Forums > Specific Focus > Technical Mexico

jsandrock

Jun 2, 2007, 8:22 PM

Post #1 of 14 (5675 views)

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Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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Hi All -- my opera-loving husband is bereft because he can't get Sirius to work from our house in Ajijic -- (the Metropolitan Opera Channel, he's addicted). I have XM and it works fine but I know Sirius is iffy at best. Before I go tromping around my roof pointing the Sirius antenna at the southern (?) sky, risking instant death from falling off, can someone tell me if it's hopeless or is anyone actually getting Sirius off the satellites (we know we can get it off Dish Network and we do, but he'd love to have access to it other than from the TV)...

I remember reading that the Sirius satellites are lower in the sky than the XM ones -- so where do I point the little antenna thing or is this a fool's errand?

Many thanks!

Jsandrock

johanson / Moderator

Jun 2, 2007, 8:43 PM

Post #2 of 14 (5669 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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First XM radio satellites are geosynchronous located over the equator. But Sirius satellites are not geosynchronous. Rather they do I think figure 8s as they circle the North Pole and loop down over the northern states. As I recollect there are three satellites, at least one of which is viewable in the states and Canada. I have friends who listen to Sirius in Ajijic. So point your antenna North and you should get a signal, unless you are too close to the mountains

Bloviator

Jun 3, 2007, 5:32 AM

Post #3 of 14 (5657 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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We get Serius in our car when driving around Ajijic. No problem.

jsandrock

Jun 3, 2007, 8:38 PM

Post #4 of 14 (5634 views)

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Re: [dlyman6500] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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Thank you all! I am inspired. I'll go tromp out there and point the Sirius thing to the NORTH and see if we get lucky! If people are indeed getting it here in Ajijic I will just keep bashing around our roof and our garden till I find a signal somewhere! We are a couple of blocks from the lake in Villa Lucerna so I am hoping we aren't too close to the mountains.

mil gracias....

jsandrock

johanson / Moderator

Jun 3, 2007, 10:19 PM

Post #5 of 14 (5627 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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You are not too close to the mountaiins at your location. Other folks with Sirius get a good signal in Ajijic. So if you don't get it once you point the antenna northerly, I suspect that you have another problem.. Good luck. Give us a report on your progress

hopalog

Jun 9, 2007, 6:12 AM

Post #6 of 14 (5584 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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We have used Sirius all over Mexico and we travel extensively. We have found, however, that there are spots (Xalapa area comes to mind) that the reception is iffy at best. Right now we're in QRoo and have suffered no loss of signal but we could get no service in Catemaco (Veracruz state) earlier this year.

Hell's Half Acre

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jsandrock

Jun 11, 2007, 8:07 AM

Post #7 of 14 (5550 views)

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Re: [johanson] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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Thanks one and all for your suggestions! I can report back that my husband climbed up on our roof the other day and indeed tromped around and aimed the Sirius satellite to the NORTH, found a signal, (not the strongest but it seems to work) and it is coming through just fine! He is listening to the opera to his heart's content now and all is well.

thanks again,

Jsandrock

johanson / Moderator

Jun 11, 2007, 8:39 AM

Post #8 of 14 (5545 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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I'm glad you got your Sirius working. I wish all technical questions asked on this forum were as easy to answer. Smile

By the way, there are many other options available for Classical and other types of music. Star Choice, Digital C band, and Dish all offer "audio only" music channels.

(This post was edited by johanson on Jun 11, 2007, 8:40 AM)

ecollard

Aug 20, 2008, 4:56 PM

Post #9 of 14 (5458 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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What's the latest on whether Sirius (or XM) radio work in the Lake Chapala area? We have a house in the town of Chapala, so I'm wondering if anyone's had experience recently there, as opposed to in Ajijic. Thanks.
Eileen

johanson / Moderator

Aug 20, 2008, 6:43 PM

Post #10 of 14 (5454 views)

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Re: [ecollard] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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They both work well lakeside. I have XM for the house, not the car. I NEED the larger antenna this far south, you know the one that rather than a diamond shaped 1 inch in diameter antenna that you stick to your roof but the almost 3 inch by 3 inch type also available for boom boxes

travisdyer

Aug 20, 2008, 9:19 PM

Post #11 of 14 (5443 views)

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Re: [johanson] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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I can't respond to the fact of whether Sirius works in the region or not. However, I do know that our XM works perfectly from Nuevo Laredo all the way through Zacatecas and into Aguascalientes and Guadalajara. I have also taken it as far south as Tejupilco, Edo. Mex. without any problems. All we have is the small rooftop antenna provided in the car installation kit. If I park or stop next to a large building, tree, or overpass, we lose signal, momentarily, but it always comes back after I move.

johanson / Moderator

Aug 21, 2008, 5:57 AM

Post #12 of 14 (5435 views)

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Re: [travisdyer] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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That's good to hear that the small roof top antenna worked this far south for you for XM. Two years ago when I tried my little one, it didn't work that well that far south. Maybe it was just my unit

travisdyer

Aug 21, 2008, 7:40 AM

Post #13 of 14 (5427 views)

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Re: [johanson] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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It seems to me that I read some where that the footprint for XM's satellite reaches as far south as Panama. I have had my eye on one of the larger antennas, which are sold at all of the truck stops. It gets irritating when I lose signal driving by a row of tall trees or next to a mountain.

drmike

Aug 21, 2008, 8:45 AM

Post #14 of 14 (5424 views)

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Re: [travisdyer] Anyone actually GETTING Sirius off the satellites?

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I have Sirius (or did) in Toluca. I used the antenna that came with the radio (about a 2 x 2 square) and pointed it north and it picked up fine. Unfortunately with the amount of lightening storms we have here it has knocked out two radios already. I now use internet radio to listen to music.

I know, in between lightening strikes, it picks up well this far south.
Dr. Mike

http://www.smarthealthchoices.blogspot.com

There are hundreds of paths up the mountain,
all leading in the same direction,
so it doesn't matter which path you take.
The only one wasting time is the one
who runs around and around the mountain,
telling everyone that his or her path is wrong.

Hindu teaching

(This post was edited by drmike on Aug 21, 2008, 8:47 AM)