Repeater for Sirius?

good question.
anyone?

Sirius does not have an equivalent product. Some people have reported about 70% signal levels using the XM version with XM antennas on a Sirius radio, no signal when used with Sirius antennas, but I'd imagine it's an expensive experiment considering I don't have Sirius so I am going on here-say.

I will say I use the XM at work with XM and it's an amazing product and I have no idea why Sirius never followed suit.

You may want to hold off on any new hardware purchases until the status of the merger is known. Check out the thread on the XM ground repeater finder. If you live within range of an XM repeater, you may just want to switch hardware instead of setting up your own home repeater system in case the merger goes through.

Yes Sirius has a repeater, and it was supposed to be released in March, but for some reason it has been delayed. However I do believe they are taking orders for it.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-y2rf6NH...r&i=607SIRWRS1


Personally, I got tired of waiting for this thing to be released. I bought a CCrane FM xmitter for $70. I did the modification to boost the transmission power, and I used some speaker wire to extend the antenna a few feet.

I now plug my sirius radio into the tranmitter and broadcast Sirius anywhere in my house, yard, or anywhere on my block to any old FM radio. I am very happy with the CCrane, especially after the modification.

I have the CCrane unit and LOVE IT.

I have done the inner mod for the transmission power, but I never thought of attaching wire to the antenna to increase range as well.

Is the effect of attaching wire to the entended antenna dramatic into extending it's coverage?

How much wire did you attach to it, and what kind(just plain old copper)?

Did you tightly wind it onto the end of the extended antenna an then straight up?

Just curious as I would like to try to extend the range even further so I can listen to it on a head-set while mowing the lawn.(pretty big. 2.5 acres or more to mow).

Like the name by the way.

I have a sinking feeling we are still looking at an 8-8 or possibly worse over the next couple of years until Tomlin gets the type of personel he wants in there to run a 4-3 instead of a 3-4. They are also getting a little long in the tooth at some positions, with no backups available.

Thanx

Looking at the schedule, I think the steelers will get off to a very good start, and likely be back in the playoffs. They can still contend, but they can't afford too many injuries. I expect to see a more finesse, quick passing game, type offense this year under Arians. It should be interesting.

As for the CCrane: Here is a cut and past of 2 posts I made on another forum:

Quote:
Originally Posted by ClubSteeler
I did the mod. I simply removed the sticker and turned the screw. Why take the cover off, risk damaging the unit and void your warranty?

I was only able to turn the POT about 1/4 turn, so it was nearly full power already out of the box. For the stereo in the same room, reception is perfect and static free, even without the CCrane antenna up. I can also pick it up real good in adjoining rooms. Going further into the house, I do get some static. I've found that it rally works best with digital tuners. I don't have much luck tuning it in with the dial tuners in other rooms.

My goal is to pick it up with my home entertainment system at the other end of the house. I first need an FM antenna for the HES. I brought a boom box over next to the HES and could tune it in with that, but there was moderate static. So I might also have to attach some wire to the CCrane antenna. We'll see. I'll let you all know how it works.

The other great thing about this CCrane is that it is so small and light. When I take a road trip in my other SUV which does not have Sirius installed or an AUX-in or cassette, I can take the CCrane with me and get very good static free reception in that car.

It gets the job done. I wouldn't really call it a perfect solution for whole-house reception, but with some tinkering it works well. I give it a 8/10... On the other hand, if you were broadcasting from somewhere near the center of your house, I bet it work work everywhere in the house. I am trying to broadcast from one end to the other.

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I'd like to update my MOD post....

So now I got about 6 to 8 feet of speaker wire, and stripped off 2 inches at each end. I wrapped one end around my CCrane antenna. I ran the wire behind the head board of my bed, up to the top of the head board, I then pulled the 2 wires apart along the last few feet of wire to make a "T" shaped antenna. I'm not sure if this helps or not, but I noticed that FM Dipole antennas at radio shack are T shaped.

Anyway, I duck-taped the speaker wire behind the headboard. So now instead of the short CCrane antenna, I have a long antenna, and the height of the antenna increased by a few feet.

Does anyone think this speaker wire made much of a difference?

IT MADE AN INCREDIBLE DIFFERENCE!!!

I get perfect, static free reception in every room in the house, the garage, anywhere in the yard. I can use any radio, digital tuner, dial tuner, whatever. This little speaker wire MOD converted my CCrane from a 2/3 house transmitter to a local radio station.

I got in my car and tuned it in and started driving. Based on rough estimations using my car's odometer, I can pick up the CCrane signal if I am within a circle of a diameter of about 1/4-mile. I make this assumption based on the fact that I can drive a little over 1/10-mile down the street before losing the signal. Plus I can pick it up on the next block infront of and behind my house.

The CCrane is GREAT!!!!!! And it's amazing how much a simple piece of wire on the antenna helps. Out of the box it broadcasted about 25 feet, after the mod, maybe 60 to 70 feet, after the mod and the extended antenna: A QUARTER-MILE!!!!!! Woo Hoo..

I highly recommend it to anyone. Good luck.