Sirius in Costa Rica

[carlosjcardona]

Hi,

I own a Sirius radio that I have been unsuccessfully trying to use in Costa Rica. There are reports of Sirius working in Costa Rica, the Panama Canal and even in Venezuela.

Does anyone know how to beef up reception on a Sirius antenna? Are there aftermarket antennas that might improve reception? I get a steady three bar signal if the antenna faces north but no signal lock and no reception.

Thanks,

Carlos

 

[Peter Parker]

Since Sirius is not ina geosynchronous orbit it is hard to say wher to point an antenna. It is my understanding that each satellite only broadcasts when it is above the equator. That would mean a likely northern look angle for you but it would be rough sinvce they are trying to transmit much further north than your location.

 

[mecro]

Geronimo is 100% correct. Sirius satellites go into a sleep mode until just before they hit their footprint, and then they fire up. Even though Costa Rica is north of the equator, the satellites are still focused on broadcasting for the United States and Canada, so its doubtful that it would work that far south.

 

[VO1ONE]

Sirius' sats transmit for the duration that their ground track is north of the Equator. The antenna radiation beam is steered towards North America. However, since the satellites are ~60,000km away from Earth when in the northern loop of the figure eight ground track pattern over North America, the beam isn't quite so tightly focused on the North American continent. Signal reports have been received as far south as the Panama Canal and the Venezuelan coast. My guess would be to point north towards the middle of Canada. The best off the shelf Sirius antenna known is the SIR6 and it may have the amount of gain you need to get a signal. Anything beyond that you are looking at significant cost and/or effort.

 

[MattBarstow]

You say that you have heard "rumors" and unfortunately they're just that: rumors. There's no way that this satellite, with the way that it's set up, could even possibly work that far South.