Sirius - reception question

[Das Hammer]

I'm located in NE Indiana (about 84.5W longitude). A friend of mine let me borrow one of his Sirius radios to check it out. In the car - no problem. Heck, even if I parked in the garage I was able to get something.

However, when I hooked it up at the office, a strange thing occurs. I placed the antenna (not the car mag-mount, but the other one) in my southern facing window. Got a couple bars and everything was great. Then, 9:00 rolls around and the signal starts going in and out. Then, it finally dies around 10:00. Can't get crap until around 2:00. Tried another antenna, same thing.

Maybe running the antenna over to my neighbor's western window would help, but I can't understand why the signal goes away when I don't even move the antenna.

A couple of other people here have xm and they aren't having any problems in the southern facing windows. The xm sat is pretty near directly south for us here though.

Suggestions?

 

[korsjs]

it is kind of funny how the signal inside works. i work in an old grocery store that has been converted to office space. i am probably more than 100 feet away from the front windows of where the front windows are. they are the only windows in the building. i have a home kit set up on top of my top shelf above my desk. most of the time i can get two bars. today and some other days, i can get all three. some days it, not often, the signal cuts out by going to one bar. i am really getting my money worth by being able to listen during the day.

 

[Das Hammer]

Thanks for the reply.

Listening during the day is the only way I can justify getting one for myself. I'm not on the road much at all.

The home kit, that's what I'm using in the office.

 

[charper1]

I believe that the Sirius satellites are not geostationary yet in an inclined elliptical pattern. Even though you are not moving your antenna, the non-efficient window placement is losing strength as the satellites move. Can you buy the extension cable and get the antenna outside and/or on the roof?

 

[Das Hammer]

I don't think they'd want me drilling holes through the joint.

Are the Sirius birds expected to become geostaionary eventually?

 

[charper1]

Mine at home and office are both outside and no holes needed. The wire is less than 1/8" and in a wired office environment there are many other options; ask your boss, super or maintenance department.

No, the birds are as they are. Seems to be the most efficient coverage scheme.

 

[korsjs]

it is kind of funny how the signal inside works. i work in an old grocery store that has been converted to office space. i am probably more than 100 feet away from the front windows of where the front windows are. they are the only windows in the building. i have a home kit set up on top of my top shelf above my desk. most of the time i can get two bars. today and some other days, i can get all three. some days it, not often, the signal cuts out by going to one bar. i am really getting my money worth by being able to listen during the day.

i should note my signal inside is all from the local transmitter. i get nothing from the sky.

 

[BFG]

Yes that was very important to note korsjs.

Or else I was gonna call BS

Here's a good read on the satellites http://www.dogstarradios.com/sirasasecoma.html

Refer to the sirius map on where to point to get best reception.

http://www.sirius.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Sirius/Page&c=Page&cid=1071870446092&

The satellites generally run through the middle of the country, so those on the east should point west and those on the west point east

 

[Das Hammer]

It makes more sense now that I know the sats are moving around all the time. Been messing with the stationary stuff so long I got spoiled.

Unfortunately, the maint. dept. isn't very helpful unless you're of the female type.

I'll see if I can borrow it again to try in the western window. I've read of others having success with that in my area.

 

[DarrellP]

I have the same and a different problem. I mounted my home kit antenna outside because I could not get any signal at all through my window. I set the receiver in the window, went outside, got 6 bars, mounted the antenna and after about 1/2 hour, bars dropped to 3 and my signal cut in and out. I have not been able to get 6 bars back since then, it stays at 3.

If I play it for about 30 minutes, I start losing signal and it says the dreaded "acquiring satellite". I found that if I turn it off and back on, it will play a bit longer, so being an ex computer tech, I thought it may have a heat related problem so I put a fan on it and it's been playing just fine now for about 50 minutes. This is the longest it has played yet without cutting out.

I am in the Portland, OR area, is anyone else from this area and getting a consistently better signal than me? I haven't tried it in the car yet.

Thanks.

 

[StevenD]

Can trees block the signal?

I have a Starmate in my office at home that I installed in January. I had full signal with no dropouts. The antenna is sitting on a window ledge outside facing north. Now that the leaves have grown back on my trees, I get a lot of dropouts.

 

[Shawn95GT]

I live in Phoenix (SW US). With the home kit antenna in the North facing window sill it would lose signal at certain points during the day.

I moved the antenna out the window about 5' away from the house and on top of my patio. I now get full signal and an occational drop to two bars (on the main display). No more break ups.

The orbit looks a lot like an '&' symbol as far as reception in the US is concerned. It's pretty much centered East to West.

 

[charper1]

Can trees block the signal? I have a Starmate in my office at home that I installed in January. I had full signal with no dropouts. The antenna is sitting on a window ledge outside facing north. Now that the leaves have grown back on my trees, I get a lot of dropouts.

YES, you need clear sky access.