antennae interference
I have a new Ram 2500. The antennae for the apps and Sirius is on the roof. Apparently my camper blocks the signal and renders many of the truck functions useless. Is there some type of signal booster...
Forum Discussion
Forget the idea of a signal booster. You will need to unplug the current antenna and install a new antenna in a better location.
This was easy for my 2010 Ram. I was able to buy a puck shaped antenna and wiring online for a few dollars. The connection to the existing was near the foot kick area on the passenger side. So I removed the panel, plugged the new wiring in place of the old wiring. I threaded the wiring and located the puck on the hood several inches in front of the windshield on the passenger side.
The process was more costly for my 2018 Ram. The shark fin antenna is more complicated also with more specialized wiring. I had to go to the dealer and buy a new shark fin and a new wiring harness. I think the cost was about $100. This time the wiring connection was under the grab bar on the passenger side window pillar. It was easy to access and the wiring was just long enough to reach the back of the hood on the passenger side. There is another issue. The shark fin is open on the bottom and there is no magnet for attachment. I had to seal the bottom and add a homemade plate containing rare earth magnets I bought on the internet.
The new antenna works great 90 plus percent of the time. I have had times driving due north when the truck body and camper blocked the antenna so the sirius radio and nav system would not work. Ideally I would have mounted the antenna on the roof of the camper but that is just not feasible. For one reason the wiring harness is way, way too short. It is a specialized shielded cable so just splicing in additional wires is unlikely to work.
BTW, this thread probably should have been started in the truck camper forum.
This was easy for my 2010 Ram. I was able to buy a puck shaped antenna and wiring online for a few dollars. The connection to the existing was near the foot kick area on the passenger side. So I removed the panel, plugged the new wiring in place of the old wiring. I threaded the wiring and located the puck on the hood several inches in front of the windshield on the passenger side.
The process was more costly for my 2018 Ram. The shark fin antenna is more complicated also with more specialized wiring. I had to go to the dealer and buy a new shark fin and a new wiring harness. I think the cost was about $100. This time the wiring connection was under the grab bar on the passenger side window pillar. It was easy to access and the wiring was just long enough to reach the back of the hood on the passenger side. There is another issue. The shark fin is open on the bottom and there is no magnet for attachment. I had to seal the bottom and add a homemade plate containing rare earth magnets I bought on the internet.
The new antenna works great 90 plus percent of the time. I have had times driving due north when the truck body and camper blocked the antenna so the sirius radio and nav system would not work. Ideally I would have mounted the antenna on the roof of the camper but that is just not feasible. For one reason the wiring harness is way, way too short. It is a specialized shielded cable so just splicing in additional wires is unlikely to work.
BTW, this thread probably should have been started in the truck camper forum.
