guyzilla]

in an '03 H2? I was considering the dash right behind the AC vents but it would be awfully visible to thieves? or right under the ignition but it's kinda hard to see and difficult to release the hatch to make it portable?
Also does the 3M sticky tape used to mount one work well (or too well, will i ever be able to remove the stickum?)
I will not be hardwiring it since i'm afraid of removing the stereo so i will be playing it thru an fm frequency.
Thanks.

[ratesguy]

I mounted an xm my/fi in between the center vents and just a bit lower than the vents. It still allows use of the cd changer. The 3m tape works very well. I did not mount the antenna, just rolled it up and put it behind the unit. I get excellent reception just having the antenna on the dash. I worried about thieves but unless you are real tall and the unit is on you cant really see it. I take it in at night.

[austoak]

I have the small little square tuner that is wired into the H-2 stereo. I have a sunroof so I mounted it up above on the backing of where the controls are for the roof and garage doors. This way you just look up and hit the buttons. I just didn't like the look of it stuck on my dash somewhere. Where it is now you dont even see any wiring nor do you even know its there unless you look up.

[guyzilla]

Thanks for the suggestions. I believe i have found the perfect place for me to mount it. I took the plastic removeable ashtray cup that came with my H2 that i never used and mounted it to the top of it. I then just simply put it in my front cup holder. I can even lift the plastic lid and put any excess wiring that i may have in there. Easily removable and now i don't have to f'up my dash with glue.
Now i need to find the best/easiest way to run the antenna wire from the cup holder, under the steering wheel, and somehow around the window siding for a rooftop antenna mount about a foot behind the onstar antenna? I can't get the damn wire to stay tucked into the window/door trim and i don't think small pieces of tape will stick for long?

[Spike]

I just picked up the Sirius Sportster last night. $129.00 at Circuit city complete with car dock, antenna and cigarette lighter power cord. If anyone has pictures of a portable satelite radio install please post them. Here is a picture of the unit I got.

[Spike]

Satelite radio is installed, up and running. Installation was a breeze. It took me longer to decide where to put the unit than the actual install. I'll post pictures in a few minutes.

[Spike]

OK gang, here it is. Sirius Sportster Plug and Play Satelite Radio. It truly is plug and play. I didn't need any tools for the install except 1 phillips head screwdriver to screw the docking bay to the mounting base. I mounted on the dash to the left of the steering wheel. This way it did not impede my vision. I tried it in the center above the 2 vents and it does impede your vision to some extent.

[Spike]

Close up view

[Spike]

Antenna mount on roof

[Spike]

Another angle antenna mount

[Spike]

I ran the antenna wire up inside between the rubber moulding and the headliner up the entire driverside of the vehicle.

[Spike]

Then I removed the pillar garnish and ran the wire down that and out the bottom to the unit.

[Spike]

where wire came out from pillar garnish and goes into unit

[Spike]

Next I ran the power cord into the same opening as the antenna wire but then ran it down the side of the dash behind the acess panel

[Spike]

Then I ran the power cord across the bottom of the dash around the base of the center console tucking the wire in where the console and the carpet meet.

[Spike]

Then I ran the wire behind the foam between the console and the dash and out in the middle and into the cigarette lighter plug.

[Spike]

Remote

[Spike]

Fits perfectly in console recess

[Spike]

I activated the service online and it was working in less than 5 minutes.
Now I have to go gas up so I can sit out in the truck and listen to it.

[guyzilla]

excellent pictures! i'm gonna use these as reference when i run my antenna wire. Two things: is your antenna mount far enough away from your roof rack bar so as not to cause interference? if you put your remote in that console where do you keep your coins? i was thinking about putting a little velcro down on top of my center console or somewhere else like that?
Thanks again!

[Spike]

So far I am getting 3 bars which is the maximum for a signal. If it becomes a problem I can still move the antenna because 1)it is magnetic and 2) I coiled up all of the excess slack (about 4 feet) in the back of the vehicle and pushed it up in the ceiling liner above the spare tire. I can move the antenna and pull out as much as I need later if I have to.

I actually cut some velcro to mount the little remote to the dash board but when I saw that it fit in the coin slot I thought I would give it a try. If it starts to fall out while driving I will use the velcro. I was thinking of velcoing it to the dash board on the strip between the climate controls and the airride/traction/towing controls.

As far as the coins go, when I get them I actually throw them at people as I pass by them. http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif (Just Kidding) Actually I put all my accumulated change in the ashtray.

Let me know how your install goes and if you have any other questions feel free to ask. Good Luck with it.