Bought an XM sat radio and can't seem to get any reception. Are they a rip off or can they be made to work?

Question

The best I could get was in and out fuzzy reception. I tried every freq recommended with basically zero results. Any help or comments would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Kaezoo is right. The FM transmitters are weak now, and without a direct input (usually by a wired FM transmitter) it wont sound good at all. Dont worry, this happens to both Xm and Sirius, and most people have this issue. Think of it when everyone was adding CD changers to their stock systems, they were all wired not wireless, and this wasn't an issue until satellite radio was made for the do it yourselfers.

Answer 2

Have you subscribed to the XM service? It's an additional fee to subscribe (like cable).

Answer 3

You mean you're getting satellite radio channels, but can't get them to come in on your regular radio?

It's unfair to call them a rip-off, because the weak FM transmitters were forced on them by the US.  A few years ago the satellite radio units had very effective built-in FM transmitters, but the FCC determined that they could cause harmful interference, and made the manufacturers reduce the power.  Now the built-in FM transmitters are almost always ineffective.

You can get an FM-direct adapter like this one:  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as... This works with all new portable XM units, and allows you to link the FM output directly into your radio's antenna plug, resulting in very clear sound.  It usually requires that you remove the factory radio from the dash to make the connection, and some vehicle may require antenna adapters  to make it fit.  However, it's very effective if it's installed correctly.

If I'm installing an XM radio in a car without a cassette player or an auxiliary input, this is what I always use.