2005. Sirius radio antenna location.

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BigAl

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Feb 8, 2019
Thunderbird Year
2005
I'm installing a new Sirius ready Kenwood unit in my 2005. Purchased from Crutchfield so there's plenty of info on the install. My question is the location of the Sirius antenna.
I talked with Crutchfield tech help but they couldn't give me a definitive answer. Magnetized antenna but obviously it won't stick to either the front hood or the trunk lid in order to put it out in the open where it will work best.
He suggested mounting it on the dash right up against the windshield. My concern with that is the signal will be blocked by the roof in certain conditions.
My question. Has anyone done an install like this, where did they place the antenna, and how did it work?
Thanks, Al
 

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I'm installing a new Sirius ready Kenwood unit in my 2005. Purchased from Crutchfield so there's plenty of info on the install. My question is the location of the Sirius antenna.
I talked with Crutchfield tech help but they couldn't give me a definitive answer. Magnetized antenna but obviously it won't stick to either the front hood or the trunk lid in order to put it out in the open where it will work best.
He suggested mounting it on the dash right up against the windshield. My concern with that is the signal will be blocked by the roof in certain conditions.
My question. Has anyone done an install like this, where did they place the antenna, and how did it work?
Thanks, Al
On the rear deck by the third stop lite in the center !
 
I'm installing a new Sirius ready Kenwood unit in my 2005. Purchased from Crutchfield so there's plenty of info on the install. My question is the location of the Sirius antenna.
I talked with Crutchfield tech help but they couldn't give me a definitive answer. Magnetized antenna but obviously it won't stick to either the front hood or the trunk lid in order to put it out in the open where it will work best.
He suggested mounting it on the dash right up against the windshield. My concern with that is the signal will be blocked by the roof in certain conditions.
My question. Has anyone done an install like this, where did they place the antenna, and how did it work?
Thanks, Al

In my '04, we routed the antenna cable through the right fender and up to the hood hinge, and under the hood insulation to place the antenna in the well under the hood scoop. Works fine, and is an invisible, seamless install.
 
I'm installing a new Sirius ready Kenwood unit in my 2005. Purchased from Crutchfield so there's plenty of info on the install. My question is the location of the Sirius antenna.
I talked with Crutchfield tech help but they couldn't give me a definitive answer. Magnetized antenna but obviously it won't stick to either the front hood or the trunk lid in order to put it out in the open where it will work best.
He suggested mounting it on the dash right up against the windshield. My concern with that is the signal will be blocked by the roof in certain conditions.
My question. Has anyone done an install like this, where did they place the antenna, and how did it work?
Thanks, Al
Hi, I mounted mine on the trunk lid with the clip that came with the Sirius unit on2003 works great. Chief USN RET
 
I mounted mine in the trunk in the tray around the trunk. Trunk lid hides it and never had a problem.
 
I'm installing a new Sirius ready Kenwood unit in my 2005. Purchased from Crutchfield so there's plenty of info on the install. My question is the location of the Sirius antenna.
I talked with Crutchfield tech help but they couldn't give me a definitive answer. Magnetized antenna but obviously it won't stick to either the front hood or the trunk lid in order to put it out in the open where it will work best.
He suggested mounting it on the dash right up against the windshield. My concern with that is the signal will be blocked by the roof in certain conditions.
My question. Has anyone done an install like this, where did they place the antenna, and how did it work?
Thanks, Al
Just a thought for everyone that might read this thread, you can save a lot of money on replacement head units with nav or having to run an external sirius antenna!! Get a head unit (radio/stereo) that is android auto/ apple carplay compatible, download the sirius/xm app on your phone, plug-in usb or bluetooth and just use the phone as the receiver. You can listen to your favorite music source and/or use google maps or waze to get you to your destination. I did this with my '04 T-bird. A couple of points of $aving$: One, map updates are expensive and the maps you get with the head unit will be out of date in two years; Two, every sirius device you connect to the service requires a subscription, with the subscription you also get access to sirius through the sirius app (no extra charge)!!
 
Ideally any antenna for a satellite radio should be placed on the highest unobstructed point of the car. On the retro birds that place is the center of the shiny plastic windshield surround. My tech ran the wire from the unit up the right pillar behind the pillar cover and then next to the header’s weather seal. He added a bead of black rubber sealant to make sure it he header remained weathertight. I have no leaks and it looks good. In the factory installation by the way the antenna was placed on top of right side dashboard just under the windshield.
 
The electronic hidden antenna module is located on the right A-pillar. When the radio is powered up, audio output signals are then sent continuously to the subwoofer amplifier and center imaging amplifier. These signals are then amplified and sent to the speakers as a fluctuating AC voltage, thus producing sound from the speakers.

Antenna Module.jpg

The antenna isolator module is located at the top center of the windshield and reduces interference thus helping to create clear sound when the radio is in use.

Antenna Isolator Module.jpg

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue
 
I'm installing a new Sirius ready Kenwood unit in my 2005. Purchased from Crutchfield so there's plenty of info on the install. My question is the location of the Sirius antenna.
I talked with Crutchfield tech help but they couldn't give me a definitive answer. Magnetized antenna but obviously it won't stick to either the front hood or the trunk lid in order to put it out in the open where it will work best.
He suggested mounting it on the dash right up against the windshield. My concern with that is the signal will be blocked by the roof in certain conditions.
My question. Has anyone done an install like this, where did they place the antenna, and how did it work?
Thanks, Al
Ours is in the middle of the dash, right up under the windshield. It works perfectly. No signal blockage other than the usual: tall buildings, thick tree cover, etc.
 
I'm installing a new Sirius ready Kenwood unit in my 2005. Purchased from Crutchfield so there's plenty of info on the install. My question is the location of the Sirius antenna.
I talked with Crutchfield tech help but they couldn't give me a definitive answer. Magnetized antenna but obviously it won't stick to either the front hood or the trunk lid in order to put it out in the open where it will work best.
He suggested mounting it on the dash right up against the windshield. My concern with that is the signal will be blocked by the roof in certain conditions.
My question. Has anyone done an install like this, where did they place the antenna, and how did it work?
Thanks, Al
Big Al,
I had Jose, the Auto Geek installer at Bet Buy in Stuart FL install a Kenwood Model DNR476S in my 05 a month ago with navigation, Sirius , blue tooth, Android Auto backup camera, etc. Very nice guy who did a good job. He wanted to keep it out of site and his first location was interfering with reception. I took it back and he put it under the dash forward of the wheel but I don't know the exact location.
Best, Chuck Tartan
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'm installing a new Sirius ready Kenwood unit in my 2005. Purchased from Crutchfield so there's plenty of info on the install. My question is the location of the Sirius antenna.
I talked with Crutchfield tech help but they couldn't give me a definitive answer. Magnetized antenna but obviously it won't stick to either the front hood or the trunk lid in order to put it out in the open where it will work best.
He suggested mounting it on the dash right up against the windshield. My concern with that is the signal will be blocked by the roof in certain conditions.
My question. Has anyone done an install like this, where did they place the antenna, and how did it work?
Thanks, Al
I never replaced the factory radio in my 04 Pacific Coast Roadster, but I had Crutchfield in CVille mount the antenna low on the dash on my 07 Mustang GT during the install of an Alpine system and it works perfectly (see pic). I never drop the signal on Sirius unless I’m obstructed in the garage or under an overpass. It wasn’t my idea, and it came with the tech’s disclosure that it may rarely drop the signal for a moment, but it has been a total success for me.
 

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