Anyone Having Poor Xm Satellite Radio Reception Issues?

[flyfisherdon]

If I was living in a big city. or nearby, I would not bother with the XM radio. I would listen to FM
Living on the Island here, and halfway up to boot, there are a limited number of FM stations, therefore XM is almost a necessity unless you use a memory stick or ipod etc.
My neighbour travels further up island where there is not even FM reception, so xm was a necessity for him.

[markjenn]

Originally Posted by Xion

I thought there was some kind of buffer for the XM radio.

There is a buffer, but typically not enough to handle a long tunnel - thus repeaters are often used. Most urban areas have many repeaters so you're typically using them all the time. In fact, I believe the setup is that a typical receiver in an urban area is receiving three separate feeds - two satellites with a several-sec delay between and a terrestrial repeater. The receiver then synthesizes all three to avoid as many dropouts as possible.

This is sophisticated technology and there are wide variations in receiver sophistication. And antennas.

- Mark

[Xion]

Originally Posted by markjenn

There is a buffer, but typically not enough to handle a long tunnel - thus repeaters are often used. Most urban areas have many repeaters so you're typically using them all the time. In fact, I believe the setup is that a typical receiver in an urban area is receiving three separate feeds - two satellites with a several-sec delay between and a terrestrial repeater. The receiver then synthesizes all three to avoid as many dropouts as possible.

This is sophisticated technology and there are wide variations in receiver sophistication. And antennas.

- Mark

The tunnel is 4,563.6 ft long and 79 ft below the surface of the water. 130,000 vehicles drive through it per day. It is one of the largest prestressed concrete structures in the world.

[goodguy]

Here in Socal... 2 weeks into my new sonata and my signal is very spotty. Of course parking structures, my garage, and under bridges. Also cuts out when I drive next to my office building. I'll see how the trial goes and decide if it's worth it...

[OkieRich]

Only times I've noticed loss of signal was pulling into a wash bay for clean the car. Not an issue with that scenario. Once in a blue moon, I'll get some spotty reception for about a half-secont to a second in length. So rare I'm not sure it even bears mentioning. I'm pretty pleased with overall performance.

[maddog39]

Philly here (again), I consistently have issues with the signal cutting out, especially in the mountainous areas of central PA where I often travel. Even in some suburban neighborhoods around here (Lansdale / Montgomeryville) I often lose signal between large buildings. Not terribly impressed with it so far imo.

[TurboLed]

I lose the signal for only a couple of seconds on a country road when getting close to a cliff. Everywhere else along the road is fine.

[AZElantra11]

I seem to be the lucky one, had the car just over 2 years and it never turned off. The only time it cuts out is in the garage. Now I did have a 2013 Kia Optima as a loaner for 5 days and I noticed it would cut off all the time, without any large building or anything. Found it to be annoying to say the least. However the Elantra works like a champ and the qualtiy is very good. I never even us FM anymore but do use my phone and a usb drive from time to time..