Sirius/XM antenna location

[Auggie]

I have a 2013 GL 1800 with navigation and satellite radio. I have given up on the navi system as it is not user friendly especially to me. I do have and would like to know where the antenna for the satellite radio is located. Mine as well as others, have the issue of the reception cutting out from time to time. My son has an external antenna on his satellite radio and this doesn't happen to his. I also put a Roady in a previous , 2001, with an external antenna and it never cut out. I would like to know where it is located and the wired that connect to it. I want to relocate to the dash. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[WingAdmin]

I have a 2013 GL 1800 with navigation and satellite radio. I have given up on the navi system as it is not user friendly especially to me. I do have and would like to know where the antenna for the satellite radio is located. Mine as well as others, have the issue of the reception cutting out from time to time. My son has an external antenna on his satellite radio and this doesn't happen to his. I also put a Roady in a previous , 2001, with an external antenna and it never cut out. I would like to know where it is located and the wired that connect to it. I want to relocate to the dash. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

The antenna is actually up at the dash already...except it's UNDER (i.e. inside) the dash.

Have a look at this thread, where it is talked about: viewtopic.php?t=24358

[Wayne]

Relocating the antenna requires a complete teardown of the front of the fairing, much the same as speaker replacment on a 1500. It took me about 2 hours and I relocated it on top of the brake resevoir. Anyone with any knowledge of antennas would know that installing any antenna below a metallic finish would greatly reduce the signal to the antenna.
By relocating antenna the reception was greatly improved. It is the same small rectangular antenna that is used in car kits. I have not found a replacement antenna or cable that mates to the bikes harness.

[Auggie]

Wayne, Were you able to splice in the wire to replace the antenna or did you use the same antenna that came with the bike?

[Wayne]

I traced the coax to connector under the right pocket and unplugged it to reroute it up the right handlebar.

[WingAdmin]

Wayne, Were you able to splice in the wire to replace the antenna or did you use the same antenna that came with the bike?

You can't really splice coax, and especially coax that tiny. And Wayne is right about signal attenuation - especially at the frequencies involved (2.3 GHz), and the signal levels (extremely miniscule).

[Auggie]

So you were able to salvage the original antenna without damaging it? I thought it may need to be replaced if it was tightly secured. I didn't realize it was a coax wire. Good information and thanks. Not to try to get the thing apart. Do either of you have a service manual? I would like to purchase a copy or at least down load a copy. I think having that and the electrical diagrams would be beneficial. Thanks for all of your help so far.

[PastoT]

A couple thoughts. I find when I travel to northern Idaho my Sat radio cuts out more often, the satellite is much farther south. My Sirius antenna is on the center of my dash and worked fine elsewhere. If you're handy soldering you might be able to shorten the coax and solder a new radio end plug; I had to order a 90 degree replacement coax plug and solder it on when mine wore out at the plug. It requires a fine point soldering iron. I can't say for sure shortening the coax is good or bad, I have three antennas all working and all have different length coax cables. My CB Radio days taught me the length of the coax was specific to the wave-length/frequency and coaxial acceleration of the cable itself; length was critical for transmit efficiency but I can't say receive is impacted differently or not. My last thought is replacing the antenna with the vertical rod style sold specifically for motorcycles, they are pricey but it might work better in more northern latitudes.