Paint Over XM Antenna?

Toobuilder · #1 11-26-2011, 11:57 AM

I have the Garmin x96 XM "hockey puck" antenna moving from a shelf under the cowl to the glareshield. I'd like to paint this thing flat black as I did with the 430 antenna. Logic dictates that since it could easily "see" the satelite from its prior home under the fiberglass cowl and several layers of filler, primer and topcoat, a little shot of flat black from a rattle can will not hurt.

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks a million!

Loboflyer · #2 11-26-2011, 12:11 PM

I don't have direct experience, but if you've used the flat black with success in the GPS antenna, you should work just fine on the XM antenna. Since the XM frequencies are higher than the GPS frequencies, you might want to do a trial of the paint. Cover the antenna with (e.g.) plastic wrap and paint the wrap. Turn on the receiver and remove and re-apply the cover, while watching the signal strength of the XM. If it changes, then you might consider not doing it. If not, you are good to go.

Some paints have carbon in them that could attenuate RF, and some antenna designs are sensitive to material changes directly to the cover. Hard to know without actually trying it.

Toobuilder · #3 11-27-2011, 08:22 AM

Sounds like a reasonable plan Jeff. Thanks.

Anyone else out there actually painted their hockey puck?