Switch rear Factory Satellite Antenna on 2012 RAM truck MOD

[jlrray]

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


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


The end of the DEFAULT factory Antenna


Connected together without the FAKRAS connector

 

[Vic]

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.

 

[jlrray]

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.oemautopartsco.com/products/sirius-dual-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

 

[takingatrip1]

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

 

[Stalking Light]

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.

 

[jlrray]

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

 

[Stalking Light]

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.

 

[Bigfoot]

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.rambodybuilder.com/iph/iph2014/ph2014/phdocs/phcc/phdddpsrca.pdf. Might be useful if you want to keep things as stock as possible.

 

[takingatrip1]

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