XM reception with Garmin 550
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 498
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
XM reception with Garmin 550
Hi folks, I've had the Garmin 550 with XM since it came out and have the GXM-30 mounted under the front fairing. I have not been happy with my xm reception since I've installed the unit, but it's really starting to bug me more and more now. I'm in Rhode Island and even on 295 or 95 with little to no trees close by the xm will still fade in and out so much more than it does in my car and it's starting to get annoying. And forget about using this thing on the back roads of Connecticut! Put any trees around on a small two lane road and you might as well just play MP3's. Since I have a Hog Tune Amp on top of the radio the only place the GXM-30 will fit is on top of the speedometer. Since this puts the thickest part of the fairing and windshield right over the GXM-30 this might be part of the problem. Are other users of this product having the same issues? I may have to find a way to mount this thing outside of the fairing (which I'd rather not do). My 550 is mounted in the Harley Mount and I haven't seen a clean way to mount the GXM-30 on this mount or next to it. I don't want to drill more holes in the fairing and mount another bracket if I don't have to.
Thanks,
Joe
Thanks,
Joe
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 733
Likes: 8
From: Georgia
I had same setup on my 07 Street glide and it never lost reception. It was mounted on J&M's bracket that came with the amp/speaker package. My current 08 does not have the J&M amp and bracket but has XM antenna mounted in stock location. Its reception is as you described and mediocre at best. Reception is much better heading South than North for whatever reason.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 549
Likes: 0
From: Ft Myers FL
I don't have an Amp and my GXM-30 is mounted on top of the radio. I probably would get better reception if it wasn't under the fairing, but I really don't have much of a problem, once in a while it will fade out, I live in Florida and no hills, that might have something to do with it
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 583
Likes: 2
From: Eaton, OH
I have the same set up with the antenna on top of the radio. I do not have any problems with reception.
Is the antenna mounted level to the ground? I am not sure if the 550 works the same as other satellite radios I've had but with those other radios signal strength would go down unless the antenna was level or parallel to the ground. You said something about being on top of the speedometer so I don't know if that position is level or not. If not, try to find a place where the antenna is level to the ground and see if that helps.
Is the antenna mounted level to the ground? I am not sure if the 550 works the same as other satellite radios I've had but with those other radios signal strength would go down unless the antenna was level or parallel to the ground. You said something about being on top of the speedometer so I don't know if that position is level or not. If not, try to find a place where the antenna is level to the ground and see if that helps.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 498
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
Does anyone know if the XM Receiver GXM-30 will screw onto an AMPs pattern plate? I called Garmin a moment ago and they didn't seem to know what I was talking about. Even though techmounts and other mounting hardware companies adhere to this AMPs 4 hole standard.
Specifically, I'd like to mount the receiver to the handlebar to the left of the
550 with a product like this:
http://www.techmounts.com/products/i...&product_id=70
Thanks,
Joe
Specifically, I'd like to mount the receiver to the handlebar to the left of the
550 with a product like this:
http://www.techmounts.com/products/i...&product_id=70
Thanks,
Joe
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 498
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
To answer the other question, yes the receiver is level to the ground.
Since I have an Amp on the radio there is no room for the receiver.
There is a space to the left of the radio, on the speedometer receptacle (actually to the right of the tach and left of the speedo, there's a space there that allows the device to sit level. However, this location does put the receiver directly under where the fairing cover meets the attached part of the fairing and is also directly under the windshield. I'm guessing there so much more plastic in the way that it's impacting the reception. Hence why I want to move the receiver to the handlebar. Unfortunately, it looks like with my ZUMO 550 mounted in the harley mount, there's no "T" bar or other type device to add to the harley mount to use the magnet on the bottom of the GXM-30 to simply attach.
Joe
Since I have an Amp on the radio there is no room for the receiver.
There is a space to the left of the radio, on the speedometer receptacle (actually to the right of the tach and left of the speedo, there's a space there that allows the device to sit level. However, this location does put the receiver directly under where the fairing cover meets the attached part of the fairing and is also directly under the windshield. I'm guessing there so much more plastic in the way that it's impacting the reception. Hence why I want to move the receiver to the handlebar. Unfortunately, it looks like with my ZUMO 550 mounted in the harley mount, there's no "T" bar or other type device to add to the harley mount to use the magnet on the bottom of the GXM-30 to simply attach.
Joe
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: Bethesda, MD
My 550 is handlebar mounted and I use one of these which keeps a clear line of sight with the sky and works well unless trees totally cover the road overhead:
http://www.cyclenutz.com/Garmin-GXM-...unt_p_469.html
http://www.cyclenutz.com/Garmin-GXM-...unt_p_469.html
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 490
Likes: 1
From: Omaha, NE
I have the Road Tech/Zumo 550 and same antenna on my 2009 SG. The antenna is mounted on top of the radio. I live in Nebraska and there are "dead" spots here and there in my area with no reception and a occasional no signal at all condition.
With the bike on the side stand and bars straight I do get good reception, even when the bike is in the garage. When I turn the bars to the left stop I most likely will loose reception, but not always. I see the point where the antenna is not level to the ground and must be something with the design of the antenna that it has a aimed skyward and somewhat level to catch the signal.
Mounting the GXM-30 antenna on the bars might be the best option and just might resolve most of your reception issues. I don't know of any better antennas to install.
With the bike on the side stand and bars straight I do get good reception, even when the bike is in the garage. When I turn the bars to the left stop I most likely will loose reception, but not always. I see the point where the antenna is not level to the ground and must be something with the design of the antenna that it has a aimed skyward and somewhat level to catch the signal.
Mounting the GXM-30 antenna on the bars might be the best option and just might resolve most of your reception issues. I don't know of any better antennas to install.
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Advanced
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Northern Ohio
I had bad reception with the antenna under the fairing, it cut out if you got even near a tree. I used the cyclenutz it mounts to the zumo cradle and this setup works significantly better than before. So when i park the bike i can remove the cradle with the antenna attached and lock it up. I think there is an issue with the antenna design, i have XM in my truck and Sirius in my wife's car and there is rarely a drop out of the signal
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,600
Likes: 7
From: Minnesota
If you don't find a solution here you could take a look at www.zumoforums.com/
There are a lot of knowledgable Zumo guys there.
There are a lot of knowledgable Zumo guys there.