E-Class (W211) 2003-2009

New Sirius SAT Radio Antenna

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Old 07-01-2004, 11:43 PM
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wem
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'22 AMG SL55;'23 Porsche Cayenne S Coupe;'13 Porsche Boxster S
New Sirius SAT Radio Antenna

I know a number of people are not happy with the SAT radio antenna on the trunk deck. At least for the 2005 CLK, the antenna is now completely hidden (see my posting on the 209 board). I don't know if the 2005 E will also have a hidden antenna, but maybe there's still hope.
Old 07-02-2004, 01:01 AM
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Does the CLK have a metal trunk. Some MBs have a plastic trunk and MB puts the sat radio antenna underneath.
Old 07-02-2004, 03:48 AM
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Originally Posted by wem
I know a number of people are not happy with the SAT radio antenna on the trunk deck. At least for the 2005 CLK, the antenna is now completely hidden (see my posting on the 209 board). I don't know if the 2005 E will also have a hidden antenna, but maybe there's still hope.
It isn't "now completely hidden", it has ALWAYS been completely hidden. The W209 cabriolet (ONLY!), and the W215 CL have composite (i.e. PLASTIC) deck lids. W209 coupes have a metal trunk and cannot use that antenna.

-s-
Old 07-02-2004, 08:53 AM
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Originally Posted by wem
I know a number of people are not happy with the SAT radio antenna on the trunk deck. At least for the 2005 CLK, the antenna is now completely hidden (see my posting on the 209 board). I don't know if the 2005 E will also have a hidden antenna, but maybe there's still hope.
do a search for t bones install, many of us have used this hidden installation on the 211's and it works well

Last edited by kort677; 07-02-2004 at 02:29 PM.
Old 07-02-2004, 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted by wem
I know a number of people are not happy with the SAT radio antenna on the trunk deck. At least for the 2005 CLK, the antenna is now completely hidden (see my posting on the 209 board). I don't know if the 2005 E will also have a hidden antenna, but maybe there's still hope.
Do you think they will eventually come up with a color coded smooth/aerodynamic-looking housing? There doesn't seem to be any reason why the housing has to be a flat black oddly and irregularly shaped dog house.
Old 07-02-2004, 11:29 AM
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It was clearly designed by someone who didn't care. Always a dangerous position for manufacturer or vendor to be in.
Old 07-02-2004, 11:43 AM
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Exclamation

Originally Posted by Rudegar
Do you think they will eventually come up with a color coded smooth/aerodynamic-looking housing? There doesn't seem to be any reason why the housing has to be a flat black oddly and irregularly shaped dog house.
I think the criteria Mercedes used in selecting the antenna resulted in what we have now. These criteria were probably:

1) has to actually bolt to the surface for semi-permanent installation; most of the new low-profile ones are magnetic/tape only and the wires run externally

2) price has to be reasonable, which is probably why we have old discontinued technology antennas

BMW owners are in much the same boat, but at least their XM system comes with the ACL so aftermarket antennas are a lot easier to source.

I found a Sirius ACL (by luck) and hooked it up, then a splitter, to a new antenna. I measured the signal loss across all the cables, devices and connectors, and was surprised. So I looked up the specs for the connectors and it seems that many connections is a problem. It appears that hooking all the stuff up results in a significant degradation in signal... so the OEM solution is a pretty good one.

-s-

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