Improving XM Satellite Radio Reception

I 've read several threads complaining about the satellite radio reception of the factory XM radio, so it seems like a common problem, but I haven't seen a thread that offers a solution.
Some have seen improvements when the dealer replaced the entire radio, but others have apparently had continued problems even after that drastic step.
I had a look at the outboard satellite tuner box which is located inder the driver's seat and it looks like the sat antenna connection may be a standard FAKRA type.
I plan on trying to replace the factory antenna with an aftermarket one (Terk XMICRO2) and see if that helps with the reception. Has anyone tried this?

 

Okay, so the FAKRA type connector is not a simple plug-n-play for the OEM XM satellite tuner.
Apparently there is a proprietary antenna connector type used just with the factory shark-fin style saetllite antenna.
They make an adapter to allow you to connect this factory antenna to an aftermarket head unit or sat tuner.
The thing is, I want to use an aftermarket sat antenna with the OEM sat tuner (and bypass the factory sharkfin antenna).
At this point I think I need the adapter (SFA12F) to plug into the factory sat tuner, but then I need to go from the SMB female (on the other end of the adapter) to the FAKRA terminal on the end of my new antenna. I'm curious to see if this aftermarket antenna will improve the reception of the OEM sat tuner.

 

Got antsy and decided to just cut off the factory antenna lead (near the factory sat tuner under the driver's seat) and splice it to my Terk XMicro2 Antenna (cut off the FAKRA terminal). You have to be very careful when splicing antenna leads, but the good news is that it works! No more drop outs....reception is now perfect and stays locked in on overcast days and driving under tree canopy. I guess that the factory sat antenna (in the base of the AM/FM antenna) is just that terrible. Do yourself a favor if you're frustrated with poor sat radio reception and replace the crappy factory antenna.

 

After a week+ since the antenna modification, I can report the drop-outs that used to be frequent are completely gone.
I placed the Terk XMicro2 just behind the factory antenna on the roof (between the base of the factory antenna and the hatch). This area is metal and so the magnetic mount sticks down solidly. The wire is run into the hinge area of the hatch and runs under the weatherstripping around the hatch opening. From there I ran the antenna wire under the moulding panels on the left rear quarter panel area. Then it runs under the rear door tread moulding and under the carpet to the location of the factory sat tuner (under the driver's seat). I cut off the factory antenna lead about 6 inches up the cable lead from where it plugs into the sat tuner. I also cut off the FAKRA end of the Terk XMicro2 about six inches up from the FAKRA plug. Then I spliced the two together. This required stripping and isolating both the steel-braid style sheilding and the center antenna conductor, twisting the two cut ends together, soldering both, and then electrical taping everything. You have to be very careful soldering the shielding because it's easy to overheat and melt some of the insulation.

 

Those adapters (SFA12M or SFA12F) may possibly work, I'm just cheap and wanted to try splicing before I spent another $60...and it worked. SFA stands for "Shark Fin Antenna" and the "F" or "M" notates whether the end is male or female. If I were to have ordered one, I think it would have been the SFA12M, as the end that plugs into the factory sat receiver looks like that one. Then the trick becomes ordering an aftermarket sat antenna with an SMB type termination(not the Terk XMicro2, which has a FAKRA type termination) so it will plug directly into the SFA12M. The Terk XMicro2 does come with an adapter which takes it to SMB...but it terminates in a male SMB connection....to plug into the SFA12M, you'd need an adapter that takes a Male SMB and connects it to another SMB Male.

 

The satellite antenna lead is a little gray square plastic plug with just one gray insulated wire coming into it.
See the attached picture.

 

Ours is a 2010 Package IV with the solar roof, with JBL and Nav.