Sirius XM’s New Satellite Up And Running
While official word has not yet been released, we have the understanding that Sirius XM’s new satellite is up and operational. The new satellite was launched at the end of the second quarter and has been undergoing various tests prior to the company accepting delivery and pumping content through to subscribers.
This latest satellite was contracted by Sirius Satellite radio prior to the merger. Unlike the other satellites in the Sirius constellation, this satellite sits in a fixed geostationary orbit. This satellite is more powerful than the higher orbiting satellites utilized by Sirius in the past. Subscribers to the Sirius feed may notice changes in reception in areas where they were getting “drop-outs” in the past.
If you are a Sirius subscriber, we here at SiriusBuzz would be interested in knowing if anyone notices any differences in their reception of the Sirius signal.
Position – Long Sirius XM Radio
Wow…hooked up my old Audiovox boombox. My apartment has no line of sight to the “sweet spot” (over MN, supposedly) so I’ve always had to tape the antenna to a six-foot cardboard tube and hang it out my window with a counterweight to get reception.
Now I have the antenna sitting on my windowsill pointed roughly north (in Central PA) and NOT A SINGLE DROPOUT ALL DAY. Locked on two bars, with an occasional jump to three earlier this afternoon. Reminds me of when I lived in Pittsburgh, under the shadow of a terrestrial repeater! Finally I can listen to Sirius without hanging makeshift hardware six feet out my window! I’m thrilled!
If the new Sirius FM 5 is on line reception in southern Nevada
has degraded at my home. The antenna has a view from the north to the east. It seems a satellite is shut down and reception is lost for 1/2 hour our so around every 8 hrs.
My home blocks eastern and southern satellite reception.
In the past reception was never lost.
Rulon….
I have heard a similar complaint from someone in Colorado. I think what is happening is that Sirius XM is turning off the higly eliptical satellites earlier than they used to. Those in the west seem to have similar issues that you are experiencing.
Your best action would be to call the company, get a manager, and ask them to take note of your location. If enough people from a similar geographic region are having the issue, the company should take the steps needed.
Log in to Nasa Science Clik on digital radio and you will see the track.. make an icon so you may see where the satellite is whenever you want.. It will show the sattelites in a gigure 8 orbit while the XM is rotating the earth in a fixed straight motion orbiting the earth.Sirus ! is at the lower tip of South America and #2 and #3 are due north. It is 2:47 PM in Boston, signal reading is a solid 7 on an outside anntenna.
For 3 weeks now, I have been experiencing 60-90 minute dropouts occuring like clockwork at 1:04 PM and 9:10 PM Eastern time. My antenna orientation has been in the same position for 3 1/2 years and has operated flawlessly. I live in north Atlanta, GA. Is anyone experiencing the same problem? I have called Sirius Tech Support 5-6 times and cannot get a straight answer.Thanks.
I checked the times today on dropout in Mesquite Nevada. My home antenna has worked well for several years located on the north side of my home.Here is this mornings times:
9/09/2009 lost signal at 10:04 AM PT
9/09/2009 fade in and out starts at 10:15 AM PT
9/09/2009 lost signal around 10:20 PT
9/09/2009 full audio returns at 10:25 PT
I expect around 8 hours from 10:04 AM another dropout
event will take place as sirius 1 2 and 3 are south of the equator for 8 hours and north of the equator for 16 hours.
Perhaps others can post drop out times.
I have Sirius Conductor for my home and, with the antenna in the Window facing NW, usually got only 3 of 9 bars, and occasionally 6 bars, with drop outs at infrequent (yet inconvenient) intervals. I just moved the antenna slightly towards SW (towards Texas) and now get at least 6 bars and sometimes a full 9 bars, with no dropouts to report yet. I see that the new satellite is not only more powerful, but is able to direct even stronger signals to the major population centers on the East and West coast. Kudos to Sirius.
I used to get 3 bars on the antenna signal strength; now I consistently get at least 6, and sometimes more. My reception used to suck – now I have no complaints (at least for the past 2 1/2 weeks). This satellite has made a big difference… or… a miracle has occured!
BIG IMPROVEMENT. G-R-E-A-T
Since last week (9 Sep, 2009), there has been a major improvement in my home reception (using an indoor antenna) of Sirius Radio. I hope this is permanent.
—– KC
For the past year, I had attached my indoor antenna to a snow rake pole in order to get it up by a sky-lite window in the ceiling – about 12 feet high. Had to do this because I’m surrounded by woods, and reception at every window was impossible. Now, all I have to do is place the antenna on the floor in the same room; it doesn’t even have to be directly under the ceiling window – works practically anywhere in the room!
What a relief to not have to constantly redirect the antenna. I hope this isn’t a temporary situation, because the way it was…. was driving me nuts.
I had the dealer install Sirius in my new car in July, ’08. As a subscriber and as an investor I was extremely umhappy with the number of dropouts I was getting not only in expected areas around heavy foliage, but even in a “clear” area. I live in Nassau County, NY, a close in suburb of NYC. I wondered if XM was as bad as this, with their geosynchronous satellites.
I also thought that, although I hadn’t heard much chatter on it, that this had to be affecting the take-up rate.
Anyway new satellite, no dropouts. I wonder if this is a signal that when Sirius and XM finally integrate their delivery that XM’s satellite scheme will be the one chosen.