Where is the best place to mount the GPS antenna for my Kenwood Nav unit. I have it mounted under the dash in my F150 and it works fine.

 

The OEM satellite radio antenna mount on top/inside the speaker bar on the passenger side near where the B pillar would be.

I can't remember the part #, but there's a plate that bolts up there you can stick a magnetic antenna to.

 

X2. If you have the OE Nav or Sirius, you will find the antenna there. With my new HU install, I put one on the left side. And the other on the right side ( Nav / Sirius ).

 

This is incorrect. There is a bracket, right above where the radio mounts. The Navi antenna mounts in that location above the radio. The Sat antenna mounts on top of the speaker bar. And YES, there is a difference. GPS signals are much weaker than SAT radio signals. The extra length of the wire run having it in the sound bar area will make reception poor as well as making your life harder trying to run the wire back there.

 

I don't understand why the manufacturer would distribute antennas with a 15' lead knowing that this would cause a drop in performance? Ive had my new antenna mounted here for about a week now. I have'nt noticed any glitches?

PS: The antenna lead has a molded connector. No way to cut it.

 

What bracket! I have my dash apart, and there is no bracket anywhere. I decided to mount it on the magnetic pad on the little square area, top center on the dash.
As far as the length of the run affecting signal strength, the cables are fixed length and whether you run them or coil them up, it's still the same amount of wire.

 

What year of JK do you have? I think they changed the location of the GPS antenna on 2011 and later models. I believe the new location is in the A-Pillar but am uncertain since I never had a need to know since I have a 2009.

OEM wires are not the same length. The Chrysler OEM antenna for the JK only has a 2 foot length wire.

The point you're missing is that although it may have a fixed length, the additional length of the wire along with the mounting area and the types of material the antenna signal has to transmit through start to add up where it can then contribute to having non reliable reception. If you mounted it on top of the dash, then that is usually a pretty good reception area...but it will also depend on if there are any electronics nearby under the dash area you mounted, since other electronics can interfere with the antenna's reception.

Here is a picture from a pre 2011 JK. The mounting location of the GPS antenna is to the top left, above the radio, and mounts on the plastic bracket shown.



Here is the actual GPS Antenna for the 2007-2010 JK. (Notice length of wire that I described and Chrysler Logo indicating OEM part. Not 15' wire length)



Notice on the metal bracket of the antenna there is a "+" notch. There is also a "+" notch that sticks out of that plastic bracket, where they align when you put the GPS antenna in this location.

 

I think I am going to have my antenna sit up on the dash, why bury it under stuff? I work for a GPS company and its a no brainer. Now, what I want to know is...I am putting an RHR in my 07, and bought the factory antenna to control SAT/GPS, will it work to pop that dash cap off and sit it there? The cap is one you would pop if you bought that dash organizier.

 

Exactly my point.

I'm a little unsure about the size of the newer combo GPS/SAT Antenna for the RHR to know if it will fit in that location in a 2007. Easy enough to check huh?

I used a GPS/SAT combiner for my RHR install in my 2009. More details shown in my signature link write up.

 

I understand that the mounting location may affect signal reception. Therefore, the location that I chose may / may not be the best location. This will require more hands-on research. But I do not believe the the 15' "MOLDED" cable is an issue. Maybe aftermarket GPS systems are designed to not have a deficiency with the longer cables.