This isn’t a 4R’ish topic, but it involves it and it may help some others! Ever since I got my new Pioneer radio I’ve only been having problems… It allows for wireless Apple CarPlay which is a feature I’ve always wanted and the reason I upgraded. But in order to use the wireless you have to connect to WiFi from the radio, Bluetooth, and install a GPS antenna to the vehicle.

The antenna itself is small and is only one wire, but of course it needs to be in an area exposed to the sky, and according to the instructions on a flat surface (assuming magnets and stuff come into play). Well I installed it on my dashboard in the center of the dash underneath my OwlCam. For those who don’t know the OwlCam is like a lot of other dash cams that allow for live monitoring as it’s connected to a 4G network like a phone.

Going back to the radio, the problem I was having happened as I’m driving and playing music (fairly loudly, two subs as well) it’ll disconnect from wireless and say the GPS antenna is disconnected, causing me to either hard reset the radio or just use Bluetooth. Since it’s not recognizing the antenna, I can no longer use wireless CarPlay. Well a couple of days ago I found if I unplug my OwlCam, no problems with the radio… All of a sudden my radio is getting perfect GPS signal and it does not disconnect.

If anyone knows about the OwlCam or how it mounts, the mount sux. It slides into your dash between the windshield and it, then suction cups to the window, then the camera sits on top via a magnet. (Not my pic)



So either the 4G or magnet mount from the OwlCam causes the GPS to freak out, causing it to “disconnect”. I’ve always wanted to either buy a new dash cam or find a better mount for it, and after some googling I found OwlCam offers a “steep windshield mount kit”.

Steep Windshield Mount - Owlcam

But yikes it’s hideous from the million arms attached to it. But I actually had this kit, because I attempted to move the dash cam a couple of years ago when I got it, but gave up due to how awful it looked with the millions of arms coming off of it. But last night I began looking at the parts, I liked the larger suction cup that actually looks reliable with the “steep” kit, and the piece that connects to the camera. Unfortunately a Ram ball mount or any ball mount wouldn’t work, on the “ball” of the camera is also where it plugs in with a Type C cable. But other then that it looks a lot like regular camera stuff, so I pulled out the ol’ GoPro stuff I had and found a piece that could work.



This single little piece fit into the larger suction cup’s first attachment point and into the camera mounting piece. Bingo! But it didn’t fit with the larger hardware/screw from the OwlCam mount. So I took a 1/4 drill bit into the center section of the lower mount and drilled through. It fit and works!!

This made the entire hideous OwlCam mount into a smaller package that in my opinion works and looks substantially better.



After playing around with where to put it I decided to tuck it behind the rear view mirror. A large plus side for me is the camera sits just below the rear view mirror so the inside camera can continue to work.



If you’ve never wired something to the roof panel it’s super easy. I followed the path from my “map light mod” I did years ago. On the driver’s side A-pillar pop of both clips from the handle, take out the two 10mm/Phillips screws. Remove the handle then pull the panel up and towards you, it’ll expose some wire guides this will easily tuck into. The OwlCam plugs in via OBD-II so tucking in the wiring/excess was easy. Take a trim tool and tuck that wire.

It’s nice having that open space in the center of the dash again, and the above picture shows what it’s like from my view, much more discreet. And the radio now shows full GPS signal even with the camera on. Success!


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