Sharkfin antenna questions (many!)

djczar · Apr 6, 2007

So I have searched high and low and still haven't gotten a clear idea on many things. I just installed the Pioneer AVIC-D3 and want to use a nice looking VW OEM Sharkfin antenna for FM/Sat Radio/GPS duties. I also just crashed my GTI (see here), so now that it's all taken apart, it's the perfect time to do some mods

I have found a great DIY guide on this forum, but they didnt talk about Satellite radio or GPS at all, and those are a must for me! Here are my questions, any help would be greatly appreciated!

1) I at first thought that VW XM/Sirius tuners are built into the headunits themselves, but then read more and realized that they are seperate, just like aftermarket ones. Where exactly are they located in the car?

2) There are two antenna connections on the back of stock VW headunits. Why is that? The shop that did my D3 install said that they are identical, but somehow I really doubt that. Are the two connections from different antennas (one windshield diversity and one roof mount?) But then I read that the diversity antenna is an added option, so how do I know if my GTI has it? I found this interesting piece on eBay that somehow looks like something I need, but the description says its for Sirius even though the antenna connector looks like the FM/AM Motorola one and not the ones used for Sirius/XM.

3) Do FM/AM/Sat radio/GPS Sharkfins exist? And if so, how many cables are requried to be run from them? What kind of cable/connectors are needed and where can I find it?

4) Finally, can you run two tuners simultaneously from one antenna? I found a ton of Terk signal splitters, but they all are either for Sirius or for XM. The two are so similar, I doubt there's much of a difference, but either way, ahs anyone had any experience with these splitters?

I think that's all for now. I will greatly appreciate any feedback whatsoever. Thanks in advance!

ewoo · Apr 6, 2007

djczar said:
So I have searched high and low and still haven't gotten a clear idea on many things. I just installed the Pioneer AVIC-D3 and want to use a nice looking VW OEM Sharkfin antenna for FM/Sat Radio/GPS duties. I also just crashed my GTI (see here), so now that it's all taken apart, it's the perfect time to do some mods I have found a great DIY guide on this forum, but they didnt talk about Satellite radio or GPS at all, and those are a must for me! Here are my questions, any help would be greatly appreciated!

1) I at first thought that VW XM/Sirius tuners are built into the headunits themselves, but then read more and realized that they are seperate, just like aftermarket ones. Where exactly are they located in the car?

2) There are two antenna connections on the back of stock VW headunits. Why is that? The shop that did my D3 install said that they are identical, but somehow I really doubt that. Are the two connections from different antennas (one windshield diversity and one roof mount?) But then I read that the diversity antenna is an added option, so how do I know if my GTI has it? I found this interesting piece on eBay that somehow looks like something I need, but the description says its for Sirius even though the antenna connector looks like the FM/AM Motorola one and not the ones used for Sirius/XM.

3) Do FM/AM/Sat radio/GPS Sharkfins exist? And if so, how many cables are requried to be run from them? What kind of cable/connectors are needed and where can I find it?

4) Finally, can you run two tuners simultaneously from one antenna? I found a ton of Terk signal splitters, but they all are either for Sirius or for XM. The two are so similar, I doubt there's much of a difference, but either way, ahs anyone had any experience with these splitters?

I think that's all for now. I will greatly appreciate any feedback whatsoever. Thanks in advance!

Did you buy your car with PKG 0, 1 or 2? PKG 0 cars are not pre-wired for satellite. There are many variations of the VW OEM fin antenna--depending on the year, region and options you got with your car. Satellite box is under the passenger seat, typically. Reviewing the Bentley Service manual for your GTI will answer all your questions. Your collision shop might have it. Ask them.

djczar · Apr 6, 2007

ewoo said:
Did you buy your car with PKG 0, 1 or 2? PKG 0 cars are not pre-wired for satellite. There are many variations of the VW OEM fin antenna--depending on the year, region and options you got with your car. Satellite box is under the passenger seat, typically. Reviewing the Bentley Service manual for your GTI will answer all your questions. Your collision shop might have it. Ask them.

Sorry I knew I was forgetting to say something. My car is package 0, and I have the long "RC Style" antenna. I already guessed I don't have the needed wiring, but do you know how much is required? And is there such a thing as an FM/Sat/GPS Sharkfin? Thanks for the reply!

ewoo · Apr 6, 2007

djczar said:
Sorry I knew I was forgetting to say something. My car is package 0, and I have the long "RC Style" antenna. I already guessed I don't have the needed wiring, but do you know how much is required? And is there such a thing as an FM/Sat/GPS Sharkfin? Thanks for the reply!

Short answer is yes. But getting the wiring from your head unit to the rear and up to the roof would be a pain in the ass. You'd be better-off going with an aftermarket sat antenna and installing it on your dash.

shmeeg · Apr 6, 2007

i looked into doing the same thing. ewoo's right, itd be a hell of a job putting the tuner and everything in for the gps and redoing all the wiring. if somebody made a cheap easy DIY sharkfin w/ those features theyd probably make a grip.

btw, where did you run the gps antenna for your d3? roof or dash?

djczar · Apr 7, 2007

shmeeg said:
i looked into doing the same thing. ewoo's right, itd be a hell of a job putting the tuner and everything in for the gps and redoing all the wiring. if somebody made a cheap easy DIY sharkfin w/ those features theyd probably make a grip.

btw, where did you run the gps antenna for your d3? roof or dash?

What I want to know is where VW installs their own GPS antennas for their navigation packaged cars..
Right now the GPS antenna is mounted on the dash, but i'd like to change that as soon as possible. I have a ton of pics posted of the install in my other thread http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17223

shmeeg · Apr 7, 2007

yeah, i see it now, i musta missed it earlier. i thought they had a sharkfin w/ the gps ant in it...but it would just be a pita to wire it all in yourself.

dustytops · Apr 11, 2007

Those splitters will only work for the satellite signal, it gets split into "satellite" and "terrestrial" the ebay link is for a combiner, like to make a dual input antenna into a single input. The terk splitters are for splitting the single input signal into the dual input. I think it can't be anything more than a bandwith issue but it won't work with the fm antennas.

Your GTI does have a diversity antenna if there are 2 antenna leads on your headunit. I'm not exactly sure which one is the roof antenna, but I would use whichever one gets better reception.

AFAIK the stock cars with navi have antenna modules installed above the rear window, in the area that is blacked out on the glass. You would need a lot of wiring under the headliner and such to make it work as stock, but I think the GPS antenna is on the opposite side of the hatch on the glass from your fm antenna. If you have the headliner down/loose maybe you can put your aftermarket antenna somewhere up there, otherwise you might be able to get the dash tray, the one that replaces the diffuser vent and install it under there, I was thinking about doing that with my sat antenna.

AxMan · Jul 22, 2007

Ive seen people install the sat antenna in the top center vent so you cant really see it and it still works.

freeskiNINJA · Dec 26, 2007

TMTuning has the sharkfin you are referring to... my question is, if I install this will it play nice with my avic-z2?:wink:

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