#1

Cal
2004 CTS-V bl/bl
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 663
Posts per day: 4.21
Location: NJ Shore


Combo antenna & Onstar upgrade

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I am going to be calling (as soon as I remember during business hours) to order the combo antenna so I can get rid of that existing onstar sticky-square on the inside of my back window. Pulled the outside antenna off and reception has been terrible without it. Has anyone installed the combo, can it be done without upgrading to the new gen 5-6-whatever OnStar system, and if so how much is that? I'd like to upgrade to the new OnStar if possible so I can have a real calling plan and not the bogus 50 cents a minute one I current am subjected to. Then I'd actually use the damn car phone.

Maybe miscreant or someone else with some GM knowledge can shed some light on it. I will ask my dealer and report back with any other findings.

Cal
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09-11-04, 12:28 AM #2

VSPEED
04 CTS, SRX, Owner Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 11
Posts per day: 0.10
Location: Charlotte, NC


Re: Combo antenna & Onstar upgrade

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I have been asking this same question several times in this forum but no difinitive answers. It seems easy and the part is cheap.

Miscreant was checking with someone a Delphi re any signal loss etc from making such a change but I dont think he heard back yet. There has to be somebody out there that knows or has done it already.

Did you go ahead try it yet ?

vspeed

#3

Cal
2004 CTS-V bl/bl
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 666
Posts per day: 4.22
Location: NJ Shore


Re: Combo antenna & Onstar upgrade

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Not yet I tried to call the parts dept and got no answer. I need to take it in for the control arm check so I wanted to do this as well since my current signal is AWFUL with the tints and the outside antenna off. If I get in a crash just write me off.

Cal
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09-11-04, 10:39 AM #4

VSPEED
04 CTS, SRX, Owner Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 14
Posts per day: 0.13
Location: Charlotte, NC


Re: Combo antenna & Onstar upgrade

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Im looking forward to someone sheding more light into this thread topic over the next few days. So we can move forward in changing the antennas.

I was thinking of asking my grandfather whom is a retired cadillac exec for some names of someone to contact possibly?? My Onstar has a popping and crackling noise every now and then on while on Virtual Advisor and with the Onstar advisors.

As I said in a previous thread on this. I have quickly looked at the parts diagrams and there is the base and the antenna mast(exactly like my SRX) Each has its own cable running back to the corresponding equipment. Looks easy.....

Where I think there may be an issue is using the combo antenna with the
OnStar. XM should be fine. Since people are saying ??? that the 2005 has an upgraded OnStar to all digital they are infering the antenna base may not work very well with the previous versions. I know they are specifically designed and calibrated frequency wise to the antenna. This leads me to my next question... If the 04 is analog/digital system (which I think is better in the current cellular market until they go all digital 2007) hypothetically we should get great signal on the digital and the only place we may loose is analog if any. Thats where we need a techie's thoughts to get real info

Im going to call Onstar today and find out if my SRX is the newer system. I bought both in June and curious which systems they have. Because the SRX has the combo antenna.

Stay tuned..........

VSPEED
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09-11-04, 10:54 AM #5

VSPEED
04 CTS, SRX, Owner Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 14
Posts per day: 0.13
Location: Charlotte, NC


Re: Combo antenna & Onstar upgrade

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OK!

I just got off the phone with Onstar(huge center here in Charlotte) with some better info.

There is no analog/digital system like some people were saying. Its either analog or digital (pre 05 with the exception of a few final production are all analog)

My CTS they confirmed is analog thus the ugly antenna. As I said earlier my SRX has the combo antenna. They confirmed it has an analog system as well.
So we may have answered our question so far! Im thinking since the SRX is analog and using the combo we could probably order the SRX part# (looks the same) and it should work.

Miscreant- Im traveling next week... do you mind calling an Onstar technician to verify what we found out before we purchase the SRX part#. You were interested in changing your as well werent you? Thanks - please let us know. Hows the GTO??

Cal - we are seeing the light!

Vspeed

anyone have any update on changing out the ugly spiral antenna?..

will the SRX work?...does it have the same connector on the inside?

OnStar Upgrade?

I have a 2005 that I took delivery of four weeks ago. The OnStar people tell me I have analog (even though I have the upgrade antenna) and all 2005s were supposed to be digital. Verizon does not use analog and will not do the Family Share Plan. So does anyone know what is going on with this situation?

Dave:disappoin

I'm in the same boat with Verizon. I might go for the bluetooth connect kit that is hardwired in. Motorola is running a promotion with cadillac on it. Here is the link: http://www.motorola.com/automotive/solution_blnc.html

I was tinkering with adding my onstar to my Verizon package but I do not use it enough for it to make sence for me. When I did speak with OnStar they did tell me that my 05 was capable to work with the Verizon Family Share plan so maybe your 05 was manufactured earlier?

My 05 CTS was built October, 2004. OnStar told me I have analog and Verizon will not do another phone on the Family Plan with this set up.

I will have to look into the Blue Tooth above unless GM will have a digital upgrade.

Onstar claims they can track and find your car if it gets stolen.

How do they do it if the car does not have GPS. I dont see how they can do it with an analog phone signal.

I just got off the phone with Verizon and I added my 05 CTS to the family share plan with OnStar. It actually cost me nothing additional to add it. I was currently paying $20 for each additional phone on the family share plan that I was on and with the OnStar plan the additional phones and OnStar were only $9.95 each a month and I now have an additional 100 minutes on the new plan. ;)