Satellite Radio Installed On Hood

[SilverFox]

I finally got the nerve to saw a hole in my hood for the satellite radio antenna. Plugged everything into the Navigation Radio and called Sirius to open my account. The account was opened with no problem. She then told me turn the radio off and hold the Eject button and Time button down for 3 seconds to get the ESN number so she could activate the radio. I looked for the Time button but not there. Without the ESN number the radio can't be activated so we couldn't get it going. She suggested I call Delphi and find out how to get the ESN number but that tech was no help either and suggested I call the dealer to see what he could do. I called the dealer and he said I was the only one with a nav radio and sat radio and couldn't help me. Somewhere in the sequence of events I started to read the owners manual and discovered that the ESN number should have been in one of the boxes that the unit came in. Either it got lost or was never in there. I probably lost it since I took so long to force myself to put the antenna on the hood. I wanted it on the hood because I haul an aluminum boat on top of my topper and the bow comes all the way up to the top of the windshield. The sat. antenna must see the satellite in order to work so the normal roof top location would not work for me.

Now that it's on the hood I like it. It's not very noticeable and the color is the same as the wipers and the plastic vent material between the hood and windshield.

Does anybody out there know how I can get the ESN number from the satellite using the nav radio?

The only way I know how to get it now is to reinstall the original radio, which has a Time button, and follow the instructions in the owners manual. That's work I don't need but that's the only thing I can think of. Help Please!

Hank

 

[DIESELMAN]

My pet peeve, RTFM... .



SInce you didn't say, I'll assume you have an RB1 Nav Radio... . simply read page 26 in the manual and... ...



1. Press the CD/AUX button until the satellite radio mode is activated. Highlight PTY and press CANCEL 2 times.

2. Highlight DISP and press CANCEL 2 times.

3. Highlight SET and press CANCEL 4 times.

4. A diagnostic screen appears. Find the ESN on the screen and write it down.

5. Call the satellite radio service provider (refer to the satellite radio owner’s manual) to activate the system.



Oo.



BTW, the radio is an Alpine, here is a really good info link...



RB1 Link



I want one...

 

[CityRam]

Sat Ant Location EZ!!

I have said before and I will say again I mounted my Sat antenna on the dashboard inside the truck between the 2 wiper blades and it works perfectly since Sept 02,I am bewildered with guys drilling holes all over their beautiful trucks!!

 

[DIESELMAN]

Or you can use a 'stick on' antenna, like the Terk SR20S for about $40.

 

[CityRam]

Stick on Antenna

Dont know if that was the one I had but my stick on got water between the antenna and glass,every time it rained I had no signal. The dealer recomended silicone sealant along the top bead to keep water out. I got disgusted with it and inside mounted a small stick on antenna on the dash,looks like a computer mouse and now very happy!

 

[SilverFox]

DIESELMAN,

I can't thank you enough for the information. I didn't think about going to the Navigation Radio Manual for information on the Satellite Radio. I know Alpine makes the Nav Radio but the dealer told me Delphi made the Sat Radio. I take it from your post that Alpine makes both radios. I'll let the dealer know that. BTW my Nav Radio manual gives the information on page 51 not page 26 and the Sat Radio manual only goes to page 11.

Anyway, as soon as I read your post I went out to the truck and followed the procedure you suggested and it worked. For some reason it took several tries for the ESN number to come up. "ESN:" came up but no number. Finally it came up and I called Sirius and all is working perfect now. It really is nice and the tone is sooo much better than the regular AM/FM radio or maybe that's just me but it sure does seem better.

I'll check out the web site you gave me.

Again thank you for information I couldn't find elsewhere.

CityRam,

As far as the mounting the antenna on the hood is concerned, I like it more and more. In fact it looks kinda cool if you notice it at all. To me it's just as good as creating clutter on the dash and how do you get the wire to the antenna without it being seen. All is well now that it's working!!

Hank

 

[jzaremski]

I take it from your post that Alpine makes both radios.

no, the dealer was right. The RB1 is an Alpine product, and Delphi makes the Sirius receiver. The Delphi receiver works with any premium-level Chrysler head unit, including RBP, RBU (Alpine), RAZ (Mitsubishi), and RBQ (DCX Huntsville).

 

[DIESELMAN]

SilverFox - No trouble I made up the page number anyway, but its in there. The Procedure is for the radio, the Nav Radio, not the sat receiver, therefore Delphi doesn't have a clue when you call them, they have enough trouble with their GM/Delco Radio products as it is. The Radio though is an Alpine. On some of the Sat radios there is a bar code sticker with serial number and ESN printed on it as well.



The RB1 radio is actually a composite product, and you talk to your CD / Radio / Nav Computer / GPS / Changer / DVD-MP3 / Sat Radio / Overhead console / CCM through the radio panel, it is just controll head for these items. Even the accoustics of the vehicle are programmed into the TRUCKS control module, the radio asks the truck what kind of speaker system is installed and eq's for what is expected to be there. Sometimes a re-flash can screw up your Sound System quality!



The ESN procedure only works about a minute after you turn on the key, I think it takes a while for the Sat Radio to boot up and talk to the RB1 radio, or vise versa.



That web page I referenced above is probably one of the most informative enthusiast vehicle web pages I've ever seen, I don't know whose it is but it ius very informative. Most everything in that site applies to Ram Trucks as well, and the stereo upgrade information is 100%. I wish there was a CTD page just like that.



CityRam, no, the on glass antennas for GPS / Sat Radio / and OnStar all suck. When you have to use one, even a Cell Phone, put a small bead of silicone around the outside edge BEFORE sticking it on, and then silicone the center slot where the antenna screws in as well. This will keep the water out forever. That antenna I mentioned is a surface mount and it works best with a good ground plane behind it. Most dash mounted antennas on the new Rams work great due to the raked windshield, but in weak areas there is still some drop outs, just not that often.



I've installed many Sat Radios and OnStars as favors but still don't have one of my own , I would like to know how well it works in Canada and Alaska too!



DM

 

[SilverFox]

DIESELMAN,

Thanks for the additional insight into the radio. I enjoy learning a little something about the equipment I own and operate. The web site you posted will give me all the information I'll ever be able to digest.

Hank

 

[jzaremski]

Even the accoustics of the vehicle are programmed into the TRUCKS control module,

It isn't quite like that. Each radio has an EQ "library" stored in PROM. When you turn the key on, the radio boots up and queries the body controller for a platform code. The radio will load the proper EQ curve set based on the response from the body controller. What this basically means is you can take the radio out of your Ram, put it in a Neon, and when you power up, the radio will load the Neon's EQ curve. Take it out of the Neon, put it in a Dakota, and it'll load the Dakota's EQ set.

The RB1 radio is actually a composite product, and you talk to your CD / Radio / Nav Computer / GPS / Changer / DVD-MP3 / Sat Radio / Overhead console / CCM

RB1 contains the CD/DVD deck, nav unit, and tuner. The changer, satellite, DVD, etc. all communicate with the RB1 over the J1850 bus.

For some reason it took several tries for the ESN number to come up. "ESN:" came up but no number.

J1850 is a really slow bus. Sometimes things like that take a while.

 

[DIESELMAN]

Thats what I said

 

[SilverFox]

OK guys, don't get me burning the midnight oil learning how the body controller loads the EQ curve and the time to do same. It's enough to know that the J1850 is not a very fast bus

Ninety percent of us on this forum are just happy in knowing that you techies are out there and willing to help. For me, DIESLEMAN'S first post was worth hours of consternation, not to mention the $$$$$$.