Cross bars on the roof interfering with XM satellite radio signal?

[WILDHOBO]

Had anyone heard of cross bars on the roof interfering with the satellite radio signal. I’ve had zero issues with it for 30k miles, but started to recently. It cuts out, then comes back, then repeat. I’ve also had Thule rain gutter cross bars since the week I bought it. But I recently moved the front one back 6.5” from its original location. The front one used to be lined up with the front edge of the main hard top, just behind the transition to the freedom tops. Now it’s 6.5” back from there for accessory clearance. I need to move them back to see if the issue goes away, but haven’t gotten to it. I thought I’d check to see if anyone else has experienced this. I’ve had bikes, skis, snowboards, etc up there, and haven’t had this happen.

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[Labswine]

I get signal problems on tree covered roads in the summer when they're full of leaves, when it cuts out and comes back again. There's also a road I take that has sound walls along it and apparently they also interfere with the signal somehow. Angle of signal from satellite with respect to the height and orientation of the walls? Dunno.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

The antennas for the GPS and XM are both on top of the center bar of the cage, in-between and above the speakers. If you have it really close the rearmost edge of the sunrider panels, it is most likely interfering with the signal.

 

[RIPLER]

Yep, I learned this after installing crossbars and a ski rack on my wife's JLU.

 

[jeep1]

Had anyone heard of cross bars on the roof interfering with the satellite radio signal. I’ve had zero issues with it for 30k miles, but started to recently. It cuts out, then comes back, then repeat. I’ve also had Thule rain gutter cross bars since the week I bought it. But I recently moved the front one back 6.5” from its original location. The front one used to be lined up with the front edge of the main hard top, just behind the transition to the freedom tops. Now it’s 6.5” back from there for accessory clearance. I need to move them back to see if the issue goes away, but haven’t gotten to it. I thought I’d check to see if anyone else has experienced this. I’ve had bikes, skis, snowboards, etc up there, and haven’t had this happen.

Yep.. its a thing.

Maximus-3 makes a relocation bracket to move the antenna to just over the driver side sun visor.

https://maximus-3.com/home/maximus-3-jl-satellite-antenna-relocation-bracket

 

[Mojave Nunzio]

My Bestop Sunrider interferes with my satellite radio when I have it open.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Yep.. its a thing.

Maximus-3 makes a relocation bracket to move the antenna to just over the driver side sun visor.

https://maximus-3.com/home/maximus-3-jl-satellite-antenna-relocation-bracket

It’s really strange the skis and snowboards haven’t killed it. Is it on the passenger side? My Kuat ski racks are on driver 2/3. I moved the cross bar really far back yesterday but haven’t tested yet. It used to be as far forward as it could be on the main hard top, meaning not on the freedom panels. I moved it back a bit after adding a Rotopax can, so the can wouldn’t interfere with the sunrider. That’s when this started. Thanks everyone.

 

[jeep1]

It's pretty much dead center above the sound bar. I have intermittent problems when I put the big pelican case up top ... just the rack seems ok. I have one of the relocation brackets .. just procrastinating doing the work.

 

[WILDHOBO]

It's pretty much dead center above the sound bar. I have intermittent problems when I put the big pelican case up top ... just the rack seems ok. I have one of the relocation brackets .. just procrastinating doing the work.

I’m guessing the wiring is a pita. I can’t imagine it’s fun to remove from the sound bar either. But I might do it anyway. Thanks.

 

[fourfa]

It's not that bad a job. The XM antenna is pretty sensitive - I put on an Alu-Cab camper that hangs over the antenna, and reception went to crap when heading north but was mostly OK when heading south (the geostationary satellites are over the equator, ie southward for most of us). So I got the relocation kit. The sound bar comes out without much trouble. Freeing the antenna wire from all its clips and retainers is the most tedious part, but easy. There's enough length stock to reach over the driver, where the Maximus kit puts it

Then like an idiot I put on Hotheads headliners and aluminum-lined sound deadening material, right on top of the relocated antenna. Reception immediately went to crap again. Luckily it wasn't hard to pop the driver's panel off, peel the foil radiant barrier off the headliner, peel the foil backer off the sound deadening, and reinstall. Back to normal, good reception in all directions

Still goes out in parking garages and in narrow slot canyons (just got back from Utah) but that's normal. Honestly if I have to mess with it again I'll be looking at high gain external antennas next time

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