I just purchased my Sirius set up a few days ago. I have the Sportser Replay with car hard wired install. I also purchased the Exec. Home Dock for the home, which is where I intend to use it most, as well as another home docking station for my stereo system.

I am VERY frustrated at the home. I get coverage in ONE room of the house. Even with this coverage the meter drifts from zero to full throughout the day. I find myself on way too many occasions moving the antenna and becoming obsessed with the signal.

The second home kit I bought for the stereo does not work at all in that location. Even with the antenna outside the window facing SW, which is where it is supposed to face. Not to mention that I have 2 ugly wires across two rooms, and my wife is about to throw me out of the house because of it.

I also just purchased the Terk6 to try and stop the drfiting. I have not installed yet, but upon being outside positioning it and having my wife look at the meter it does not seem any better than the antenna that came with the home kit.

I love Howard and will stick with this but man this technology has to be easier or most people are not going to put up with this. I want to be able to walk into rooms without trailing around a 20-30ft antenna with me and hope for a view of the SW sky.

One other thing if I can get it in the car moving in all kinds of directions why can't I get a better signal in the house or when I face the antenna in the same direction OUTSIDE??

I won't even discuss work, or my head will explode.

Thanks for listening....

Savy

LOL, I had the same problems when I bought my first unit several years ago and I couldn't turn to anyone for help cause very few people had satellite radio. So it was a pain in the ass to get a good signal. Let me see if I can help you.

First thing you need to know is that Sirius satellites are not fixed southwest as you have stated. That would only be true if they were geosynchronous(fixed around the equator). They're not. They use a vertical figure 8 orbit. You can see it here:

http://www.cashflowbusiness.net/siri_orbit.htm

The fact is that often times, depending on where you live, the best direction to point your antenna is North Central US(South Dakota area).

I'm not familiar with the Trek6 antenna, but I solved the problem at home once I installed an external antenna. I actually walked outside until I found the strongest signal and I placed it on the roof corner facing north central sky.

The reason you can't get a good signal inside the house is that satellite radio signals don't bounce off walls and floors, like FM does, so you have to have a straight unobstructed line-of-sight path to the skies. Once I got a good signal inside my house, I ran the wire thru walls and attic for a professional look and feel.

This is the most important issue with satellite radios: the antenna placement. It's the biggest challenge. Hope this helps, I've had to learn over the last 3 years on my own that's why I try to help people cause it was extremely frustrating at first.

Download the PDF file below(installing an external antenna) and read page 3. You'll see a map of the US with an boxed 'X' around South Dakota. This is the sweet spot. If you read this page, it tells you to point your external antenna towards this X depending on where you live. This should solve your problem. Good luck!

here's the document:
www.directed.com/audio/sirius/sirius_externalAntenna.pdf

Same here. My most consistent full-scale signal is not southwest but NE. So consistent I had my painter permanently mount it in that direction. Solid full-scale signal even during major X Class solar flares this summer. Approaching a full year no probelms.

As the writer above states, it is not in geo sync, point anywhere in that figure eight.

Thanks guys. I just called my electrician to see how quick he can come and install two antennas on my roof (one for my home office and one for my stereo). The reason I pointed to SW (and believe me I tried all directions), not from the roof yet though, is because I am in NH and that is what I was told from the yahoo @ Best Buy and it was in the booklet as well.
I will print off your suggestions and solve this one way or another.

Thanks Again
Savy

The antenna in the pdf is the Terk6. Probably branded by a few companies.

I already purchased one through Amazon for $48 and paid $20 for over night shipping. I guess I will purchase another one.

What if I need more than 80'? I know I will need at least 80' for the stereo install. I should be OK with the 30' default for the home office install. Can I put two 50' extensions together along with the 30' it comes with, with no degragation in signal?

Thanks Again

Savy

The antenna in the pdf is the Terk6. Probably branded by a few companies.

I already purchased one through Amazon for $48 and paid $20 for over night shipping. I guess I will purchase another one.

What if I need more than 80'? I know I will need at least 80' for the stereo install. I should be OK with the 30' default for the home office install. Can I put two 50' extensions together along with the 30' it comes with, with no degragation in signal?

Thanks Again

Savy

You should try to avoid using more than 80'(30' standard cable +50' extension cable from Directed). If you go to directed.com you'll notice that the 50' extention comes with a built-in amplifier to compensate for signal loss. If you need more than 80', find a location closer to your stereo for the antenna, somewhere on the roof or side of the house pointed to the north central region as described.

http://www.directed.com/audio/sirius/homeAccessories.asp#hm_extCable

There is a dish from direct tv on my roof from the people that lived here before. I am not using it, i got comcast for howard. Is there a way that i can use that dish somehow with the Sirius?

There is a dish from direct tv on my roof from the people that lived here before. I am not using it, i got comcast for howard. Is there a way that i can use that dish somehow with the Sirius?
Ooooo, that would be very cool. I'm lazy and never removed the dish from the previous owners of my house. If these can be used to boost the signal with Sirius, that would be the cats ass.

There is a dish from direct tv on my roof from the people that lived here before. I am not using it, i got comcast for howard. Is there a way that i can use that dish somehow with the Sirius?

Nope. Not at all. Sorry. Totally different frequency and technology. The only thing you can do with it is to use the post (after removing the DTV dish ofcourse) to mount a Sirius exterior antenna on that post and maybe use the antenna wire for your Sirius radio inside your house. It would save you from running the wire and mounting another post for the Sirius antenna. Just make sure you point the exterior Sirius antenna in a north central direction(towards South Dakota).

Thanks guys. I just called my electrician to see how quick he can come and install two antennas on my roof (one for my home office and one for my stereo). The reason I pointed to SW (and believe me I tried all directions), not from the roof yet though, is because I am in NH and that is what I was told from the yahoo @ Best Buy and it was in the booklet as well.
I will print off your suggestions and solve this one way or another.

Thanks Again
Savy

Glad you brought this up. I had the same frustration. I live in NH and was following the directions in the booklet. I was getting nervous because I have to keep dragging the antenna all over the house. Don't want to miss a thing when Howard's on, that's for sure. http://www.sternfannetwork.com/forum/images/smilies/Animals/cowsleep.gif

If you live in a house where you can install an Outdoor Mount Antenna (http://www.thesiriusstore.com/product_info.php?pName=outdoor-home-antenna&cName=sirius-antennas)

If you live in an apt, you will learn on how to move the antenna around. I move mine every hour or so, just tilt it a bit. I understand it is frustrating.

If you live near a terrestrial repeater where the signals are also relayed, that will help too.

On a separate note, I will have to move out of my current living situation since I can't get In Demands, Howard On Demand, wtf? just so I can't get it in my current living situation.

Nope. Not at all. Sorry. Totally different frequency and technology. The only thing you can do with it is to use the post (after removing the DTV dish ofcourse) to mount a Sirius exterior antenna on that post and maybe use the antenna wire for your Sirius radio inside your house. It would save you from running the wire and mounting another post for the Sirius antenna. Just make sure you point the exterior Sirius antenna in a north central direction(towards South Dakota).
Some good advice, boombox. I was thinking that the Sirius birds were up near the DirecTV sweet spot too, since I'm a longtime DTV user, but got worried when I found out where I needed to point my antenna. I've got nothing but trees, my building and some neighbor's patios in the way, and I face south with no way to do the indoor antenna. Plus no way to run a line to the roof (live in an apartment now). I originally got the place with the DTV LOS in mind. So I got the Kenwood Here 2 Anywhere, in case the home reception did not work. What a treat, the damn thing got a decent signal from my patio fence location. I just set it out there, no aiming, couldn't be simpler. I thought my DTV dish was easy to setup. Shit, with the Sirius antennas you don't even need a compass. Fricking amazing.

stern97,

It's good to hear a story with a positive installation experience http://www.SternFanNetwork.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif
It's good to know that most people are not having reception problems. I agree about the DTV, it's definitely much harder than Sirius radio setup.

I've had Sirius since the Union Square rally and I love it! I have never had a problem getting the satelite signal here in the NYC area. However I do run into a problem using my dock in my car. The airwaves around NY are very crowded and I am having a hard time trying to get a clear signal 88.1-88.7. on my Audiovox shuttle. Anyone else in NYC or North Jersey having this problem. Any solutions beside buying an indash player.

I've had Sirius since the Union Square rally and I love it! I have never had a problem getting the satelite signal here in the NYC area. However I do run into a problem using my dock in my car. The airwaves around NY are very crowded and I am having a hard time trying to get a clear signal 88.1-88.7. on my Audiovox shuttle. Anyone else in NYC or North Jersey having this problem. Any solutions beside buying an indash player.

Try to avoid using the FM transmitter in the car since the quality is so horrible in comparison to other options.

One step up would be to buy and install a Wired FM Modulator ($20) and that will wire the signal to one channel and no need to change it.

And a big step about that is to wire your SIRIUS Plug and Play to your car VIA and Auxiliary Input Adapter. Then you use the mode/aux/cd-changer button to access the SIRIUS, you will still change the channels on your SIRIUS PNP but you will have the Digital Sound that SIRIUS broadcasts whereas you don't get that quality with the FM Transmitter.

I've had Sirius since the Union Square rally and I love it! I have never had a problem getting the satelite signal here in the NYC area. However I do run into a problem using my dock in my car. The airwaves around NY are very crowded and I am having a hard time trying to get a clear signal 88.1-88.7. on my Audiovox shuttle. Anyone else in NYC or North Jersey having this problem. Any solutions beside buying an indash player.

Yes, the solution to your problem is to hard-wire the Sirius receiver to the car's stereo. There are ways to do this even if your car stereo doesn't have an auxilary input(e.g. an older model). You can do this yourself if you have the know-how or pay someone to do it. It typically costs around $50(plus any extra adaptors/parts) to have it hard-wired professionally, call around. But this will solve it without a doubt AND the sound quality will be 1000% better than using the built-in FM transmitter. Good luck.

I've had Sirius since the rally in Union Square and STILL can't get any reception in my apartment. Sirius ROCKS, but their reception SUCKS!!!!!

Savy, did you your electrician get your antenna installed for you yet?

I want to put up a permanent Sirius outdoor antenna, but I want to have it done by a pro. Unfortunately I haven't seen any photos at siriusbackstage or anywhere else of pro type installations of home antennas.

I'd like for someone to route the cable down the wall and bring it out through a wall plate, etc. I could probably do it, but I don't really want to start cutting on dry wall in my house since it's not something I regularly do.

I get terrible reception also in my home and I live in Virginia. I keep my antenna out the window and the signal still goes on and off....

I don't know if this is true a friend who loves siris told me that XM is a year ahead in technology right now.

With my boombox antenna outside in the back yard the shit still lose's the signal sometimes.

XM is AT LEAST a year ahead. In my apartment, and at my office, I can not even get Sirius reception due to my east facing windows (I'm on the Jersey shore). Yet, XM comes in just fine. From what I've been told, XM has great repeator coverage, while Sirius doesn't have much at all.

Here's my problem:

Sometimes I get a signal that is more static than signal in the car, but as I drive a little further, the static dissappears and the clear signal comes back. I've even had this happen while sitting at a light......I pull up to the light listening to mostly static, and before the light turns green, my signal switches to a clear, pure signal.

How is that happening? (I'm using the FM transmitter in the car when this happens, but I've also had it happen at home with a hard wired system.......static and then clear)

Anyone ever have anything like this happen?

I don't have much trouble with the signal at all - with antenna on window ledge and in back windshield.

Hang in there, bro. Support the most consistently funny show for the past 20 years. By the way - I'm using the cassette input for signal.

I work in a metal building and I can't get reception. Does anyone know of a antenna available that I can use to gt recption. Desperate about January!!!

sorry....you're not gonna get Howard in a metal buidling.

There is a dish from direct tv on my roof from the people that lived here before. I am not using it, i got comcast for howard. Is there a way that i can use that dish somehow with the Sirius? My understanding from siriusbackstage.com is that, YES, you can use your DirecTV cable. Whether your DTV is working or not, you can use the 14220 DBS Combiner/splitter, which allows you to not run a second cable for the Sirius antenna. Also, I've noted that only the SIR Terk6 Antenna works with the combiner/splitter kit.

So if i am using FM modulation, and i have signal (only a few bars) why does the sound drop out. kinda like someone muted the radio for a second or two. Is this a modulation issue, or a reception issue.

installed the radio per instructions in my truck...

you are right.. I get fine coverage at home and in my car which I just put it in there yesterday.. Anyways, I live in OHIO and does anybody know if in NE OHIO they are going to get more repeaters because they are going to loose a lot of business from people in offices.. I guess I work in a brick building and they added a new extension that was all brick.. Any ideas on how I can get my sporster boombox to come in without having to put in on the roof.. I would appreciate the help and thanks for your time....


Dan NE OHIO Akron

I think that the reception problem is gonna blow up in Sirius's face when millions of Howard fans sign up.

It just isn't that good for the home. I live in an apartment, and I can't get shit. Big cities with repeaters are fine, but everyone else is hit or miss.

In the car= awesome reception.
In the home=crap.

Are people gonna be satisfied only hearing Howard in the car??

You are right xhorder... I really bought sirius to listen to howard at work and if it doesn't come in there, I will eventually cancel it.. But for now I like listening to news and in car once ina while, but unless they fix the repeater problem and get a clearer signal with the satelite they really do need to work on this problem and before Jan. when stern starts. Does anybody know if they are or not.. Thanks for your help in this matter....

One of the Sirius guys was on Howard 100 and he said that if people are having reception problems, to let them know. He said they are always looking for places for new repeaters.

CB

thanks Vegas Booey I just sent an email to sirius about adding more repeaters in Akron ohio to get signal hopefully before stern starts.. I really hope they get it working for Stern.. Akron OHIO does have about 350,000 people so it would seem like they should get more repeaters here so I can hear it at work in the brick building.. Thanks for your suggestions there and I Hope sirius helps to fix these problems or stern fans will leave as soon as they joined up.. I will let you know what happens in regards to email and will call them 2 to let me them know about Northeast OHIO and especially Akron needing more repeaters..

Thanks again,

Dan

thanks for the info, i'm going to email Sirius as well and see if they can put more repeaters in my area, i'm in southern California, just east of L.A. in the San Gabriel Valley. for some reason though i cannot see them putting repeaters in every area where there are reception complaints, but maybe they can at least add repeaters to areas where there are a large number of complaints.

sometimes i can have my antenna in the house and i get a good signal but i always end up losing it eventually which becomes very frustrating. i finally had to run it out my window and i secured it on the outside eaves of my roof. i now am able to keep a signal but the signal bars do fluctuate from time to time. when i get more time during the holiday i'm going to properly run the antenna since i currently cannot fully close my window but at least i'm in southern California so i'm not freezing my ass off.

I purchased the 50 ft antenna extension so I could mount the antenna on the roof of my house and point it to the northern sky. I am now getting a very good signal.

However, Audio Revolution just posted an article about the poor sound quality of the Sirius talk channels. They mentioned that Howard is a perfectionist and will not tolerate his programming to be broadcast in such poor quality. Hopefully, the sound will improve in the near future.

Audio Revolution just posted an article about the poor sound quality of the Sirius talk channels. They mentioned that Howard is a perfectionist and will not tolerate his programming to be broadcast in such poor quality. Hopefully, the sound will improve in the near future.

Forget the talk stations, I think that the sound quality of Sirius' entire channel lineup is poor. I switch it between Sirius and terrestrial radio, and Sirius just can't compete. The music sounds 100% mono. But, that could be due to the fact that I have a Starmate. Does the type of receiver you have affect sound quality? Anyone know?

Forget the talk stations, I think that the sound quality of Sirius' entire channel lineup is poor. I switch it between Sirius and terrestrial radio, and Sirius just can't compete. The music sounds 100% mono. But, that could be due to the fact that I have a Starmate. Does the type of receiver you have affect sound quality? Anyone know?

If you're using the FM transmitter to listen to your Sirius receiver, then that's the problem. When it's connected directly to a good HiFi amplifier or car stereo, the music is near CD quality. So check your connection method.

I purchased the 50 ft antenna extension so I could mount the antenna on the roof of my house and point it to the northern sky. I am now getting a very good signal.

However, Audio Revolution just posted an article about the poor sound quality of the Sirius talk channels. They mentioned that Howard is a perfectionist and will not tolerate his programming to be broadcast in such poor quality. Hopefully, the sound will improve in the near future.

Many of the talk stations are a low bit rate....Howards channel will be a good bit rate similar to the music channels

Can someone explain what repeaters are? I live in CA and I was checking out the link of the satellite path and the West Coast is kinda screwed. I get really poor reception where I am and I'm interested in the Direct TV link up because I have a clear view of the sky ... If I can use that, my problems at home would be solved.

Can someone explain what repeaters are? I live in CA and I was checking out the link of the satellite path and the West Coast is kinda screwed. I get really poor reception where I am and I'm interested in the Direct TV link up because I have a clear view of the sky ... If I can use that, my problems at home would be solved.

Repeaters are ground transmitters that take the satellite signal and re-broadcast it at the street level to improve reception. They're usually placed by Sirius on building rooftops in areas where the signal is weak, i.e. downtown, inner city areas. They're big and very expensive. Similar to cellular repeaters. Your problem can be easily solved if you put the antenna outside, as high as possible, facing North Central US skies, towards South Dakota. If you need to, just get the Trek exterior antenna. Once you do this, you'll never get a signal drop. You just need to have a clear, direct, unobstructed path between the antenna and the skies above South Dakota(where the signal is strongest). For now, just test it by putting the antenna it came with outside, facing as indicated above and you'll see the signal improve. Then if it works much better, just make it permanent when you get the chance(you may need to buy an external antenna, and/or an extension cable). Good luck.

Is there any way of finding out where the ground repeaters are located? I'm also in Sacramento, and I found a list online that said there are repeaters here, but I have no idea which part of town.

So if I got a wired fm modulator and put it on my XACT Visor plug n play....would I tell a big difference????because i get an ok quality from the wireless fm transmitter???.....Also...how the hell could I hard wire this thing without using rca jacks to get the digital quality???

I have also found that using the optical connection between the Kenwood receiver and my McIntosh preamp improves the sound quality.