Is there such thing as a satellite radio antenna boaster?

I've boasted about mine before.

SCVJeff pretty much hit the nail on the head. When we go down the columbia river gorge, with steep high bluffs to the south, or through WA, Idaho Mt on I-90 sat radio is pretty much useless. My rule of thumb is if I can't get a clear view of the southern sky, I likely won't get good reception. especially for XM. Talking to others who travel this route, all have found the same issues I have.

Going south on I-5 to california, excellent reception even away from any cities.

Maxi Signal wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

Maxi Signal wrote:
Heard this was a good aftermarket antenna

http://www.digitalantenna.com/prods/satelliteradioantenna.html

so how much $$$ is it?
don't understand the 250 miles off shore statement. doesn't sirius signal come from above, not from land based source? what is the footprint of a sirius signal?
bumpy

Isn't satellite service done with spot beams? I suspect The two hundred refers to the center of the spot beam . The spot beams would be focused on land that is why they seem to be referring to marine use as the signals would need help out there. For price you would need to ask the vendor . I deal with the marine industry for my product as it gives additional coverage offshore . That is how I learned about the product.

Satellite radio is not done on a "spot beam" as we know it on satellite TV delivery. This is a CONUS pattern, and the 250 miles they refer to is basically just spillover from the primary footprint. Satellite radio is very low in frequency and there is allot of pattern slop because of that, so they can't cut the pattern off as hard as TV. That 250 miles is probably a very conservative number. They design the antennas to radiate over land, block the uninhabited areas (water) and turn that otherwise useless RF into gain back into the population on land. This is for XM whose satellites in the Geosynchronous belt, where Sirus satellites (3 IIRC) fly much crazier orbits: 2 flying an elongated ellipse looking thing, and the other to the south that I think comes by every 24 hours, or something like that.

BTW- FYI, both services employ terresterial transmitters all over the country, mostly in populated areas where buildings, trees, and tunnels would normally block satellite. That's why you will find it works much better in populous areas.

I have found the Sat companies are not accurate for stated coverage

They told me it would not work in Southern Mexico but it did

YMMV

Its factory installed and the van is an 08 but the radio is brand new.

Bumpyroad wrote:

Maxi Signal wrote:
Heard this was a good aftermarket antenna

http://www.digitalantenna.com/prods/satelliteradioantenna.html

so how much $$$ is it?
don't understand the 250 miles off shore statement. doesn't sirius signal come from above, not from land based source? what is the footprint of a sirius signal?
bumpy

Isn't satellite service done with spot beams? I suspect The two hundred refers to the center of the spot beam . The spot beams would be focused on land that is why they seem to be referring to marine use as the signals would need help out there. For price you would need to ask the vendor . I deal with the marine industry for my product as it gives additional coverage offshore . That is how I learned about the product.

Maxi Signal wrote:
Heard this was a good aftermarket antenna

http://www.digitalantenna.com/prods/satelliteradioantenna.html

so how much $$$ is it?
don't understand the 250 miles off shore statement. doesn't sirius signal come from above, not from land based source? what is the footprint of a sirius signal?
bumpy

Heard this was a good aftermarket antenna

http://www.digitalantenna.com/prods/satelliteradioantenna.html

I mounted a 'trucker version' Sat antenna on my roof, seems to have a stronger signal?

May have found it on WalMart.com

You have a malfunction. Where is the antenna? An amp is not the solution.