On Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:44:01 -0500, Meat Plow wrote:
I wish there was a repeater here.
Sorry but your 3 wish limit has been reached. Please find another
genie that grants wishes. Hint: They like their bottles rubbed.
I would probably add a second
receiver for inside the home so I could use a remote control.
See my rant on how to build a repeater. Just a rooftop antenna, 30dB
amplifier, and inside antenna. Since it's one way, it's easy. Wi-Fi
components can be used. I've built two of these for indoor GPS use at
1.575GHz that work fairly well (multipath causes problems). Make sure
the rooftop antenna is LHCP (left hand circular polarization), has
some gain and is pointed in the correct general direction. Straight
up is *NOT* the right way. See instructions at:
http://www.tss-radio.com/images/sirius_externalAntenna.pdf
Some Wi-Fi antennas will work, but you'll loose -3dB due to the
differences between LHCP and linear polarization.
The problem with terrestrial repeaters is that they belch plenty of RF
power at 2.3Ghz. That rips up 2.4GHz wi-fi communications near the
repeater. I had to relocate one wi-fi link thanks to the addition of
a new repeater.
I've
never had problems with reception in the garage even with 2 feet of
snow on the roof. I'm aware of the figure 8 orbit of the two birds.
Did some research on them and they are made by Loral. Future
birds are going to have something more than an unfolding 36" parabolic
for an antenna. But I think you have XM and Sirius mixed up. From what
I've read Sirius uses the 4ghz spectrum and XM the 2 ghz. But hell I
could be wrong, wont be the first or last.
Nope. They're both on 2.3GHz. Wikipedia has a mention of 4Ghz
somewhere, but that's wrong. You can buy aftermarket antennas that
claim to work with both, which is an important clue. I could lookup
the assignments on the FCC pages, but not now. Incidentally, the
uplink and downlink to the terrestrial repeaters are on Ku band. The
repeaters do NOT repeat the 2.3GHz transmissions to improve
reliability.
I ditched XM back in 2005 because the signal was so
bad unless you were out in the open. I couldn't even drive down a road
with tall trees on each side without losing reception.
I have portable receivers for both but neither is activated. I don't
need the service for signal checking, coverage checking, and doing
installs. Besides, I only listen to my own music, 1960's acid rock,
New Age and classical, none of which I like when I tried their
programming. An iPod Touch 2G keeps me entertaining.
--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060
http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558