Q. Where can I get a replacement antenna
for my Sirius satellite radio?
A. The web site for the Sirius replacement
antenna ishere, although I haven't
personally done business at this site and therefore cannot vouch for or endorse it.
Q. What can I
do about the fact that my Sirius unit keeps heating up and cutting out?
A. Try turning down the brightness
on the set.
Q. What can I do about the static
and interference that I get on in my car?
A. If you can lower or disconnect your external car antenna,
try it.
I just got Sirius Satellite Radio, and I love it. The 24-hour comedy channels are a great way
to start off a cold, cruel Monday morning. The 24-hour disco channel is great for my sister, the former Disco Queen.
My parents will love the "big band" swing channels, with music from the 1930's and 1940's. My kids love the contemporary
hits. And, like the Internet, you can get your news from several sources, CNN and the BBC just to name two. With
the addition of radio superstar Howard Stern in 2006, the content and variety on Sirius should keep getting even better.
But there were a few things about Sirius that came as, well, surprises to me as well as others who have
shared my Sirius listening experience. I'm sure many of these will improve over time (satellite radio is still
in its infancy). But just in the interest of full disclosure, here are the six things that surprised us about our
newly-enhanced satellite radio environment.
1. You almost certainly will not be able to install the Sirius equipment in your
own car. I got the Starmate Complete Car and Home Package, thinking that I'd just pop it into my car and get
going with my new satellite service. Forget it, unless you can confidently follow these instructions: "Route
the cable from the antenna to the vehicle's interior by tucking it underneath the rubber molding around the rear window.
Route the cable from the lowest point of the rear window into the trunk. From the trunk, route the cable around the
passenger compartment and to the back of the cradle." I even went to my regular auto repair place, showed
them the instructions, and they refused to take it on! I finally wound up taking it to an auto audio specialist,
who did the job very effectively for $75.
2. There will be static. A lot of my passengers are surprised that there is
static on satellite radio, but there is. Your Sirius satellite receiver "broadcasts" to your car's FM radio through
a frequency you select. For example, the Sirius channel on my car radio is 89.1, which is pretty clear and works pretty
well on my regular commute. But if I drive beyond that route, where 89.1 is routinely used by regular broadcast radio
stations, there is a lot of interference and static. I then have to switch frequencies on both the receiver and car
radio, to find another clear channel. Quite a pain.
3. There will be interference. Even the smallest bridge, tunnel, or parking
garage often seems to block satellite reception, and occasionally the signal will completely disappear for no reason.
Almost always, reception returns after a few seconds or when the obstruction is passed.
4. There will be commercials. Currently, there are commercials on the
non-music stations, and even the music stations have ads for the other Sirius stations. Not particularly a big deal;
why should satellite radio be any different from satellite television in this regard? But it was initially surprising
to me, and some of my passengers.
5. You can't opt out of the opt out program. Once you sign up for Sirius satellite
radio, they'll continue to charge your credit card with the monthly/annual fee until you die, or cancel. To my knowledge,
there is no program that allows you to make it your option to decide whether to renew each period. They are very
open about this when you sign up, and it's clearly in the terms and conditions. But I don't know how easy it's going
to be when the time comes to cancel. (It's a little spooky that you can sign up for Sirius on the Internet,
but you can't cancel your account that way.) I'm a little leary after my experience with another company, where the telemarketers were
famous for being highly resistive when you try to cancel your subscription. We'll see what happens.
6. Don't look for a lot of technical support on the Sirius web site. At
this writing (early summer 2005), Sirius.com is mostly a demo and sales site. If you click on "help," you get a phone
number and e-mail to contact. No frequently asked questions. No on-line User Guides or instruction manuals.
The telephone reps are very friendly and helpful, however.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND UPDATES
Sirius
Home Docking Station
How to Improve Sirius Radio Use In Your Home:Tony:
By using the Sirius Radio in the home dock, with the internal rf transmitter
activated, all your FM radios in your home (30 ft +/-) can receive the Sirius programming. There is no necessity to
directly connect the Sirius receiver to an amplifier or speakers. The same could also be said for office use.
Everyone on your office floor could be listening to Sirius with their own walkman or radio. In order to increase the
range of the Sirius RF Signal in the home or office, swap the auto dock with the home dock (just change the base). The
auto dock has a jack on the back to insert the short wire antenna included with the auto dock, usually not needed for an auto
install. The home dock base eliminated this extra jack. Even my bedside clock radio on the 2nd floor is tuned to Sirius
for my wake up call!
Increase the Range of the Transmission Signal?Tim: I
have a SportsterR in a docking station with small antanna attached, transmitting to a clean FM transmitter position and cannot
hear the radio on my other radios, only faintly or with a lot of static, unless it is within a few feet from the unit.
Is there any way to increase the range of the FM Transmit signal from the home docking station out?
Satellite in San Diego?Phil: Got
any idea where the satellite is in reference to San Diego? The Sirius site says for me to point my antenna either north
or east. That seems pretty vague, especially since I'm an amateur radio operator and very familiar with antennas,
etc. Are there LNA's (low noise amplifiers) available for these systems?
Mono Instead of Stereo
I Get Mono Instead of Stereo:Andy:
Just got a Sirius in-dash radio installed from Dodge dealer. I was and still not pleased with the fact that the sound is not
in STEREO but in MONO. Is there anything I can do about this? They don't have a clue. I use Dish for the home and that music
sounds far better than in my vehicle where every channel sounds as if it is being played out of a tube. Please help, does
Sirius play in mono or stereo? (Response: I've gotten several questions like this [see Brent's comment below]
and would be interested in any suggestions. My car reception comes through in stereo, no problem.)
Cancellation Problems
It's Hard To Cancel Your Sirius Subscription I:Brent: I just canceled by Sirius subscription after making several LONG
attempts to do so by phone. You are correct that you cannot cancel online. Therefore if you want to cancel, you have to call
them and expect to be on hold for 10-15 minutes or more. My Sirius experience sucked. After spending hours routing the
antena thru my SUV, the reception is like FM Mono at best. And the channels... Since when is Elvis "Rock"? I rest my case.
(Response: Just as I suspected. I'm always suspicious of these "easy to join, tough to cancel" membership
policies.)
It's Hard To Cancel Your Sirius Subscription II:Denis: Went to cancel my Sirius Radio after they cancelled Fox (refused to renew contract)... they said
tough - $75 cancellation fee...money hungry... oh yeah - NEVER got my rebate for the radio.
It's Hard Top Cancel Your Sirius Subscription III:John: Anyone thinking
of buying Sirius should know that they have HORRIBLE billing practices, and it's TIME CONSUMING AND ANNOYING TO CANCEL.
They are a model of corporate bull.
On The Other Hand:Adam: I just called an cancelled my Sirius
account and it took literally less than 5 minutes. I called on a Friday morning and had no hold time whatsoever.
(Webmaster note: This is the most recent (December 2006) comment I've received on this subject, so it's possible
that Sirius has improved the ability to cancel. Personally, I'll be more comfortable when I see a "cancellation"
option on its web site that can be activated with a series of clicks and no human contact.)
It's Hard To Cancel, Part IV: Jeff: Today
is December 29, 2006 and I just spent 50 minutes cancelling my Sirius. Clearly they are attempting to wait out the customer
and hold us hostage to their bad business tactics. There is no way to cancel online, so you have to call. Once you
make contact, inevitably the person at the other end will not be able to cancel you and you'll have to call another number.
After speaking with that rep, again you'll be on hold or about 15-20 minutes. Then on the third rep you speak with
you get to cancel.
It's Hard To Cancel, Part V:Jeff: I received radio this Christmas,activated
it but unfortunately I don't get reception at work. Now I am trying to cancel subscription. Customer care gives me a
number of 866-527-6040 but the number just rings
busy. Any help or ideas? Thanks.
Sirius Customer Service
Sirius is Better than XM:Steve:
I just got my SPORTSTER SIRIUS radio from Best Buy and had it installed by Circuit City. I have had it for about a month
now, and have to say, I'm more than satisfied -- and since I have BOTH satellite services, XM and SIRIUS, my SIRIUS
radio is by far much more "Bang For MY Buck."
"Nothing Short of a Nightmare." G: Sirius Radio has been nothing short of a
nightmare; problems with customer service right from the start. We told them after the first year of service, when it
expired, not to renew it. My daughter no longer listens. They charged her bank account for the renewal fee,
and cost her an overdraft fee as well. She is a full time student and did not have the money in her account at
the time. They told us they will refund the total amount, but it will take a few days. Guess we will have
to wait and see.
Constant Problems:Dain: I have had constant problems with my Sirius
Radio. I paid good money for a Sirius Ready Pioneer Premier Deck for my car and my sound went out a week before Stern's 1st
show and I was down for a month. They put another one in and I am now having the same problem. I am paying for nothing. I
get the signal but no sound. It will come on when it wants to and for maybe five minutes before quitting again. Sirius won't
take responsibility, Pioneer won't take responsibility and the audio shop that installed it won't take responsibility. So,
who then can make it right? If nobody's wrong, then I can only assume that this is the type of service that is to be EXPECTED
from sirius and they just don't sell a good product. Unless you love Howard Stern so much your willing to have your Sirius
unit replaced every three months and not have sound in between.
Multiple Problems:Joyce: After buying Starmate ST 1 in August for
a Christmas gift and sending in the $30. rebate, I was notified that I would not receive the rebate because I had to
have the radio activated by October. I was not notified of this until December. Radio runs very hot. I had
the antenna installed by an Audi dealer for $200 plus had to rent a car for the day. Kept blowing car fuses every 5-10
days. Then it blew fuse in the cigarette adapter. Tried to get a new fuse; no luck. Tried to get new
adapter from Circuit City; no luck because now they have Starmate 2. So I went through the $200 instllation for
nothing - can't use it in the car if I can't get a fuse or adapter. What a RIP OFF.
Warranty Problems:Gary: Has anyone had a problem with the warranty
department at Sirius? My radio has stopped working, and talked to the warranty department, and they have no idea how
long it will take to get replacements in. But they have plenty on the shelves to sell to new customers. It's
been three weeks, and it could be another six weeks. Thanks for the great service Sirius!
Sirius Rebates
Rebate Problems, Part I:Shannon:
I sell and own both brands of satellite radio. I have been in a constant battle with Sirius for four months for
a rebate I submitted four months before that. I know what I'm doing, especially with rebates, and they admitted
my paperwork was fine, but the kid who activated me did something wrong. So I'm out $30 dollars, which isn't much, it's
just the principle. I just got another Sportster kit for free, and I'm having doubts about activating it, not because
of a new rebate, but because I dont know if I want to give this company any more of my money. I
would shut the other one off, but it is my husband's, and he has no television where he lives. I have never had
any of these problems with XM, and XM's customer service is much better. When my customers ask me which one is better i can
say from personal experience XM's customer service is WAY BETTER. (and so is XM's Signal). (Response:
If you are having problems with this or any other rebates, please consider some of the tips on one of my other sites:
Confessions of a Mail-In Rebate Junkie.)
Rebate Problems, Part II.Majick: Just a comment on Sirius Rebates.
I sent mine at Thanksgiving 2005. I receeved a postcard stating the rebate was denied (2 $50 rebates!) due to the receivers
being activated with a gift card( I was encouraged to buy them at Radio Shack) instead of credit card. The customer service
rep I talked to last month said that I should receive my rebate because nowhere does it say you cannot activate with
a gift card. Another caution: If you ask to pay month-to-month, they do not e-mail you a reminder to make a payment-
they cut you off and expect you to pay reactivation fees (with a second call to a customer service rep I was able to waive
that). It is April 2006, and there is no sign of my rebate yet. Also, their antenna costs $49 to replace, which is the
cost of a new radio with rebate (if you ever get it). But I do love the thing when it is on -- choices for all!
Other Sirius Web Sites
Sirius Backstage:Webmaster:
I stumbled across the Sirius Backstage website while surfing the web for technical support. There is a lot of
useful information about Sirius on this site, but I really can't figure out whether it is a "fan site," as it claims, or whether
Sirius is somehow involved with this site. At this writing (May 2005) there is a posting on the site
that says it is put together "with the help of an eclectic team of moderators and an active community of SIRIUS 'Brand Reprentatives'
[sic]," whatever that means.
TopSatelliteRadio.com:Scott:
You may want to check out our site on the subject of satellite radio: TopSatelliteRadio.com.
One User Manual:Bev:
One place I found a manual is herethough indeed there are no identifiable direct links
to this on the Sirius.com website.
Other Comments
Don't Install Antenna Through The Windshield!Jeremy: Circuit City installed my antennna through my windshield. All seemed well until my
windshield cracked right were the cable was routed. Every glass place I have spoken to says the windshield is a
bad location.
"Avoid the Sirius Boombox."Brian:
Avoid the SIRIUS Boombox...The power cord went
dead after only a few months...leaving it up to batteries only. SIRIUS agreed to let me have a new box free from Radio Shack,
but now the new box has a speaker that crackles and pops...The home and car docking stations are both good, and the SIRIUS
programming is excellent.
Be Careful When Jump Starting Someone's Car!LH:
I had a Sirius sportster in my truck for maybe 3 weeks before it
"burnt out" or something. I jumped off a friend's car and got up the next morning with no channels on my radio. Nothing
the company did helped at all.. I can't really complain about their customer service line all that much, as I didn't wait
long to talk to a human being, but the manufacturer needs to fix these units to withstand something as routine as a slight
electrical fluctuation from the battery. All you Sirius owners, unplug the radio if you're jumping anyone off or
changing car batteries. They did replace it at the store where I bought it and I wasnt out any extra money for the
radio or the subscription as far as I know.
I
Love Satellite Radio.Corey: Satellite radio is the best thing I have ever purchased
for my commute to and from work - it almost makes traffic in Boston bearable!
Various Comments About The Webmaster's Intelligence
You Paid Too Much:Buccaneer: You
mentioned getting the system installed for $75 in point number 1 on your site. I'm getting Sirius from Best Buy this
week and they're only charging $59.99 with complete coverage on the installation. (Response: Live and
learn. In retrospect, buying the Starmate unit directly from Sirius and then paying to have it installed separately
wasn't the wisest choice economically. I probably should have gone to a retailer to buy and install it, preferably during
an advertised sale.)
You're An Idiot:Jimmy: The
installation instructions are simple. The words window, molding, trunk, around, and beneath aren't exactly technical terms.
My guess is that you are not too apt with mechanical problems. If that's the case, you shouldn't be blaming the instructions,
you should be blaming yourself. Never go back to that mechanic. Either of them.
You're An Idiot, Part 2:Corey: I am a mechanical
idiot and managed to install the antenna myself in about 30 minutes, routing it underneath my moulding, through my trunk,
out my car seat and through the interior moulding. It can be done with planning and a little patience.
You're An Idiot, Part 3:Ralph: I just purchased a Sirius
One and installed in my 2006 Impala. I placed the antena on the package self in the rear window. So far this works
great. No outside installation required!!!
Okay, Okay, I Get It: Dave: Antenna
installation difficult?? l just threw it on the shelf behind the back seat routed the wires under the floor mats. l
do get better reception in my Aurora than in my Hyndai...more metal l guess.
Enough Already!Belinda: Oh my goodness! The car
installation for my Starmate Replay 2 was ridiculously simple... 1) stick magnetic antenna to roof 2) plug other end into
the Replay 3) plug power cord into Replay and 4) plug other end into car charger hole for power. Done!
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