How can we do this? We’re satellite radio stupid. Our location limits us to a couple of crappy FM stations. We’ve got windows facing all directions.
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Buy a legal low-power FM transmitter, feed the satellite signal to it, and then broadcast on an unused FM frequency. Every boom box on the job will be able to pick up the signal within a few hundred feet of the transmitter, which can remain in a stable location with southern sky exposure.
Through the window OK? It is winter here, and with a capital W.
Thru the glass works, as far as I know. I worked on massive, sprawling house with a guy who had the setup I described, in fact I believe he got his FM gadget from Crutchfield. He set it up in the client's future office with a southern view out the window and it sat there for quite a while.
I am intrigued by mention of someone else's working in the middle of the house. Jeff's definitely didn't do that... if you put your hand in front of the antenna the signal died.
David,
A long time ago when you had to get out a compass and aim the antenna in a certain direction and a certain elevation, I was a SATCOM operator. As the antenna's got more sophisticated it became less and less crucial until eventually they just had what looked like a big radio antenna ( No, we never got those, only the Navy and the SF guys. I stillhad that sill hot-dog cooker looking thing).
Basically, if the antenna faces an opening, and the opening is big enough for the antenna to have line of sight thru the window at the right angle from it's location, you're OK.
So, in a house with tall or high windows on the appropriate side, you could place the antenna pretty far into the house and still get signal.
ironically, I can put mine pretty far into the house but if I pull into a toll booth in my truck I lose the signal right away.
I have a Sirius Visor radio- about the size of a wallet, with a built-in FM transmitter. It's powerful enough that I can leave it on in my van and pick it up with a boombox inside the house. Perhaps XM has something similar? They're pretty much giving the receivers away (XM I mean) and I know that they were selling the Roady 2 model for about 25 bucks last month. Might be cheap to upgrade to a better unit rather than pay for a bunch of accessories. My guess is the accessories are where "they get you".
The new SKY-FI has a built in FM Modulator but I'm not sure how stron it is. Never checked. Trucks out front and the stereo is in the living room. Be back in a few.
Yup, 60 feet away and I've got Ron and Fez blasting thru the house. Not perfectly clear but not bad.
I got a SKY-FI II with the car kit for under $60 to replace my SKI-FY I that I dropped.
Last week my truck was in the shop and I used my wife's explorer. Took about ten minutes to grow weary of Howie and may fifteen for Preston and Steve. If I had to go back to regular radio I would probably gouge my eardrums out with a rusty ice pick in the first week.
Are you saying that you are broadcasting from your truck to your FM receiver in the house? Can you tell me exactly what hardware this takes? I need to get out of the stone ages... commercials on rock radio make me homicidal.
David,
I have a Delphi SKY-FI II in my truck parked about 60 feet from the stereo in my living room. The SKY-FI II has a built in FM Modulator so that it doesn't have to be hard wired into your stereo. I can hear Ron and Fez clear as if I was in my truck.
This is the first time I've tried it so I don't know how reliable it is.
But even if it isn't all that reliable, you can get a SK-FI II for about $120 minus the $50 rebate. You can get a home kit for about $50 that comes with a cradle, antenna and Power converter. Since it has the built in FM broadcast capability, you can park it on any south facing window and it will broadcast to any nearby radios. I'm sure that would be much more reliable.
If you don't already have a system, check both out before you buy. My brother bought a sirius in the late summer. Both he and my dad are big Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans. They have season tickets and fly down for every home game. My dad has been in the hospital since july awaiting a liver transplant. Sirius has the NFL and they have been able to listen to every game this year.
XM has baseball and a few other sports. The music isn't much different and a bunch of talk shows are on both. Howard Stern will be on Sirius starting on 9 January and Opie and Anthony and Ron and Fez are on XM. Rumor is DOn and MIke might move to Sirius soon.
For my money XM's programing is better but either is better than commercial radio.
http://www.xmradio.com
I've had Sirius for a few years now.
Love it...I HATED radio before. If I EVER hear another Bad Company song i will puke, LOL.
Reception is odd though. I am used to DirecTV dishes which are very azimuth and altitude sensitive. The Sirius "dish" seems pretty random. Sometimes it gets much better reception two feet from where it gets poor reception, with seemingly eqaul "views". And it works inside too, better than certain exterior locations...but a good outside location is the best.
So far, my Bosch box can always be close enough to a window for happy listening.
The disadvantage to leaving the reciever in the truck and re-broadcasting to your "local" in house FM tuner is the inability to control the channels. You're stuck to what is on...no changing without a walk.
Sirius has what they call "repeaters" that are in metropolitan areas to supplement the signal you get direct from the sat bird, when access to the bird is difficult. So, if that's the case, you can "aim" the dish to get a better signal from the local repeater. Unless you are away form the area that has repeaters.Jake Gulick
[email protected]
CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT
Jake, my Sirius Visor has an infrared remote that's smaller than a credit card. I havn't checked it's max range, but I can control every feature of the radio from a distance. I expect the XM units are similar, though that's just speculation on my part.
I wish my coworker would sign up here...he just scored a sirius ( serious) system that is hand held, with remote, and the ant. is on the reciever..no bigger than a cell fone.
we parked it in the cup holder of his truck..sent sig to 88.1 or so on the dial of the radio..used the remote station hand held..and were blasting tunes.
This stuff is way cool..tween that and his IPOD..and Dwalt boomer..we are tuned in.
I still tote a cheap CD/FM crapperbox..on occaision..just cuz I am greedy, and when I want to hear what I want to hear..I just have to do it. That is rare tho', he and I have similar taste in tunes.
Mine does too...but 60 feet is a looong way for infrared to travel...outdoors, and though windsheilds that have metalic films in them, and then reflect back into a rearward facing reciever. Well the last part could be controlled, LOL.
Hey, if it works, GREAT! But I wouldn't expect perfect reliability ;)Jake Gulick
[email protected]
CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT
the boom box comes with a 20' antenna cord and an antenna that sits on a window sill or will clip in a window. We have even zip tied ours to a curtain rod in a window. Has to face south. Works like a charm and the boom box is only 100 bucks. Probably less if on sale. As someone pointed out above you can get an extension cord too although we have never needed it and use ours frequently. DanT
HAve my Sirius for about two months now and LOVE IT!!!! Sirius Blues is incredable as is Sirius Disorder and the comedy channels etc etc.
FM transmitter sounds interesting because the antenea thing is a pain in the azz. I carry my Sirius boombox around but have to deal with the antenea out a window and that doesnt always work. Around here its spose' to face west with nothing in its way.
I reckon I could put one on the roof with a wire to the house through several windows but what a hassle. FM tranny sounds interetsing. I see them on Ebay once in a while and wondered exactly what they were for.
Thanks..think I'll check into it.The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
You can buy new radios (boom box) that receive satellite, then just sign up and pay the monthly fee.
To convert just one radio you can buy a receiver that will attach to it and will play over what you've got.
Lots of sales right now on the receivers, makes me wonder if there will be alot of new models after the holidays... Buic
Doesn't it have to be near a window to get the signal? I think that's the problem he is having.
My receiver, and my folks for that matter, is in the middle of the house. Signal is amazing. I have been told that XM is a little stronger signal than Sirius. Regardless, it's definately the way to go - I can't listen to commercial radio any more!
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-5nvZqVp7dcu/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=040SA10116
This should do the trick. XM also sells a 50" extention. Either way, you need some degree of southern exposure.
I have used mine all over the place and never had a need for the repeater, but someone must have.