# In-home reception issue, please help!



## wipeout (Jul 15, 2003)

I have a plug and play Starmate and I purchased the in-home antenna kit. I have had this set up for over a year and it has worked great. I have it at the window which faces the sky where I believe the sattelite resides in space. I just got a new window installed which is a much better unit. It has a full screen as well as UV gas inbetween the panes. Now when I put the antenna at this window all I get is "aquiring signal". What can I do? This window is in the room with my sound system so that is where I want the radio when I am using it inside. It is the only window in the room. I'm bummed.


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

wipeout said:


> I have a plug and play Starmate and I purchased the in-home antenna kit. I have had this set up for over a year and it has worked great. I have it at the window which faces the sky where I believe the sattelite resides in space. I just got a new window installed which is a much better unit. It has a full screen as well as UV gas inbetween the panes. Now when I put the antenna at this window all I get is "aquiring signal". What can I do? This window is in the room with my sound system so that is where I want the radio when I am using it inside. It is the only window in the room. I'm bummed.


Hi there wipeout.

I have the same issue with the windows in my house. The same is true for metal screens. Both will block the satellite signal into the house and the antenna.

Your best bet for inside the house is to install equipment like the one linked here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Sirius-Home...Kit-14250_W0QQitemZ270132047199QQcmdZViewItem

You install this outside and use existing RG6 to bring in the signal. It says you can diplex with existing signals but I would caution on that. Especially if you are already using that line for both SAT/CABLE and OTA. You can then distribute the signal anywhere in the house where there is a cable connection.

I have yet to do this but am considering it very soon. I have a window that gets mediocre signal when I place the antenna outside on the ledge. This means taking the screen off as well and leaving a gap in the window.

Good luck and let us know if you decide on this solution. Curious of the performance.

pf

EDIT: Sirius Equipment: Factory installed Sirius Radio for Jeep Grand Cherokee, Audiovox SIRPNP1 w/ Boombox SIRBB1


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## wipeout (Jul 15, 2003)

The antenna that came with the in-home kit can be mounted outside can't it? It will stand the elements? I could just do that right outside of that wiindow as long as the cord reaches.


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

wipeout said:


> The antenna that came with the in-home kit can be mounted outside can't it? It will stand the elements? I could just do that right outside of that wiindow as long as the cord reaches.


It can be, however that antenna is unidirectional. Meaning that you need to be pointed directly at one of the three satellites that are always moving.

The antenna provided in this kit is omnidirectional like those on vehicles and should have a better chance of picking up a signal. Plus, with the coax connection for the antenna, the signal can be brought in with existing wiring that you probably have in the house.

Checked with Best Buy and it appears that they do carry one of the models. One of the eight stores in my area had it in stock.

You can try placing the home antenna outside but you will run into dropouts and you have to keep the window cracked open. The cable is thick and not very flexible enough to close a window around it. I have been using this method for a while and am not very happy with the results.

I have two lines coming into the house and once I can move all of the DirecTV signal to one run of coax (SWM Trial User) I will install the home distribution kit.

EDIT: I do have a friend who was using the home antenna outside in the upper midwest. While it did work most of the time, he experienced dropouts. Also, the antenna stopped working after about a year. The cold and snow eventually got the best of the receiver. 
pf


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

I've had Sirius for going on three years, my antenna has been on my roof since day one, no problems at all, after three winters here in Buffalo. My XM antenna is right beside the Sirius antenna, no problem with that either. I have them fastened to the roof with a an arched piece of angle iron holding them in place, the wires run down the side of my house into the basement and then up through my bedroom floor through the same hole the cable TV line comes in. Never get any signal loss on either service.


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## aim2pls (Jun 18, 2007)

you new window has "leaded" glass .. go to an external antenna


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

Steve Mehs said:


> I've had Sirius for going on three years, my antenna has been on my roof since day one, no problems at all, after three winters here in Buffalo. My XM antenna is right beside the Sirius antenna, no problem with that either. I have them fastened to the roof with a an arched piece of angle iron holding them in place, the wires run down the side of my house into the basement and then up through my bedroom floor through the same hole the cable TV line comes in. Never get any signal loss on either service.


These are the "Home" antennas? I think the reason why their antenna went bad was the constant pinching of the screen door. They live in an apartment. Plus, the had the antenna sitting on the ground with minimal drainage. I advised that they purchase a low profile auto antenna that could stand up better to their environment.

pf


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Yep, I'm just using the normal home antennas.


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## churdie (May 4, 2003)

i dont know if anybody else has tried this but i had a extra car antenna with magenetic bottom and just plugged it into that and get great reception with just that. thought i would pass it along.


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## wipeout (Jul 15, 2003)

Yesterday I started to get reception again. I had to move it back and forth slowly but it came in. Whew.


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

churdie said:


> i dont know if anybody else has tried this but i had a extra car antenna with magenetic bottom and just plugged it into that and get great reception with just that. thought i would pass it along.


That is because the car antenna is omnidirectional. Whereas the home antenna is unidirectional and needs to be alligned.

pf

SIRI Equipment: Audiovox SIRPNP1 & SIRBB1, Factory installed radio in Jeep Gr Cherokee


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## isuzudave (Sep 29, 2006)

packfan909 said:


> That is because the car antenna is omnidirectional. Whereas the home antenna is unidirectional and needs to be alligned.
> 
> pf
> 
> SIRI Equipment: Audiovox SIRPNP1 & SIRBB1, Factory installed radio in Jeep Gr Cherokee


How do you allign an antenna with a sattelite that is moving across the sky?


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

isuzudave said:


> How do you allign an antenna with a sattelite that is moving across the sky?


Thats the fundamental issue. Sirius has three orbiting birds up there. Supposedly, you should always be able to pick up a bird based on the pattern they orbit. In my experiences, with the home antenna, there are a few times during the day that the satellites will loose sync with my receiver. Moving from one sat to another. There are better antenna options out there vs what is provided.

For example, you can get a Home Distribution Kit which includes a mountable external omnidirectional antenna and splitters and cables that allow you to use your existing coax to bring the signal in the house. It costs $40 at Best Buy. I am going to purchase one on Saturday and install Sunday. I will report back how it does.

pf


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

Installation Update:

So I purchased the Home Distribution Kit from Best Buy on Saturday. The purchase price was 39.99. Included in the kit was:

- External Antenna
- U Bolts for securing to DSS Pole Mount. Note: If you have a larger dish like the AT or AU9 beware that the pole mount is larger in diameter. It is a tight fit with the bolts provided.
- Sirius Cable Splitter. Rated for 2200mHz - 2400 mHz
- 2 Coax -> SMB cables

I installed the antenna on my AT9 J Pole Mount. Connected it to my boombox and immediately got full signal on my PNP1. I connected to the existing open RG6 line that feeds to my wiring closet in the house. Not needing the splitter, I coupled to the line going to the Entertainment Center. I would estimate the length of cable between the antenna and the receiver is about 200-250 feet.

I did experience some loss of signal. But it was the difference of 100% down to 80%. Even though the kit says 150 feet max, my guess is that is to guarantee top signal strength. The kit says that if the length is longer that 150 to use an inline amp.

Everything works great and I am happy I made the switch.

Any questions, let me know.

pf

EDIT: I have installed the splitter and have not noticed any loss of signal with the additional run. Boombox is upstairs and the home dock is downstairs.

SIR Equipment - SIR DA Home Distribution Kit --> Audiovox SIRPNP1; Dodge Radio with Sirius in Jeep Gr Cherokee.


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## hjsiemer (Sep 28, 2006)

I am using one of the "home" antennas on the dashboard of my truck and notice that seem to lose reception more often than when I had one of the vehicle antennas on the top of my truck. Besides the obvious that on top of the truck is better than the dashboard, should I get a better signal with less dropout if I use the vehicle antenna on the dashboard?

thanks


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

hjsiemer said:


> I am using one of the "home" antennas on the dashboard of my truck and notice that seem to lose reception more often than when I had one of the vehicle antennas on the top of my truck. Besides the obvious that on top of the truck is better than the dashboard, should I get a better signal with less dropout if I use the vehicle antenna on the dashboard?
> 
> thanks


You should get better signal with the vehicle antenna. It can pick up the satellites as long as any part of the antenna can see them. With the home antenna. The front of the unit has to be in line of sight with the satellites. This is why you loose signal from time to time. In the dash is fine.

pf


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Yeah, definitely use a vehicle antenna while driving. Home antennas were designed to be in a stationary environment.


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## dorsai78664 (Apr 17, 2006)

Is there currently a way to boost the Sirius signal for home use without mounting an antenna outside?

I purchased Sirius about a year ago primarily for use in my cubicle at work. Radio reception was horrible and I hoped satellite radio might be an improvement. As you can imagine, poor signal quality is an optimistic description. I don't think I've ever gotten more than three bars of strength. Putting an in dash receiver in my car was probably the only thing made me keep the service at the time.

I am again trying to get this to work in my building. I have no line of sight for either the terrestial repeaters nor the satellites and it seems sometimes that my building's primary function is as some sort of jamming device. I have tried both home and car antennas as well as placing both in the closest window (faces N/NW) with no luck. I don't own this office building and my employer is not about to let me mount an outside antenna and run a cable.

Is there a way that I can boost the signal?

Is there a way to use our extensive ethernet network as an antenna?

Normally, streaming on the web might be an option but sites with streaming audio and video have been blocked by our proxy. Any suggestions?


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## hjsiemer (Sep 28, 2006)

The boosters are in the antenna lines that extend at least 50 feet and just boost the signal that was intended to go 20 feet to a longer distance. I have the same problems at work with the proxy server, but luckily the windows in our building will open, so what I did after all of my colleagues were gone for the day was open the window, put some gorilla glue on the bottom of a satellite VEHICLE antenna and stuck it LOW on the window out of the normal line of sight. I wrapped the part of the antenna line that gets pinched when the window is closed with a lot of electrical tape and don't open and close the window. Seems to work fine. By the way, the gorilla glue is from home depot and they also sell a liquid glue remover so when you are ready to move on, you can take the antenna with you! It is always better to ask for forgiveness than permission...



dorsai78664 said:


> Is there currently a way to boost the Sirius signal for home use without mounting an antenna outside?
> 
> I purchased Sirius about a year ago primarily for use in my cubicle at work. Radio reception was horrible and I hoped satellite radio might be an improvement. As you can imagine, poor signal quality is an optimistic description. I don't think I've ever gotten more than three bars of strength. Putting an in dash receiver in my car was probably the only thing made me keep the service at the time.
> 
> ...


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

dorsai78664 said:


> Is there currently a way to boost the Sirius signal for home use without mounting an antenna outside?
> 
> I purchased Sirius about a year ago primarily for use in my cubicle at work. Radio reception was horrible and I hoped satellite radio might be an improvement. As you can imagine, poor signal quality is an optimistic description. I don't think I've ever gotten more than three bars of strength. Putting an in dash receiver in my car was probably the only thing made me keep the service at the time.
> 
> ...


At the least, use a low profile vehicle antenna vs. the home antenna. You will not have to move the antenna so much if at all.

pf


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## NKy.Yall (Apr 8, 2004)

I am a Directv user but also have an OTA set up completely separate from the sat-tv { no diplex`s etc.} My OTA is set up with a duel splitter that divides the upstairs TV from the family room TV down in the basement. My question could I get a triple style diplexer/splitter have the two OTA`s and the Sirius antenna all attached outside the house and use splitter from the inside connection to the TV {wall jack} and split the signal that way to both TV and sat-radio receiver. Right now my outside has 1 –in and 2-out jacks on the diplexer and I ran another splitter prior to the basement being finished to get an OTA signal down there. I now have no access to that one because of the construction/drywall etc.I hope I explained that easy enough for you to understand but my sat-lingo is not the best. Basically what I`m asking could one split an OTA only feed with a Sirius antenna and it would work if all it hooked up correctly or not be compatible at all. I did fail to mention my sat-antenna is the 5 lnb slimline version with a Zinwell {I think its called} switch box and also have the b-band coverters attached as well if that has any bearing on a alternative solution. Thanks in advance for any help with this matter !!!!!!!!!


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## max1 (Aug 12, 2005)

Hey, all one question I always wanted to know do trees have an affect on the signal? We have six maple trees 3 in front yard and 3 in back. We get good signal in living room which is in the southern part of the house. We have Siirus boombox We are getting the trees trimmed this fall just because it's over due for a trim. Am wondering if that would help the signal better?Was just currious if trees affect the signal. Max.


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

max1 said:


> Hey, all one question I always wanted to know do trees have an affect on the signal? We have six maple trees 3 in front yard and 3 in back. We get good signal in living room which is in the southern part of the house. We have Siirus boombox We are getting the trees trimmed this fall just because it's over due for a trim. Am wondering if that would help the signal better?Was just currious if trees affect the signal. Max.


Hi Max,

Here is a story for you. I also have a boombox that would not have issues here at home. Neighborhood is less than three years old and trees are not mature enough. However, I have had nothing but problems taking the boombox camping and using the home antenna. Spotty reception at best. To the point that our fellow campers got angry and turned it off and switched to an iPod.

I think that trees do have an impact. I will be trying a car antenna this camping weekend to see if I have any better luck. Either way, check out the product I discussed earlier in the thread. The home distribution kit worked wonders for my reception. Plus, I am not bound by having the boombox at a window anymore. Now, I have the PnP unit installed on my home stereo that pipes the audio to both our family room and the backyard.

pf


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

NKy.Yall said:


> I am a Directv user but also have an OTA set up completely separate from the sat-tv { no diplex`s etc.} My OTA is set up with a duel splitter that divides the upstairs TV from the family room TV down in the basement. My question could I get a triple style diplexer/splitter have the two OTA`s and the Sirius antenna all attached outside the house and use splitter from the inside connection to the TV {wall jack} and split the signal that way to both TV and sat-radio receiver. Right now my outside has 1 -in and 2-out jacks on the diplexer and I ran another splitter prior to the basement being finished to get an OTA signal down there. I now have no access to that one because of the construction/drywall etc.I hope I explained that easy enough for you to understand but my sat-lingo is not the best. Basically what I`m asking could one split an OTA only feed with a Sirius antenna and it would work if all it hooked up correctly or not be compatible at all. I did fail to mention my sat-antenna is the 5 lnb slimline version with a Zinwell {I think its called} switch box and also have the b-band coverters attached as well if that has any bearing on a alternative solution. Thanks in advance for any help with this matter !!!!!!!!!


I have two lines that are going inside the house. One that feeds D* via SWM with OTA diplexed on top after the SWM. Works very well as it is split three ways (potential for four currently). Each TV is able to receive the signals flawlessly. My second run of coax is just for the Sirius signal.

Beyond the Zinwell and the 5LNB dish, what receivers and how many are there in the house? I can probably help you find a solution to your wiring if you can paint the entire picture.

Minus the SWM, our configurations are not very far off. As this is off topic, feel free to PM me with the details and we can work this out off of this thread since it is a Sirius only thread.

pf


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