Xm Radio - Reception Issues!

PureSilver · August 15, 2010

So i bought this new Sierra, and i have the 90 day trial of XM Radio. I have had Sirius for @ 3 yrs with a Sportster Radio and the reception is very good. But with this Factory installed XM radio i lose reception if a goose flies over my truck.

I was just wondering if any other members have experienced these issues. I have contacted XM 4 times and finally got through and they apparently sent a signal to the radio to attempt to improve the service. But it did not help at all.

L29er · August 15, 2010

may depend were you are located, up north here xm was always bad like that, just driving by a building it cuts out, i`ve stuck with sirius, much better reception.

could be something your dealer may be able to fix, maybe a defective attenna....

dsr611 · August 15, 2010

The people at XM radio keep calling me wanting me to renew my subscription (my 90 day trial subscription ended this past week). I asked them if they could do anything about losing the reception and they said that was "a minor inconvenience" with satellite radio (much like satellite television). Any time I drove under an overpass, I would lose reception...drive under high voltage power lines, I would lose reception...pull in my driveway, I would lose reception (there are a bunch of overhanging tree limbs over my driveway though). Needless to say, I didn't re-up when it expired.

heelshock · August 15, 2010

So i bought this new Sierra, and i have the 90 day trial of XM Radio. I have had Sirius for @ 3 yrs with a Sportster Radio and the reception is very good. But with this Factory installed XM radio i lose reception if a goose flies over my truck.

I was just wondering if any other members have experienced these issues. I have contacted XM 4 times and finally got through and they apparently sent a signal to the radio to attempt to improve the service. But it did not help at all.

We have the same problem. I have a Sirius Stratus 4 in my truck and rarely lose a signal. I even keep a signal in the tunnel on I-10 through downtown Phoenix. My wife's Patriot has the built in Sat radio and it loses a signal every time it goes under an overpass. I think the "teardrop" magnetic antenna may be superior to the factory installed one.

BTW -- "goose flies over"

BC

khancock · August 16, 2010

I have an 08 and replaced my entire system with an after-market Pioneer deck / nav and Sirius tuner. I [pulled the OEM XM tuner and reused the OEM antenna for the Sirius and now have no reception problems. I'm not sure what the difference is because XM reception sucked and Sirius is great using the same antenna.

PureSilver · August 16, 2010

I have an 08 and replaced my entire system with an after-market Pioneer deck / nav and Sirius tuner. I [pulled the OEM XM tuner and reused the OEM antenna for the Sirius and now have no reception problems. I'm not sure what the difference is because XM reception sucked and Sirius is great using the same antenna.

Yea I have been doing more and more research and apparently the XM satelites are lower in the horizon and Sirius are higher. Who know I want Sirius and I have been looking at this product and I still need to give them a call and see if it is compatible.

http://www.tss-radio.com/products/gm-sirius-connect-sirgm1

khancock · August 17, 2010

I have an 08 and replaced my entire system with an after-market Pioneer deck / nav and Sirius tuner. I [pulled the OEM XM tuner and reused the OEM antenna for the Sirius and now have no reception problems. I'm not sure what the difference is because XM reception sucked and Sirius is great using the same antenna.

Yea I have been doing more and more research and apparently the XM satelites are lower in the horizon and Sirius are higher. Who know I want Sirius and I have been looking at this product and I still need to give them a call and see if it is compatible.

http://www.tss-radio.com/products/gm-sirius-connect-sirgm1

I think that it is compatible but honestly instead of that I would go with the Sporster 5. I put one in my Wife's car and if you take your time on the install they look good, the colors can be changed to match most any interior and it has a nice big screen to display info.

Or go crazy like I did and install an entirely new deck w/iPod and Sirius.