XM Radio for Freightline Columbia

[IntrepidNook]

I am new here (a passerby really), and I was hoping you guys may be able to help me. I want to buy an XM Satellite Radio for my dad's Freightliner Columbia for Christmas, but I have no clue what to buy. We live in different cities, and I haven't been able to sneak a peak at the radio set-up. Any ideas? Worst case scenario, I may just buy him a iPod and use the iPod/XM satellite dock, but I would love to get something that is compatible with his unit. It's brand new, but that's all I know.

Any ideas? Many thanks in advance.

I should add that I found an old thread on this topic (from 2004), but I was hoping for some more recent insight.

[Doc Weaver]

many if not all of the new units have a small radio transmitter in them. That would allow him to tune to a specific channel on FM and pick up the XM. I have a dock in both of my trucks and take the radio to which ever one I'm driving. One is through a 3.5mm aux input and the other truck has an adapter.

By the way, welcome

[Bob86ZZ4]

I don't like those re-transmitted signals tho. You have to find a clear frequency to set it to. Then when you come into a town that has a radio station working anywhere near that freq you get interference. Plus the sound quality isn't as good as a direct hard wired input. It sounds like you're loooking for a unit that has sat built in? I'm pretty sure the trucks all have a standard single din opening that should work fine for whatever radio you pick. For sure I'd also make sure it's got a front panel aux input. That makes it very easy to plug in the ipod. And if you just got one with that it's easy to plug in a external sat unit and have good sound and no interference. Then he can use his sat unit in other vehicles easily.

[Camping Dutchman]

In our columbia, I went to freightliner and bought the xm module, it is an easy plug into the radio and works with the existing factory radio. Very easy and worked great. Bought a mirror mount antenna for the xm which ran into the door under the dash. Quick clean and easy

[IntrepidNook]

Thanks for all the responses. Look like it's time to do a bit of shopping!

I just found the XM Snap, which basically just fits into the lighter/power source. This would be nice, because he could easily use it in multiple vehicles (with an antenna in each, of course). Is there a power source that is within easy reach? I want him to be able to reach the buttons, if that's the way I go. I did some sneaky investigation and found out that his Columbia is a 2008.

Again, many thanks in advance and a Happy Thanksgiving.

[Bob86ZZ4]

I use one of those XM tuners that I plug into the cigarette lighter. As for the antenna I just toss that magnetic puck antenna up on the dash and it works fine. I don't even bother putting it outside.

[Camping Dutchman]

Originally Posted by IntrepidNook

Thanks for all the responses. Look like it's time to do a bit of shopping!

I just found the XM Snap, which basically just fits into the lighter/power source. This would be nice, because he could easily use it in multiple vehicles (with an antenna in each, of course). Is there a power source that is within easy reach? I want him to be able to reach the buttons, if that's the way I go. I did some sneaky investigation and found out that his Columbia is a 2008.

Again, many thanks in advance and a Happy Thanksgiving.

2008 should allow for the plug in module. Do you want him to be able to move it or just use it? That is the question