How can I boost my satellite radio reception? Everytime a trucker with a powerful CB antenna passes me on the highway, I lose my reception and get their station, despite having a Sirius truck antenna. Will a powerful CB antenna on my truck prevent this?
by 
mgonick78
ANSWERS: 5
-
I don't think another antenna would help. What you need is a notch or high-pass filter that will block the CB radio band from from your satellite antenna. Fortunately, the CB band is way way lower in frequency (27 MHz) than the Sirius satellite transmission (2.3 GHz), so it should be relatively easy to make an effective filter. I don't know if such devices are commercially available, but that's the sort of thing you need.
-
Has nothing to do with it. The Frequencies are as far apart as East is from West!!! Not even Harmonics should be close!!! The "Front End" on Ur radio may be out of Alignment in as much as it is opened too wide and being "Over Run" in the "Front End" with the High Power they usually run. However, it's more likely they might be a Ham like Myself & then they do operate close to Commercial Satellite Radio broadcast Frequencies. The Antennas have nothing to do with it. John KA7LGF
-
The problem isn't the trucks anntena but more likely the amplifiers that truckers hook up to their radios. CB radios by themselves usually produce 5 watts output power off the shelf but the first thing a trucker does when he buys a radio is to have it "Peaked and Tuned" by a tech to increase the wattage. Many truckers also use "Linear Amplifiers" which can boost the power dramatically. I've known some drivers to use amps powered up to a kilowatt which is kind of stupid considering most of their conversations take place with other drivers right across the road but it's an ego thing with some drivers. They want to have the shiniest truck and the biggest radio....
-
The answer might not be in the reception. If you are using a modulated type connection to feed the sound into your existing stereo this could be the problem. A lot of satellite radios use a wireless modulators to feed on a selected frequency back to the stereo the sound. This is easily interrupted back RF from other sources (like CB Radio). To eliminate this problem, try using a more direct hook-up, like direct connect. This plug directly into the back of the existing stereo. This will help to reduce the bleed from other rf signals. Or yet a better way is to use a radio or stereo that has a built in Satellite Radio, like the Delphi XM or Sirius Unit. We have solved several problems related to truckers with these radios. Big Rig Stereo sells these. The XM version is on sell for 225.99.
-
I agree with John, it has nothing to do with the antenna. The FM modulators used for XM/Seius radios are not the highest quality in the world and the truck drivers are blowing out the front end of the modulators. Its the same thing when a truck driver blows thru a tv reciving "over the air" signals. The Linear amps used by truck drivers are "dirty" and thus "bleed" all over the place. It is not too uncommon for one driver to make the CB band (as well as the 10 meter ham band) completely useless while he is talking to the guy in the next truck with 2000 watts. If the FCC would actually do there job and enforce the laws, there would be a lot less problems in the CB relm, but until then...
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC