XM/FM Modulator

[tnpartsguy]

OK XM Experts, help me out here....I got my SkyFi2, and I'm currently using it's built in FM Modulator, BUT because they moved the bands up (from the old XM/FM Modulator's 87/107) to the 88/107 band, I am having a hard time finding a place to park the FM modulator when I go to Nashville because there are stations on all the 88 and 107 spots. I guess I need to get an old style Delphi SA10003 so I can hit the 87 band, UNLESS one of you can come up with a better solution!

[ragingfish]

What about an inline FM modulator?Plugs inline between the antenna and the radio...would require wiring direct to the XM, but would give you a much cleaner signal...

[tnpartsguy]

I'm considering the Delphi SA10003. It tunes to 87.9 which is the way we did it in my wife's S10. I was just trying to find a *gulp* cheaper way to do it....the SA10003's are $50....

[Kari]

The JVC I got for mine to use with the iPod was $40 from Crutchfield...which was much cheaper than what I was quoted for a purchase and install at Circuit City.

[ColonelPanic]

Now, I can't speak for XM... But, for my Sirius receiver, the car docking cradle has a jack on the rear where a small wire antenna connects for the transmitter. Someone sells a device for $20 to improve the FM transmitter's signal. Essientially it connects inline with the antenna cable for the radio; allowing the transmitter's output to pass directly into the radio. May not even be an option for you. If your XM unit doesn't cover a wide enough range of frequencies, I'd say go for the FM modulator that Kari and Ragingfish were referring to. That's going to be the highest quality output you'll get short of having the receiver directly connected to the radio via line inputs (which is another story in itself with our radios.) I lucked out, my Sirius receiver will transmit pretty much anywhere from 87.x - 107.x MHz... Even with all of those frequencies available to use, it still took me forever to find the one that was the best option for most of the areas I'll travel. If you only have a handful of frequencies to use, that makes it quite difficult...

[tnpartsguy]

I'm in luck....Walmart had the SA10003 for $48. I'll install it tomarrow....and this frees up my dash cigarette lighter so I can plug my radar detector in again....

[tnpartsguy]

We hooked up the Delphi FM Modulator earlier, and it worked fine, BUT now the local radio stations are very fuzzy and noisey. We connect the Red (+) to the Grey wire going to the radio, and had to use antenna adapters to because of the small barb. The ground or the (+) must have come loose, because the XM went dead, but came back on when i switched back to the cigarette lighter plug.....

[Jahntassa]

Are the FM stations fuzzy all the time, or only with the XM turned on?

[tnpartsguy]

They get worse with the XM on, but they are pretty bad even with it out of the cradle.

[Jahntassa]

I know I had horrible luck with that FM modulator and the NAV system. Could never get it sounding good. I guess make sure it has a good ground, in case it's a problem with the internal antenna switch...or it could just be that the adapters and that particular FM modulator are causing too much of a break in the antenna.

[tnpartsguy]

Jahntassa, I used the standard GM antenna adapters, and I think that may be they problem, the one going into the radio seems very loose.....any ideas?

[Jahntassa]

Sometimes i'll take a knife (carefully), or something else and kinda tug up on the little barbs on the side of the connector.. sometimes they're really flat, so they don't grab at all.