Install car stereo satellite radio

How to install car stereo satellite radio without professional help.

Hooking up your satellite radio in your car is easy and there are several methods to go about it. The positives of doing this are that you do not have to pay someone to hook the system up and you often get similar quality results to those of professional installation. The obvious downside is that the aesthetics of the results may not be that desirable.

The four ways suggested here to get satellite radio in your car are: Through your stereo’s input jack, through your car stereo’s tape player, via an FM modulated transmitter, and through a portable stereo’s input Jack. The sections on powering your receiver, the antenna, running the antenna wire, and mounting the receiver are universal in all installations.

If you have selected a satellite radio provider and a satellite radio receiver, you are on your way. If you have not selected a satellite radio provider, you should search the Internet and visit the consumer electronics shops in your area. The content of the two satellite radio providers is slightly different and you may want to choose the one more suited to your tastes. The satellite provider you choose also will determine the receiver that you will be able to use. These receivers come in all shapes and price range and should definitely factor in your decision. Also, whether you want to use the installation advice here depends on the receiver you choose. Some retailers will provide free installation with a purchase over a certain amount; it is advisable to look into these deals where they exist.

Powering your receiver:
Your receiver will require some sort of input power. Usually, it is 12V DC. Check on the back of your receiver and then check at your local consumer electronics store for a cigarette lighter adapter. This will cost around $20.

The antenna:
It may be helpful just to buy the car adapter kit for your receiver. For most models this costs around $50. As strange as it sounds, there is a difference between your home antenna and your car antennae. An antenna designed for the car will invariably get better reception. You can, if you are set on the idea, try your home antenna and you may get good results. Antennas designed for the car often come with magnetic backings to facilitate installation. The car adapter kit is a good idea and it may come with other useful accessories. You have to make sure that the kit you buy matches your receiver.

Running the antenna wire:
Running the antenna wire is the most painstaking part of the installation. First, you need to decide where you want to mount the antenna and receiver. If you choose to mount the antenna inside under a window, you can expect to have reduced reception. Satellite radio will cut out normally under large bridges. Mounting the antenna inside will worsen this problem and may even cause cutouts on tree lined roads and mountainous canyons that would not normally cause a problem if the antenna were mounted outside. Where you live may factor into this decision. If you live in an urban area with large buildings, in the mountains or in a place with heavy forests, you will almost certainly need to mount the antenna outside the car. If you live among the wheat fields of the mid-west, you may be able to get away with mounting the antenna inside the car, but you will almost certainly have to place it under the window.

To run the wire, you can wedge the wire under the trim around doors and under seats. Be creative, your car is full of plastic pockets that have enough void space to hold the wire. Make sure that when the wire is run from the outside of the car to the inside that there are no sharp edges that will cut the wire. Also, it is necessary to leave enough slack if you mount the antenna on a moving exterior surface like a trunk. It may be, in some areas advisable to buy zip ties or use old garbage bag ties to hold the wire where the slack may get in the way. Often left over wire can be tucked into a void under a plastic cover. It is important that the wire in no way impedes your ability to operate the vehicle and it should not come into contact with heat elements such as those found in heated seats or ventilation ducts.

Attaching the receiver:
Some of the car adapter kits come with suction cups and other methods for mounting the receiver. Many times, these methods simply do not work. Depending on how much you value the interior of your car will determine how you want to mount the receiver. Preferably, you will want it close at hand and easily operable without distracting your attention from operating the motor vehicle. One method is to simply place the receiver in any available cavity in your dashboard. A second preferred method that may leave lasting marks on your dash is to install the receiver with adhesive Velcro. They sell this at any hardware store and in the tools section of your local discount retailer. This also allows you to remove the receiver when changing channels.

Connecting through your car’s input jack:
Check the front of your car’s stereo to see if there is an input jack. If one exists, check the owner’s manual (if you do not have it chances are it is available online) and go to your local consumer electronics store to find the cables you need. Simply power the receiver, plug it to the antenna and plug it to the front of your stereo. Congratulations, you have the easiest method of retrofitting your car with satellite radio. You are the envy of those who have to read on.

Connecting through your car’s tape deck:
This requires the purchase of an approximately $15 item that can be bought at any consumer electronics store. It looks like a tape that has a wire coming from the corner. This item can be handy because it can be used not only with your satellite radio receiver, but also with almost all of your other consumer electronics such as an iPod, your cell phone, or a portable DVD player. You may not love it, but your kids will when you have a Bug’s life jamming through your car’s stereo system.

FM Modulated transmitter:
This isn’t cheap. Generally, they are as hard to install as a car stereo. Also, if your car stereo doesn’t have a tape deck or an input, it may be advisable to either by a new stereo with free installation, or go with the portable stereo option below. But, if you love your current stereo and have a spare $200 and an afternoon give this option a try. How it works is the satellite receiver is plugged into a FM transmitter that broadcasts at low power just to your car stereo. So you can tune into a station like 88.5 FM and hear your satellite radio. You will have to follow the instructions that come with the FM modulator kit because they come in all shapes and sizes. Too detailed for a short introductory article.

Use a portable stereo:
This is the ultimate in going on the cheap. If you do not have a stereo that has a working tape deck or input jack and do not want to shell out the extra cash for a new stereo, this is the option for you. First you need to acquire a portable stereo with input jacks. Having done that, you will need to power it. You will need to research what kind of power source it needs. If it has a 12 V DC input, you are in business. Just use a cigarette lighter adapter like the one mentioned in powering your receiver. If it takes 120V AC (the most common) you can find adapters that will do that for you at your local automotive part store. Once you have powered the stereo, the receiver and hooked up the antenna you just have to make sure you do not trip over the wires. It might also be helpful to have a friend operate this contraption, as it may be difficult to do yourself in a moving vehicle.