Multiplex two GPS and XM ant

[brillmtb1]

Has anyone used y cables to leave stock fin antenna on roof but add XM/sirrus/gps magnetic antenna to hood when using a camper that cuts off reliable signal.

I think there are some sites that say you cant and need to cover one antenna if you have them hooked together. It was a TV antenna site I was reading. Some signals got stronger some no longer picked up.

If anyone has attempted this I am about to and would like to learn. I have a couple splitter cables and even if I have to cover the stock antenna it would be nice to have it set up where I can just flip the magnet antennas from inside the hood to the top when camping.

thanks

 

[lpennock]

There are numerous electrical reasons you shouldn't do it. First an antenna system has a characteristic impedance that everything is designed to work at. When you use the splitter you are cutting the impedance in half which causes reflection of the signal rather than full power transfer. This is a bigger issue with transmitters than receivers but it does cause signal attenuation to the receiver. Second, by having two antenna to the same receiver you are introducing multi path which can cause signal cancelation and other issues.

If you want two antenna it is best to use an RF switch to switch between them or only connect the one you want to be active to the receiver.

 

[brillmtb1]

I may need to go the RF switch route. Does your radio have issues with your camper on

 

[brillmtb1]

I think the two antennas we have in the sharkfin do come together in one plug to the back of the radio but probably they are two distinct signals so perhaps dont interfer with each other. With these funny cables they use I am trying to find an RF switch that they can plug into.

 

[lpennock]

The antenna are tuned for different frequencies so they are only passing one signal. Different than having 2 antenna on same frequency that you asked about.

 

[SSchang]

I have the same problem with my 2022 Ram and truck camper. Do you have just the sharkfin antenna on the roof? I have a sharkfin and a square puck antenna on the front edge of the roof between the running lights. Not sure which antenna collects which signals(s).

 

[Topzide]

The puck is satellite, fin is the AM/FM. I would've thought that there would be a remote mount setup for those with the truck campers. A setup the would allow them to be transferred to top of the camper would be the best option out there. We'll keep digging to see what can be had.Just found this, https://www.truckcampermagazine.com.../shark-fin-sirius-antenna-relocation-for-ram/ and another from RAM, https://www.ramtrucks.com/assets/bbg/pdf/2016/docs/cc/dddpsrca.pdf

 

[AH64ID]

Why 2 threads on the same topic?

 

[brillmtb1]

Thanks tozide. Good article i think whats missing is you cant reach the ant connection spot via the side panel without some extensions of the gos and xm cables to that area but you can buy those. My mod will be to bring both the radio side and s tock top ant wires to that location or under the hood so i can use stock ant when no camper on. They do make smaller gos and xm ant that are magnetic that could sit under the hood until you need them

 

[brillmtb1]

So I found this interesting link that tells you exactly all the plugs and wiring configuation as I am adding a second magnetic sharkfin to put on my hood when running my camper. What was interesting is that the inline-sdars jumper/sdars jumer 2 seems to indicate that it contains the wires for the satellite radio and cellular and this plug in my 2017 is located under the passenger grab handle.

Mopar Connection Repair Kit (dcctools.com)


What I thought/and still think is that these are the two wires from the shark fin but they are satellite radio and GPS but then where is the antenna for the cellular? I do see another jumper wire going up to the top, is there a "hidden" cellular ant there or what exactly is in the sharkfin?

My plan was to use the OEM jumper wire, buy and OEM shark fin and hook them together then run from hood to the side panel just below the grab handle as you can relocate the wires there but I am battling a little with the length if I am going to use that spot to plug in whichever sharkfin I need to run as you cant to both. My alternative was to try to extend both stock and radio wires to under the hood where plugging and unplugging might be easier but have yet to find an adapter where the stock sharkfin meets the cable to the radio.

 

[AH64ID]

Did you see the docs I posted in your other thread?

 

[brillmtb1]

To get Repair kits you have to go to starparts but it appears only dealers can use this program...too bad

 

[brillmtb1]

Crap I really messed this up with two strings. I wonder if they can be merged. So yes I see the diagram. So where is the gps ant?

 

[brillmtb1]

This is similar to my plan

Shark Fin Sirius Antenna Relocation For Ram Trucks - Truck Camper Magazine

 

[AH64ID]

GPS is built into the shark fin.

 

[SSchang]

Yesterday I paid for a 3 day subscription to Techauthority to see if there is any info on moving the XM antenna. I put in my vin, and found info on the sharkfin and puck antenna (my truck has both). The sharkfin is AM/FM Cellular Signal-LTE1. The puck is SDARS/GPS. So I guess I need to move / replace the puck to improve XM signal. I ordered an OEM puck antenna, and the cabling in the headliner that connects to the puck and many other things. I'll let you know if it works.

 

[SSchang]

I received the puck antenna and the headliner harness. I started the truck and turned on the XM radio. When I unplugged the double blue Fakra connector behind the passenger side A-pillar, the XM radio signal was lost. I plugged the puck antenna into the new harness, and plugged the new harness into the truck double blue Fakra connector. The XM radio signal returned! The problem being that the single wire from the puck antenna, and the AM/FM wire from the Sharkfin are the 2 connectors in the blue Fakra double connector. So it's not a simple plug and play.

So there are two solutions:
1 - Buy another sharkfin and mount the new sharkfin with the new puck somewhere with a clear view of the sky, or
2 - Disconnect the puck wire from the double blue Fakra connector, and swap the factory puck cable and the new puck cable in and out of the double blue Fakra connector when I take the camper on and off the truck. Now that I've learned how to take the cable out of the Fakra connector, it's not a big deal.

And I think Tech Authority is wrong in their labeling of the antennas. Puck is SDARS, and the Sharkfin AM/FM and GPS.

 

[SSchang]

Here is a picture of the new puck and headliner wiring harness. I unwrapped the entire harness as I only needed the single wire from the puck to the double blue Fakra connector.