Hello..

I'm using the older FM Transmitter XM radio, and the signal is much improved in my 06 X5 with integrated antenna than it was in my Lexus RX which had an electric antenna.

I used a friends XM with Sure Connect today on my X5 and it worked comparably to mine, ie a little occasional static noise, but nothing really annoying.

So my observations are that it does not require an antenna with a shaft to work, and was not any better or worse than the "normal" XM FM transmitter.

Hope that helps..

ED