XM radio

BirdeeGirl · 10-04-2018, 09:52 AM

I have a 2018 31L5. Does anybody know if the antenna wire for satellite radio is already there and just needs a module or do I have to run wires?

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I have a dome on the roof over the drivers side. Haven’t pulled it off as we’re leaving in the morning on a trip.

bclinton · 10-04-2018, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirdeeGirl

I have a 2018 31L5. Does anybody know if the antenna wire for satellite radio is already there and just needs a module or do I have to run wires?Attachment 188205 I have a dome on the roof over the drivers side. Haven’t pulled it off as we’re leaving in the morning on a trip.

I just added a radio to my 31B3. I do not think they come prewired. My radio showed XM ready. I picked up this at Best buy. It comes with 3 free months. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/siriusx...?skuId=1489779

They will price match Amazon for $49. Easy install into the Aux jack of my radio. 12 volt power right there too. I ran the long antenna wire that came with the unit tucked under the edge of my dash and it sits next to my window in the middle. Works fine. Love the XM for long trips.

BirdeeGirl · 10-04-2018, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bclinton

I just added a radio to my 31B3. I do not think they come prewired. My radio showed XM ready. I picked up this at Best buy. It comes with 3 free months. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/siriusx...?skuId=1489779

They will price match Amazon for $49. Easy install into the Aux jack of my radio. 12 volt power right there too. I ran the long antenna wire that came with the unit tucked under the edge of my dash and it sits next to my window in the middle. Works fine. Love the XM for long trips.

Thanks. There is no auxiliary jack on my radio unless it’s in the back.

bclinton · 10-04-2018, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirdeeGirl

Thanks. There is no auxiliary jack on my radio unless it’s in the back.

It will be around back. I had to take 6 screws off the panel and it pulls out. Lots of wires behind there. If you pull up your inputs on the radio screen and you see AUX you have a jack input in the back that will take the feed from the XM radio.

Here are a few pics to give you a better idea.....my panel has 2 12 volt outlets. I took 1 out to use for the XM and have a place to feel the XM radio wires in behind my panel.

Gudmund · 10-04-2018, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bclinton

I ran the long antenna wire that came with the unit tucked under the edge of my dash and it sits next to my window in the middle. Works fine. Love the XM for long trips.

I am curious about your antenna location - inside the coach? Do you not get a loss of signal when travelling north-east, or when the coach blocks the direct line from the antenna to the satellite?

Gudmund

bclinton · 10-04-2018, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gudmund

I am curious about your antenna location - inside the coach? Do you not get a loss of signal when travelling north-east, or when the coach blocks the direct line from the antenna to the satellite?

Gudmund

Signal loss was very infrequent. Not enough to make me want to see how to place on the exterior. I included a pic of the antenna in the earlier post...

BirdeeGirl · 10-04-2018, 11:05 AM

Ok. Thanks for the pic. That helps. If there is no wire there for it I really don’t want to try and get one to the roof. That setup would be fine with me.

bclinton · 10-04-2018, 11:09 AM

The radio is basically free when you get the 3 months service free. I have heard that you call them right before the 3 months is up and threaten to cancel and they offer you a reduced rate to keep you. Usually around $100 for a year which for me is reasonable. I plan on doing that in about 2 months.

BirdeeGirl · 10-04-2018, 09:03 PM

Contacted forest river. They said there should be an an antenna wire behind the radio to plug in to the module.

bclinton · 10-04-2018, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirdeeGirl

Contacted forest river. They said there should be an an antenna wire behind the radio to plug in to the module.

Interesting.....let us know if you find one. I will look for it if you have any luck.

BirdeeGirl · 10-05-2018, 04:59 AM

I will let you know. Will be in Lake George for a week so it won’t be until after that.

cstrunk5040 · 10-05-2018, 06:03 AM

I took the easier way out. Put the SiriusXM app on my iPhone, which is connected by Bluetooth to the radio. Worked perfectly on a 1300 mile trip last week.

BirdeeGirl · 10-05-2018, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cstrunk5040

I took the easier way out. Put the SiriusXM app on my iPhone, which is connected by Bluetooth to the radio. Worked perfectly on a 1300 mile trip last week.

Does that eat your data up?

cstrunk5040 · 10-05-2018, 12:25 PM

Total usage on my phone was 2.3 gigabytes. That includes all usage. I listened to Xmas for at least 12 hours.

mdalb20 · 10-07-2018, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bclinton

The radio is basically free when you get the 3 months service free. I have heard that you call them right before the 3 months is up and threaten to cancel and they offer you a reduced rate to keep you. Usually around $100 for a year which for me is reasonable. I plan on doing that in about 2 months.

Hi bclinton
I looked at your picture and it said Sirius ready. I bought the adapter that plugs in back at Best Buy 39 bucks on sale. Just wondering why you bought the whole radio and not the adapter? I am looking for the antenna wire in the clusters of wires ( if there is one) that some people have said lives back there. In the meantime I have run their antenna on the dash. Not ideal but works for us in the meantime

bclinton · 10-07-2018, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdalb20

Hi bclinton
I looked at your picture and it said Sirius ready. I bought the adapter that plugs in back at Best Buy 39 bucks on sale. Just wondering why you bought the whole radio and not the adapter? I am looking for the antenna wire in the clusters of wires ( if there is one) that some people have said lives back there. In the meantime I have run their antenna on the dash. Not ideal but works for us in the meantime

I wanted to have something that I could move to another vehicle and use if I wanted to.

mdalb20 · 10-07-2018, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bclinton

I wanted to have something that I could move to another vehicle and use if I wanted to.

Ok understood.. we went with this.
Thanks
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SiriusXM-...waAiIwEALw_wcB

bclinton · 10-08-2018, 11:00 AM

I pulled my panel off again and took a hard look. I did not see any antenna wire available. I did not open any of the wire bundles that were zip tied so if it was wrapped in them shame on the installer for doing that.

Pipeman · 10-08-2018, 11:11 AM

I bought a truckers' mirror antenna and mounted it on the ladder at the back of my 5th wheel. I then ran the cable down the ladder and under the slide into the trailer. Drilled a hole big enough to push the cable and connector through a cupboard wall and ran it to the portable XM radio. I used it in the house for a few years until the area became so saturated with FM stations that they would interfere with the XM signal. Called them and they sent me a boom box that works great but the truckers ant. does not fit into the ant fitting at the back of the boom box. I hauled the boom box around with us for 2 months this past summer and just used the mag. antenna that came with it inside the 5er. I don't know if you have a ladder and a slide close enough to each other to do what I did but mine is an example of what I did. I realize we are talking MH and 5th wheel.

mdalb20 · 10-08-2018, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bclinton

I pulled my panel off again and took a hard look. I did not see any antenna wire available. I did not open any of the wire bundles that were zip tied so if it was wrapped in them shame on the installer for doing that.

Agreed. I will look again also. If I find it I will report

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