While driving our rig, we often listen to the news on SiriusXM satellite radio. Without a satellite dish on our camper, SiriusXM radio is the best way to get news broadcasts while we travel. Yes, we read the news on our smartphones and computers, and we are often able to get the national news on open air reception, but we always get SiriusXM.
Well, we’re supposed to always get SiriusXM.
From the factory, pickup trucks universally put their SiriusXM satellite antennas on the roof of the truck cab. When a camper is loaded, the cabover comes over this antenna. This doesn’t always block the signal. But sometimes…
“Tonight in the news a major story that everyone driving a truck camper needs to know. The big story is…”
And then there’s silence. Nothing. Still nothing. The SiriusXM radio says, “Acquiring Signal”. Around the bend. Over a ridge. Over this way and that. Nothing!
Then suddenly a stern authoritative voice reports, “…so clearly you need to be careful knowing the news we just reported.”
What did they say? Then the commercials play perfectly, without interruption. To quote the great Yosemite Sam, “Rassa-frassin’ – fur bearin’ – bush-wackin’ – horny toad varmint!”
Of course I’m somewhat exaggerating and perhaps censoring actual events to protect the young and fertile minds among us, but you get the point. The dang SiriusXM radio goes out at the darndest of times.
Two years ago we asked TCM readers about their Sirius solutions. We received lots of SiriusXM solutions for Ford, GM, and RAM trucks.
Since then, the 2017, 2018 and 2019 trucks have come out with new radios and antennas. We were made acutely aware of this when our new 2018 RAM 3500 came with an updated radio system.
Many trucks can simply install a secondary antenna that magnetically attaches to your front hood and – voila! – problem solved. And yet, SiruisXM problems persist.
For example, Chan Crangle has a 2018 Ford F-250 and none of the SiruisXM solutions he’s tried have worked. To help Chan (and other fellow truck campers), we are revisiting this question and asking TCM readers for their SiruisXM reception solutions.
If you have a 2017, 2018, or 2019 Ford, GM, Ram, Toyota, or Nissan truck and found a working solution to SiruisXM radio reception with a loaded truck camper – please share it with us!
This week’s Question of the Week is, “How did you solve the SiriusXM radio reception challenge in your 2017, 2018, or 2019 truck and camper rig?”
Please share your SiriusXM solutions.
