XM Radio all of a sudden has poor signal.

Posted Aug 28, 2006 · 22:41 UTC#1

Hey guys,

I have had my D1 and XM Nav Traffic working perfect for a year now, when just this week my XM Signal has been reduced by at least half.
I no longer get any signal in my garage, while driving under bridges, etc.
The signal when in clear view is not what it used to be either.
I have not changed or moved anything. Is there a way to look at Sat and Ter signal?

Antenna Shot? Short in Wire? Any Ideas?

Thanks,
Jason :)

Posted Aug 28, 2006 · 22:43 UTC#2

It definitely could be a shot antenna, or maybe somehow with all the vibrations in a car, there's now a kink in the antenna wire?
Where do you live? You might be in an area with terrestrial repeaters and youre closest repeater may be down. Ive read on an XM board about repeaters going down, and taking XM from a few days to over a week to repair a repeater.

Posted Aug 28, 2006 · 22:48 UTC#3

I'm in Clearwater, FL. (Tampa Bay Area)

I will probably try swapping out the antenna this weekend if it doesnt improve. I don't really want to take my dash apart again.

Posted Aug 28, 2006 · 22:51 UTC#4

The antenna is plugged into the brain on the D1, not the head unit right? Where do you have the brain located? This may be redundant, but you did not all of a sudden move the position of the brain, did you?

Posted Aug 28, 2006 · 22:55 UTC#5

The D1/2 are just single units, no brain or anything.
I guess it's possible that the wire could be pinched, it runs under the trunk carpet.

Posted Aug 28, 2006 · 22:57 UTC#6

Hmm Im sorry I wasnt too sure about the D1/D2 no brain. Let me know if it's not the wire being frayed or snaggled. I will try to ask my friend in the meantime.

Posted Aug 29, 2006 · 00:45 UTC#7

JasonH said:
I'm in Clearwater, FL. (Tampa Bay Area)

I will probably try swapping out the antenna this weekend if it doesnt improve. I don't really want to take my dash apart again.

Ah, must be the impending hurricane... get out of town FAST!!!

Posted Sep 01, 2006 · 00:01 UTC#8

Everything seems to be back to normal now.
Must have been a damaged repeater.

Thanks,
Jason :)

Posted Sep 01, 2006 · 00:04 UTC#9

JasonH said:
Everything seems to be back to normal now.
Must have been a damaged repeater.

Thanks,
Jason :)

Awesome :) Welcome back to XM! Do you subscribe to NavTraffic also?

Posted Sep 01, 2006 · 00:06 UTC#10

Yeah, I got XM NavTraffic the first month it was in my area!
It was hell getting it activated though.

Posted Sep 01, 2006 · 00:10 UTC#11

really? how come? Xm's wonderful outsourced customer service? LOL Actually I always had an XM portable (SkyFi>Airware>Inno) and just recently I purchased the N3 with Navtraffic Tuner. I added it as a family plan onto my Inno's account, and got the 3 months free of XM and NavTraffic. It was actually a painless process when I called that time!