i got a nice model at a yard sale this weekend..
i have a home docking station for it,, but i am looking for a mobile dock,.
my question is,.
is there a mobile dock that has the antenna built into it ? i am not fond of trying to hide 20 ft of antenna wire in my car, i seen a few that had suctioncup mounting. so why not have the antenna built into it ?
anyone know of such an item ?
i have the sportster SP-R2 model
thanks for any info.
sirius radio question
- dacflyer
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Re: sirius radio question
if anyone does not know of such a animal.. can anyone tell me if its possible to shorten the antenna lead..preferably going into the antenna side. if i can shorten it to about 3 ft then i can live with it,, or shorter is ok too..
Re: sirius radio question
Dac,
I haven't looked for that model, but I have seen a person mount their mobile antenna (rubber duck type)
outside their window (second floor). You should be able to find one for your model or similar, somewhere.
CeaSaR
I haven't looked for that model, but I have seen a person mount their mobile antenna (rubber duck type)
outside their window (second floor). You should be able to find one for your model or similar, somewhere.
CeaSaR
Hey, what do I know?
Re: sirius radio question
Dacflyer,
Not sure about shortening the cable but we add about 7 feet (cut-n-splice) to several antennas with no change in signal strength.
Len
Not sure about shortening the cable but we add about 7 feet (cut-n-splice) to several antennas with no change in signal strength.
Len
Len
“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
Re: sirius radio question
Is Sirius the service that you have to subscribe to or pay for? Is the broadcast encrypted?
I was thinking that Sirius and XM Radio reported troubled finances a couple of years ago and that they may go broke and disappear, making the receivers worthless. Is there any substance to this rumour?
On the other hand, it sure would be nice to be able to listen to a car radio without commercials. Local radio seems to have more time for endless strings of commercials and hardly any time for music during the morning drive.
I was thinking that Sirius and XM Radio reported troubled finances a couple of years ago and that they may go broke and disappear, making the receivers worthless. Is there any substance to this rumour?
On the other hand, it sure would be nice to be able to listen to a car radio without commercials. Local radio seems to have more time for endless strings of commercials and hardly any time for music during the morning drive.
-=VA7KOR=- My solar system includes Pluto.
- Janitor Tzap
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Re: sirius radio question
Here you go Bob,
http://investor.sirius.com/ReleaseDetai ... eid=230306
Thou, thanks to our current economy.
It hasn't been doing all that well.
Plus,
there is HD-Radio, and Internet Radio that are free.
All you need is a HD-Radio receiver.
Or a computer with a good sound card, chipset, and a bit of software.
Signed: Janitor Tzap
http://investor.sirius.com/ReleaseDetai ... eid=230306
Thou, thanks to our current economy.
It hasn't been doing all that well.
Plus,
there is HD-Radio, and Internet Radio that are free.
All you need is a HD-Radio receiver.
Or a computer with a good sound card, chipset, and a bit of software.
Signed: Janitor Tzap
- dacflyer
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Re: sirius radio question
bob scott >> XM and SIRIUS are satalite radio.
but being satalite, i'd thought you have to aim the antenna to the satalite, but i guess not.
CeaSaR >> never seen a rubber ducky antenna for satalite radio.. Hmmm
but being satalite, i'd thought you have to aim the antenna to the satalite, but i guess not.
CeaSaR >> never seen a rubber ducky antenna for satalite radio.. Hmmm
Re: sirius radio question
Dac,
I may have been wrong in my assumption, but I thought I saw the receiver just inside the window
where the antenna was attached. Maybe it was something the owner kludged together.
What's the frequency of the satellite's transmitter? You could make a 1/4 or 1/8 wave antenna
based on that info. ARRL has lots of info on antennae that could help you make one.
Heck, if the wavelength is small enough, you could go for 1/2 or full and still be pretty short.
CeaSaR
P.S. Don't forget about polarization - vertical or horizontal, if the signal is polarized.
I may have been wrong in my assumption, but I thought I saw the receiver just inside the window
where the antenna was attached. Maybe it was something the owner kludged together.
What's the frequency of the satellite's transmitter? You could make a 1/4 or 1/8 wave antenna
based on that info. ARRL has lots of info on antennae that could help you make one.
Heck, if the wavelength is small enough, you could go for 1/2 or full and still be pretty short.
CeaSaR
P.S. Don't forget about polarization - vertical or horizontal, if the signal is polarized.
Hey, what do I know?
- dacflyer
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Re: sirius radio question
i have no clue of antenna fabrication at all...
Re: sirius radio question
eBay is knee deep in these. Just search on either "Sirius Antenna" or "Sirius car kit"
The antennas are $17 to $20 mostly with free shipping. Car kits are $50 and up but interestingly some used recievers with car kits are auctioning for less. I'll leave it to OP to find the right one.
The antennas are $17 to $20 mostly with free shipping. Car kits are $50 and up but interestingly some used recievers with car kits are auctioning for less. I'll leave it to OP to find the right one.
- dacflyer
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Re: sirius radio question
knee deep..lol ya...
but was trying to find one thats is a mobile dock with onboard antenna,, trying to get away from the 20 ft long cord,, wadding it up is not an option either...i am still looking for options tho..
not giving up yet...
but was trying to find one thats is a mobile dock with onboard antenna,, trying to get away from the 20 ft long cord,, wadding it up is not an option either...i am still looking for options tho..
not giving up yet...
Re: sirius radio question
Have you tried the Empirical method?
Get another wire the same gauge and length as the original, then "half it" / cut it in half.
If it still works, half it again. Keep going until it stops working "well". At that point, you
can go back to the first "half" piece you cut off and go to the last "good" length and try
shortening it by 1/4. If it is still good, You can try 1/4 more, but I think at that point you
will probably already be at the shortest reliable length.
This method has worked well for me in the far past. I haven't had much need in about 18
years or so.
CeaSaR
Get another wire the same gauge and length as the original, then "half it" / cut it in half.
If it still works, half it again. Keep going until it stops working "well". At that point, you
can go back to the first "half" piece you cut off and go to the last "good" length and try
shortening it by 1/4. If it is still good, You can try 1/4 more, but I think at that point you
will probably already be at the shortest reliable length.
This method has worked well for me in the far past. I haven't had much need in about 18
years or so.
CeaSaR
Hey, what do I know?
Re: sirius radio question
It was amazingly easy to install the antenna wire for my sportster. The wire diameter is, well... tiny. It slid right under the rubber lip around the doors and windows until I could sneak it out through the trunk opening. No kinks were encountered. It's teflon coated... that stuff is nearly indestructible. I have never seen a sportster mounting base that had an integrated antenna. I'm pretty sure that the car internals do not give a full 180 degree access to the sky.
- dacflyer
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Re: sirius radio question
well reason i want something fairly compaq, is i want to transport whole deal from my car to work truck. i do not want to buy 2 docking stations.. i just wanna lay antenna in the dash and go. both vehicles have large dash shelf. and big windshields. so there should not be much of a problem of getting signal..
i suppose i could coil up the 20 ft of antenna cable, but thats still a hassle to carry all that around.
i like the idea of the suction cup mount. but not the long antenna cable..
i suppose i could coil up the 20 ft of antenna cable, but thats still a hassle to carry all that around.
i like the idea of the suction cup mount. but not the long antenna cable..
Re: sirius radio question
Why not just permanently mount wire in each car and put a spring loaded clip (speaker jack?) on the unit
where the antenna wire comes out. Most consumer home receivers have a similar setup.
CeaSaR
where the antenna wire comes out. Most consumer home receivers have a similar setup.
CeaSaR
Hey, what do I know?
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