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XM Radio in the truck

FlatTwin
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FlatTwin

FlatTwin

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There are times when I drive some pretty long legs, like 1000 miles a day or so. Some of this is in wonderful legs like El Paso to Dallas there there is absolutely nothing out there, (and an awful lot of it! :) ) and no radio stations.Anyone on the list ever used XM Satellite Radio in the truck? I can always use the stock Dodge radio by plugging a "cassette adapter" in it but the quality is not the best. Would like to find someway to use the direct cable style of connection.So far have found very few options other than yanking the entire radio system out and replacing it and really hate to do this unless I have to. Hope someone has some ideas or experience in this area.Thx,FT

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ISX

ISX

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For some reason my phone came with "sprint radio". I have an audio jack on both the phone and the radio so I can play it off the phone just like satellite radio. Somehow the thing never skips a beat even in the most desolate of areas that I somehow can't even get a text in, yet the radio still plays :cookoo: Sounds like you go in places that might have absolutely no cell phone signal at all so XM might be the only option. My brother got a free subscription to it for a year for fixing a guys truck and he didn't want it so I used it. It was nice, never lost signal even in bad weather. The songs weren't as "in tune with the world" as FM stations though.

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FlatTwin

FlatTwin

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Thanks and thats the reason I got XM as well as to get away from the damm commercials. Mostly I listen to classic rock and they have a couple of channels with nothing else on and no commercials so its worth it to me, especially on the long drives. My cell also has a jack but the radio in the truck does not so thats my drawback. Looking for a work around to this.

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ISX

ISX

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They make FM transmitters that you can plug into that jack, then you set the radio to a dead channel and set the transmitter to it and there you have it. XM was nice, will be much higher quality than the cell phone. I notice if I use headphones on the cell phone it sounds like crap. I can't hear all the crap in the truck with that god forsaken cummins being so obnoxiously loud all the time, it's like it thinks its funny.

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War Eagle

War Eagle

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My brother lives up in Montana where the radio stations are hard to recieve when driving in the mountains. He uses the very setup you are asking about. Cassette adapter that fits into the stock Dodge radio with an XM tuning head that just hangs/clips onto the AC vents above the stock radio. This tuning head has an LCD read out that tells you the station and the song that's playing. This thing has been in service since he moved to Montana 6 years ago. When listening to XM, you can't tell the difference from the sound that comes from the stock radio locked onto a strong station. XM gives you dozens of venues to choose from.

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Dave3500

Dave3500

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My brother lives up in Montana where the radio stations are hard to recieve when driving in the mountains. He uses the very setup you are asking about. Cassette adapter that fits into the stock Dodge radio with an XM tuning head that just hangs/clips onto the AC vents above the stock radio. This tuning head has an LCD read out that tells you the station and the song that's playing. This thing has been in service since he moved to Montana 6 years ago. When listening to XM, you can't tell the difference from the sound that comes from the stock radio locked onto a strong station. XM gives you dozens of venues to choose from.

Hi War Eagle, I think that was the answer Flat Twin was looking for, nice!:thumb1: Dave
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  • 2 years later...
FlatTwin

FlatTwin

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Get this: http://shop.siriusxm.com/xm/ctl10600/cp49750/si4263737/cl1/fm_direct_adapter_for_powerconnect_vehicle_kits It's a powered relay that switches from the external antenna to the FM transmitter in the XM radio. My truck was set up this way for almost 3 years before I had to replace the stereo when the stocker died.

Ron, Sorry for taking forever to reply to your post. I went ahead and bought this adapter then got busy and never hooked it up. Was thinking about doing that this weekend then looked at the radio and realized that finding the antenna cable is not very easy. Any tips on how to get to the antenna cable or the back of the radio where it plugs into so I can install this adapter? Thanks, Joe
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98whitelightnin

98whitelightnin

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I have had Sirius since about 2005 and love it. I recently picked up a Sirius starmate replay 4 or 5 from ebay. I had a replay 2 for years but Sirius decided it was outdated and made it not work anymore. They both work great off of a dead radio station or you can plug them into the radio jack if your radio is equipped. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=sirius+starmate+replay&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR5.TRC1.A0.Xsirius+replay&_nkw=sirius+replay&_sacat=0

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FlatTwin

FlatTwin

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I have had Sirius since about 2005 and love it. I recently picked up a Sirius starmate replay 4 or 5 from ebay. I had a replay 2 for years but Sirius decided it was outdated and made it not work anymore. They both work great off of a dead radio station or you can plug them into the radio jack if your radio is equipped. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=sirius+starmate+replay&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR5.TRC1.A0.Xsirius+replay&_nkw=sirius+replay&_sacat=0

Ryan, Thats the problem, my truck is a 2002 and no "input jack" on the radio so I have to use the adapter in the antenna or the "Cassette" adapter to get XM on the radio. Hate the cassette and trying to hook up the other one and cannot find the antenna lead! :) Thx, Joe
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diesel4life

diesel4life

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I have been using the cassette adapter for several years in my truck and don't notice a difference in sound between it and an FM station? It is actually quite a bit louder than FM radio, I have to turn it down when switching from radio to Sirius. The wifes Mountaineer came factory equipped with Sirius and it does sound much better but thats more of a refinement between vehicles so not exactly a fair comparison. Part of me would like to buy a nice stereo system for the Dodge that is Sirius compatable, but I have a hard time justifying the cost when what I have is still working...

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FlatTwin

FlatTwin

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Let me know how it works I may change up to it. I tucked my wire behind the dash bezel so it isn't getting tangled up everywhere. JR

Just installed it this morning and will check it out on a long drive I have tomorrow. Remove the plastic cubbyhole that is below the radio, then you can look up behind the radio and see the antenna cable coming out of the back of the radio. Was very easy to get to. Will give a reception report once I return!
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FlatTwin

FlatTwin

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So your saying all it does is plug into the radio and then the antenna plugs back into it? Does it come through a radio station? JR

The adapter plugs into the radio, then the antenna cable plugs into the adapter. Then a long wire from the adapter plugs into the XM radio and thats it, no tuning the radio, no cassette adapter, nothing... Like this: http://shop.siriusxm.com/xm/ctl10600/cp60253/si6224965/cl1/fm_direct_adapter_reconditioned
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