Anyone Here Good With Auto Electronics?

[1369]

Wife has a 2004 Suzuki XL-7 and I'm going to install an XM Sportscaster unit.

Couple of questions I have:

1. I plan on getting the "FM Direct" unit (Her stock head unit doesn't have an "AUX" function), but since we're going to move her to XM and she won't use FM anymore, is there a way to completely disconnect the over the air FM signal to the head unit so the XM signal is the only one it receives and that way we don't have to worry about bleed through?

2. Instead of using the 12V cigarette cord, what do I need to use to have permanent power to the unit?

[Solocam00]

you can disconnect the am/fm signal feed cable from the back of the unit and let it hang.

on wiring the unit you can splice into the 12v cigarette cord and wire directly to the battery or splice it into a 12v constant outlet, like a cigarette outlet. if you go directly to the battery put a inline fuse in for protection in case wires get damaged or something decides to chew on them.

[Joe H]

Like said above you can leave the antenna from the car unplugged. I dont think that bleed through is much of a problem with these though and you never know when an emergency or bad weather in your area will make you wish you still had the local radio or AM even.

I would find a switched fuse in the fuse box to get power from. Usually the radio fuse is a good one. They sell little adapters to patch in with but I have always just unplugged the fuse and put the wire in the slot and plug the fuse back in. I wouldnt waste time trying to go all the way to the battery or even a constant source as you will have to turn the unit off and on all of the time.

Any local stereo shop would probably do it for $30 bucks or so.

[kfd82]

Heres a "what if" for yall. (Hijack aleart!!) What if I just unscrewed my antenna and kept it under my back seat? That way I would still have it with me if I needed local info over the air.
Would that "kill" enough of the signal so I dont have fm bleed over while traveling?

[kfd82]

ttt

[Bill]

If you have an emergency, you don't want to be pulling out an antenna and hooking it up in the rain or whatever.

I don't understand "bleed through"- my CD changer plays through my antenna to my dash radio, and when I turn the CD on, the fm reception is horrible- I think the little junction box has a relay in it for when the signal is from the CD.

Get a jumper clip at the Auto Parts store to clip the new power wire to the +12V coming into your radio from the rear harness, that way the new unit will power up and down the same as the radio. I don't think you're drawing enough current (like a subwoofer) to pull new power from the battery.

[Solocam00]

taking off the antenna isnt going to help you much, only way to cut the feed completely is disconnect from the back of the unit. i have yet to see a XM satellitte radio or any brand pick up bleed through from am/fm. we have XM on our ranch vehicles and havent had any problem with bleed through.

[kfd82]

I don't understand "bleed through"- .

My xm reciver has a built in FM modulator. I put my radio on say..88.5 and my XM plays on the truck speakers.

However, if I drive through a town that has a radio station that is 88.5 I get static, or hear parts of the radio station over my truck speakers.

I have to change the radio channel then change the "transmit" channel on my XM receiver. On a long trip I may have to do this several times.
I have to change it 4 times from my house to Berwick,LA.

I want to avoid picking up regular radio signals.

[kfd82]

taking off the antenna isnt going to help you much, only way to cut the feed completely is disconnect from the back of the unit. i have yet to see a XM satellitte radio or any brand pick up bleed through from am/fm. we have XM on our ranch vehicles and havent had any problem with bleed through.

I didnt want to have to pull the radio out and disconnect it. Then if I ever need it have to pull it out again to reconnect it.

I dont know how people in houston handle this. When I go down 45 from madisonville to Dickinson I have to change my station several times.

My reciever is about 2 years old, and is mounted right next to the radio.

[Solocam00]

interesting.... i am going to have to research this, i install alot of car audio equipment for friends and do all my audio systems myself. what kind of receiver do you have and XM receiver also.

[kfd82]

I have a stock dodge radio with cd player. I'll have to check on the XM, I dont remember the name of that model.