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View Full Version : XM radio and XTC Lightbar?

kazarw
10-26-2005, 10:08 PM
Anyone having issues with XM radio reception after installing the XTC lightbar? Seems like my XM reception is very poor since I put on the light bar. It drops for hours and sometimes days, but then it returns...very erratic.

Anyone have a solution? Maybe a new antenna? The H2 is at the dealer and they're blaming the lightbar....I'm not sure I agree though. As it does work for days and then drops occasionally. http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif
kazarw
10-26-2005, 10:08 PM
Anyone having issues with XM radio reception after installing the XTC lightbar? Seems like my XM reception is very poor since I put on the light bar. It drops for hours and sometimes days, but then it returns...very erratic.

Anyone have a solution? Maybe a new antenna? The H2 is at the dealer and they're blaming the lightbar....I'm not sure I agree though. As it does work for days and then drops occasionally. http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif
rodster
10-26-2005, 11:46 PM
Is the lightbar on top of the antenna?

FWIW, my Gobi rack with lights is barely touching the the tip of the antenna and I have no signal loss. When I had the rack's wind fairing on (which completely covered the antenna), I did lose the signal but only for a matter of seconds.
kazarw
10-27-2005, 08:27 AM
No,

The lightbar is up to the stop markings on the roof rack. It doesn't cover the top of the antenna and is probably a few inches awway from the tip of the antenna as well.
timgco
10-27-2005, 06:57 PM
This has been a more common issue lately. The XM receivers have a stonger/ weaker margin with some. I have recently done some tests to see what the issues could be... since I cannot get a staight answer from any techs.

I took a teflon coated cooking pan and placed it over the antenna. Onstar, Nav, and XM still work. If I held a 1" steel tube in front or to the side (within 3" of the antenna, I lost XM, but NAV, and Onstar would still work. So with doing these test on a few different trucks including H2's and H3's, some would do loose XM and others would not. The only thing I can tell from this would be to GUESS that the XM receivers have margin for being stronger/ weaker form the factory. BTW- I think most dealers are going to say NO WARRANTY.

Anyone else?
rodster
10-27-2005, 07:25 PM
Interesting theory, Tim, and sounds viable. It could be either the radio or the antenna or the cable between them. I would like to have seen you driving down the road with a frying pan and pipe out the sunroof. http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

kazarw -- Seems to me the XTC lights need to come off to see if the problem persists.
kodiakz
10-30-2005, 05:13 AM
Easy to troubleshoot. Grab a newer Terk micro antenna and stick it to the roof somewhere else temporarily. Route the cable in a window or through the sunroof and behind the glovebox to the oem tuner. Remove the oem antenna connection (cyan yellow in color) and plug in the Terk (pink connector). Try that and you will quickly know if it is a factory antenna prob or not.
kazarw
11-06-2005, 05:42 PM
Dealer installed XM new antenna base, and the problem went away. thanks for all your input.....