XM Radio

[stravis]

Anyone tried to put XM or Sirius in their cab tractors? I've become spoiled with XM in my truck and I can't stand to listen to FM radio come in and out. My John Deere has the Delphi AM/FM/WX radio in it and has an accessory jack. That made me think I might be able to install a cheap XM radio in the cab to listen to games, news, etc.. Surely someone else has had this thought and tried it, right?

I've never installed one, but I think all I would need to do is plug the radio into the accessory jack and into the cigarette lighter, then route the antenna to the roof. I could mount the radio on the window below the radio with a suction mount. Should that work, or would it take the abuse?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I don't have any answers, just more questions...

If you get another radio, do you have to get another subscription? Will it cost you more per month to run a second XM radio?

 

[fishpick]

If you have an iPhone - the XM App is rock solid.

But - yeah - I know a guy who pulled the factory stereo in his cab and put in one with XM... the challenge wasn't the installation - it was the antenna placement.

 

[Jimmyb33]

I have a couple of XM radios in my car & truck. On my XM unit, it had a FM modulator that would "tune in" to an unused radio station and broadcast to that station. So, even if you can't get the aux in to work, you could still use a FM modulator thingy. And yes, it should be as simple as plug into cig. lighter and put the antenna on the roof. The antenna has a strong magnet built in that will stick to the roof of a car/truck/tractor. I can't do without my XM either!

jb

 

[fishpick]

@Jimmy - are you Little Jimmy?

 

[Jimmyb33]

I was called that growing up... but not in a few (30) years.

jb

 

[BlacknTan]

I'm still ticked off about pay TV!!

Now pay radio???

NEVER!!!

 

[dgl24087]

Aren't most tractor cab roofs fiberglass?? Could make it tough for the magnet to stick.

 

[stravis]

Iplayfarmer: Yeah, you have to pay. I think it's about $11 a month or so. Might be less for the second radio.

Blackntan: I used to say the same thing. Honestly I thought it was ridiculous. Then I bought a Chevy truck with a trial period of XM. I was hooked by the time I got home. Don't try it, trust me.

I do think that the roof of my cab is either plastic or fiberglass. I could attach the antenna with velcro or some 3m double stick tape, though. To make it more economical, I've thought about installing the kit on my wife's car also and when she isn't using it, I could put it in the tractor. She's expressed interest in having it in the past. I'd feel kinda bad if I put it in the tractor before putting it in her car.

 

[Jimmyb33]

I got my first XM as a b-day present and had said the same thing about never paying for radio. I was hooked within a week and have never looked back.

I have 1 XM unit that I had mounted in my truck and began driving my wife's car more often so i went to Best Buy and got another car kit for it and installed it in the car. Now I can swap it out to either vehicle very easy!

When I first got my XM I didn't want to mount the antenna to the roof so I used velcro to mount it to the dash of my truck and that worked great for several years.

jb

 

[lawn_king]

I have 3 xm units in trucks. My panasonic stereo am/fm/wb/cd in my factory cab works fine. I would like to have xm in the tractor but im not springing for a 4th subscription!

 

[NH-Rob]

I have sirius and use it in all sorts of different equipment. the one I use has a fm transmiter. When I was spreading manuer this spring I had it in the tractor hooked to the spreader and if I parked it right I was able to pick up the station in the bucket tractor I was loading with it. I use it in the tractor that I feed the cows with now because the radio no longer will turn off am. I use the acc plug on the radio and the adio out on the sirius and it works great. If I could just figure out a way to make the thing work when I drive into the barn or other building It would be perfect.
Rob

 

[PA hayseed]

@Jimmy - are you Little Jimmy?

Who saw this one coming?

El-o-el

 

[PA hayseed]

Just get a portable unit (XM/Sirius have merged). I have had an older pioneer model and the FM transmitter worked very well. I also have a newer (not to be read latest and greatest) pioneer inno that I picked up as a refurb model for about 70 dollars. I use the portable in my truck, and when I am cutting grass on the tractor I pull it out of the truck and take it with me. Battery is not the greatest. The reception is kinda dicey with the radio only antenna, however, they do make headphones with built in antennnas that people told me work well. I use an antenna off my old unit on my rops if I need great reception.

Don't know if this helps.

This will help - never pay full price for xm/sirius. They are always running a deal, do a search for coupon codes for xm/sirius. Last time I got a year script for about 77 dollars.

Good luck.

 

[Lacal]

I think George Jones has one in everything he owns including his golf cart. At least that is what Bill Mack says on Willie's Place on Sirius Radio. I have two dock and play radios and I can play them in my cars or move them to a portable unit and a home base unit at no extra cost.

 

[fishpick]

Who saw this one coming?

It was an easy reach - glad it wasn't lost completely... I was playing cricket sounds here...

 

[lawn_king]

I think George Jones has one in everything he owns including his golf cart. At least that is what Bill Mack says on Willie's Place on Sirius Radio. I have two dock and play radios and I can play them in my cars or move them to a portable unit and a home base unit at no extra cost.

2 of my units are skyfi's, 1 built in (chevy). We also have the cambridge soundworks dock in our kitchen, its great to be able to take the xm into the house!

 

[PA hayseed]

It was an easy reach - glad it wasn't lost completely... I was playing cricket sounds here...

Funny, I heard a distinct car crash. At least one other poster on this site "got it".

 

[Jimmyb33]

Funny, I heard a distinct car crash. At least one other poster on this site "got it".

well... flew past me like a fart in a hurricane!!!

jb

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Be careful with XM, my experience is if you decide you want to cancel their service, they ignore you and keep on billing you.
XM is ok, but wasn't worth the price to me. I ended up only listening to a couple stations, plus it cuts out every time you drive under a tree or in a valley.