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garrys

Active Member
I'm having difficulty getting reliable communications with the XM Satellite weather service. The problem has been diagnosed as the antenna not getting a clear view of the sky. I have the antenna placed on the glareshield, right up against the windscreen (RV-7A w/slider). The XM antenna is next to the GPS antenna and I don't have any problem with getting GPS signals.

Has anybody experience this? Any suggestions as to where to mount the antenna for better reception?

Garry Stout
Tampa, FL
 
Both of mine are up on the glair shield and I haven't had a problem.

Of course, they are not next to each other as you can see in this picture:
 
N941WR said:
Both of mine are up on the glair shield and I haven't had a problem.

Of course, they are not next to each other as you can see in this picture:
Click to expand...

No problem either..... with a 496 & 696. I have a 6A slider and antennas are also seperated 18", or there abouts.

L.Adamson
 
Likewise no problem and they are close

N941WR said:
Both of mine are up on the glair shield and I haven't had a problem.

Of course, they are not next to each other as you can see in this picture:
Click to expand...


I installed three antennas within 2 inches of one another about the center of the glareshield: my Chelton GPS ant, ApolloGX60 GPS ant, and my XM radio ant. My WSI weather antenna is on a bracket attached to the fore-aft brace over the baggage compartment in my tipper 7a (and no, I can no longer remember the part number to properly reference the brace!) I have had no reception difficulties at all.
All of which means you may or may not wish to look elsewhere for an answer to your dilemma.
Let me know if I can be of help.
Len
 
You didn't say what type of system you were using. Is it a bluetooth GPS antenna? The bluetooth frequency is fairly close to the XM downlink, so that could be a source of interference.

Paige
 
Dash

Had mine on dash of 7A and never a problem including flying a lot further north than you.

You didn't splice the antenna wire did you?
 
Same as this

Scott Chastain said:
Garry:

Build a bracket with an angle support and attach it to the firewall. Run the XM Antenna wire through the firewall and you've solved the problem. I pick up excellent XM reception from under the cowling and heat is a non-issue.

Click to expand...

This is the same installation I have in my -8 ,, works great . I was concerned about the heat but after 100hrs it hasn't been a problem..
 
My Info

Gary,

I have a GNS 430 antena sitting right next to my XM antena on the glare shield. My 6 is a slider. Just this past weekend (flying hrough lots of rain showers and TS we used the radar quite a bit. The first two short legs of about an hour each the XM worked perfectly with data of no more than about 04 min. Both antenas are located just to the right of the roll bar brace which is stainless. The route of flight of the first two legs was about 330 degrees with ocasaional heading changes left and right and on trouble.

The last 1 hour leg was a course of 270 degrees and I dont think the WX ever did update and it was at least 50 minutes old at one point.

I wonder now from your trouble if I DO have a problem with the location. It would have been trying to shoot up through the roll bar brace on the last leg.

I have had long (old data) delays on WX in the past. I may push the plane out on the ramp and point it west and see how it works for an hour or so, then move the antena to see if it helps.
 
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same problem

I have a 7a tip up. Last weekend and on previous trips I have had old data sometimes 90 minutes old. My antennas are mounted close together (430, TT gps, XM) up on the middle of the glare shield. I did notice that when I made a course turn I began to pick up XM data again. I have called XM and they suggested reactivating the xm receiver. I doubt this will help. I am also looking for help in this area.
Perhaps the problem is that it is placed right up next to the windscreen
Floyd
 
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trouble shooting

if you can find another unit with antenna, try testing with another antenna then your antenna with another gps. this will tell you a lot. i had an antenna go bad and this confermend the problem.
 
No. Mine works fine

garrys said:
..... The XM antenna is next to the GPS antenna and I don't have any problem with getting GPS signals.

Has anybody experience this? Any suggestions as to where to mount the antenna for better reception?

Garry Stout
Tampa, FL
Click to expand...

I have the GPS and weather antennae both on the glare shield and they both work perfectly. However, I do have a little space between them. I didn't get scientific about spacing them, I just put them far enough apart so that I didn't think they would adversly interact with each other.

I want to say they are about a foot apart, but I'll have to look next time I'm at the airport.

Mine are mounted with double sided tape.
 
XM and 2 Garmin GPS antennas

Mine are also on the engine side, very close together and never had a problem

Garmin 430
Garmin 250XL
XM Weather/Radio

antenna.jpg
 
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