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Switch rear Factory Satellite Antenna on 2012 RAM truck MOD

sirius satellite radio ram

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#1 jlrray

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Posted 13 May 2015 - 05:20 AM

Love my satellite radio - but when I put the camper on my truck, the Camper overhang covers the default location of the external sat radio.  Scoured online and found a cool little trick that should work on similar RAM trucks.

 

on the right side of the passenger compartment is a small kick panel that is attached to the door rocker panel.  If you move it over you should see two antennas.  A white one which is connected to the standard AM / FM antenna & a smaller Yellow FAKRAS connection which is connected to your sat radio.

 

I found my old magnetic sirius radio antenna and stuck it on the roof of the cab.  Then followed the cable down the windshield weather stripping till I found a spot that I could run along the rubber door seal.

 

I separated the yellow fakras connector which connects the antenna to the radio.  This is located behind the little kick panel.  My connector wouldn't fit with the FAKRAS connector, so I carefully removed the small plastic clip using a tiny flat head screw driver and the cable connection pulled right out.  I then connected my mag antenna to the radio and its done.

 

If you have a straight connection on the end of your mag antenna (Mine had a 90 degree elbow) you can buy a cheap $8 adapter that will let you connect them directly to the standard harness. 

 

I Suppose you could modify the kick panel with a small access door to get to the connection faster should you want to disconnect the magentic antenna or if you mounted an antenna to the camper- but I just put it on the cab toward the front.  Seems to work great.

 

Behind the panel

IMG_1699.JPG

 

One end of the FAKRAs connector.   This is the end that you want to remove the clip from.

IMG_1700.JPG

 

The end of the DEFAULT factory Antenna

IMG_1701.JPG

 

Connected together without the FAKRAS connector

IMG_1702.JPG


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#2 Vic

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Posted 14 May 2015 - 04:00 AM

great idea.  I've got a 2014 and my antenna is in a different place but will still be covered by the overhang.  I hadn't really considered a temp antenna option but am going to poke around and see if its as easy on the 2014's to hook one up.  Thanks for the tip.  


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#3 jlrray

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Posted 21 July 2015 - 11:28 PM

Just a quick update.  While enroute to my destination, I realized that the factory NAV wasn't working correctly.  At first I thought it needed some calibration or re-initialization, but after further inspection the magnetic antenna I had only worked for Sirius radio and not GPS signal.  You would need an antenna like this:

 

http://www.oemautopa...ual-antenna-kit

 

in order to receive both.  Unfortunately, i can't seem to find it available in a magnetic option; however, when I purchase it, I'll try and fabricate a mount with some rare earth magnets and see if that will work or if it will negatively affect the GPS antenna.

 

J


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#4 takingatrip1

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 03:49 AM

I had the exact experience this weekend. The factory navigation is mediocre but convenient . I'll be drilling a hole in the roof soon
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#5 Stalking Light

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 12:04 PM

Can you use two separate antennas? The shark fin on my Tacoma is covered as well and I added an XM and a GPS magnetic antenna, one on each side by the bottom of the windshield. Seems to work just fine.


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#6 jlrray

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 01:30 PM

I believe my truck only has a spot for one fakras connector and one am/fm. Good to know tho.
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#7 Stalking Light

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Posted 22 July 2015 - 02:25 PM

Metra makes a lot of different adapters, that's what was used on mine to adapt the Toyota OEM plug to universal XM and GPS antennas.


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Charlie...
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#8 Bigfoot

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Posted 25 July 2015 - 02:06 PM

Note that the Ram Bodybuilder for upfitters includes Satellite Radio & Cellular Antenna Relocation Guidelines. A link to a PDF file for 2014 is http://www.rambodybu.../phdddpsrca.pdf. Might be useful if you want to keep things as stock as possible. 


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#9 takingatrip1

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Posted 19 August 2015 - 04:43 PM

Any luck with getting this to work? I kinda miss my navi . Have had the same problem since getting my fwc
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