SLK/R171: Cellular Antenna Placement
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 911
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
Debadged 6-Speed '05 C320 Sports Coupe
Cellular Antenna Placement
If the vehicle is equipped with the optional hands-free communication system, where is the phone antenna? Is it hidden, or already present, such as integrated into the mast in the left rear fender?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,559
Likes: 4
From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by wingless
If the vehicle is equipped with the optional hands-free communication system, where is the phone antenna? Is it hidden, or already present, such as integrated into the mast in the left rear fender?
Whether the car is equipped with the optional hands-free communication system or not, the antenna is hidden, and already present (not "or"). Like nearly every US-spec Mercedes car in recent times, the antennas are behind the rear bumper panel. (I believe the G-class is the only car which deviates from this pattern, having the main phone antenna on the roof and the main TeleAid antenna in the rear bumper; nearly every other car only uses the bumper antennas as the backup antenna for TeleAid.)
Because the way antennas plug into the antenna switch, it is very easy to reconfigure the antennas to reverse their roles... the primary phone antenna can be on the roof and the primary TA antenna in the bumpers, with TA still having access to the roof antenna as a backup. This may be preferable depending on which system you use more, or if you even subscribe to TA.
-s-
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,559
Likes: 4
From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by wingless
Perfect answer, thank you very much. My concern was another "hockey puck" style "solution" like has been used for the satellite antenna.
Have you seen the new SIRIUS antennas? They are quite small, very similar to the TeleAid antenna on the R170.
-s-
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 911
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
Debadged 6-Speed '05 C320 Sports Coupe
Yes, they are better. I would still like to have it fully hidden. Maybe if they hid one in each bumper, like the phone antenna, with the unit detecting and using the stonger signal, then they could reach that target.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,559
Likes: 4
From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by wingless
Yes, they are better. I would still like to have it fully hidden. Maybe if they hid one in each bumper, like the phone antenna, with the unit detecting and using the stonger signal, then they could reach that target.
If you plan to install the phone yourself, make sure you have a reverse Torx (E10) socket ready.
-s-
Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 4
From: Berkeley, CA
2006 SLK350
Surely you're not Sirius
Originally Posted by scorchie
Have you seen the new SIRIUS antennas? They are quite small, very similar to the TeleAid antenna on the R170.
-s-
-s-
