What was your toughest Problem to solve?

me_rubin

Member
Oct 11, 2008
509
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Herndon, VA
With all the experts now over at the DRC, we all have had interesting issues to solve with our Sat Radio's.

Post your problem and how you solved it here.

I'll start.

Problem:

What makes the Stiletto switch from the Internal Antenna to the External one?

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I was trying to find a way to use a connector that I took off an XM radio, but when I connected the antenna to an external antenna, the Stiletto would not use it. The SMB connector was connected to the Tip and shield, but it would not switch.

To make it work, I found out that the radio needs a resister shorting between two pins on the connector to make this happen.

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To figure this out, I took apart the headphone connector and mapped this out.

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My XM2GO mod is probably one of the best radio's I have. It is small and compact and is great to use. The price was the best thing (Less than 20 bucks)

For those that did not see this project, here was the original post back on the SBS.
I Converted an XM2Go dock to Stiletto - SIRIUS Backstage Forum
 
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Davis

Member
Oct 10, 2008
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Great post! I wish I knew how to figure this type of stuff out. i like taking things apart but I always have extra parts when I put them back together.
 

DAB

Mod Emeritus
Oct 9, 2008
9,434
149
63
Louisiana
I think the toughest problems is reception rather home or car. In a car you have to figure out how to run that antenna wire and yet make it look clean. Many people don't even try and leave the antenna inside the vehicle. My experience is not good doing this. For home reception a lot of times it really does require an effort. I think many buy sat radio thinking they can just take it out of the box through the antenna on the bed and get a sat signal. Well as we all know it doesn't work that way. There are many that found you have to get that antenna outside with a clear view of the sky and at minimum on a window seal facing in the correct direction based on your location.
 

SISO

Member
Oct 11, 2008
306
11
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I couldn't figure out how to turn mine on. Turns out you press the button that says "power" under it.

Just an FYI.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
27,227
13,832
168
Toronto, ON
My toughest problem has been getting clean reception on my XM in the home. I have only a distant repeater and have to tape the antenna to the window to get reception. My Sirius one is easier as it sits on the window ledge. My biggest challenge with it is to get my stupid cat from not climbing up there and moving it around.

Another challenge I had was getting the Sirius volume through AUX to match the XM volume through FM on my clock radio. It would not have been possible until I discovered the front output on the SL2 home dock.

Nothing as compared to the OP. No sodering was required to solve my problems.
 

me_rubin

Member
Oct 11, 2008
509
24
18
69
Herndon, VA
I couldn't figure out how to turn mine on. Turns out you press the button that says "power" under it.

Just an FYI.


Actually I know many people don't know how to Shut Down their Stiletto. I know my wife had that problem just this week, and no matter how hard I tried to explain to her over the phone to hold the on button down, she could not do it she kept just putting it to sleep instead of shutting it down.

Sometimes just labeling a button is not good enough. It's a matter of how you press the buttons.

We all remember the S50 "Three Finger Salute" It took 40 pages to describe how to push those buttons
 

goreds2

Well-Known Member
Oct 14, 2008
6,163
1,017
118
OH H.....EYE OH
I am still having a minor issue with an older motorhome I just purchased. I am getting dropouts because of this antenna placement. I may have to purchase a semi-truck type mirror mount antenna. The rest of the body is made of aluminium.

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0926080911.jpg
 

me_rubin

Member
Oct 11, 2008
509
24
18
69
Herndon, VA
I am still having a minor issue with an older motorhome I just purchased. I am getting dropouts because of this antenna placement. I may have to purchase a semi-truck type mirror mount antenna. The rest of the body is made of aluminium.

1001081205.jpg


0926080911.jpg

I bet you could put a big flat piece of steel on top of the camper. Ground it to the car. Then get a dot micro stuck to the middle of it and you would have all your reception bars solid.
 

MoeSyslack

Member
Oct 14, 2008
130
7
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Summer Shade KY
My problem was figuring out how to listen at work without offending everyone buy listening over a boombox(Howard and Bubba). I work in a factory that requires me to be mobile as well which also made the boombox difficult. I ended up getting a FM transmitter from Ramsey that pretty much covers my whole shop and I listen over a regular FM headset. Greatest thing I ever did.
 

IronJabroni

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2008
1,607
94
48
My problem was figuring out how to listen at work without offending everyone buy listening over a boombox(Howard and Bubba). I work in a factory that requires me to be mobile as well which also made the boombox difficult. I ended up getting a FM transmitter from Ramsey that pretty much covers my whole shop and I listen over a regular FM headset. Greatest thing I ever did.

Kick ass!!
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
27,227
13,832
168
Toronto, ON
Sometimes I use duct tape doubled over on the dash of a rental car to hold my home kit antenna hooked to my stiletto with my portable antenna cable. It works well in this instance...

Thats what I was thinking is just double it over and put it on the top and stick the car antenna to it.
 

mynameisjamie

Member
Oct 10, 2008
182
9
18
Chicago, IL
Probably the best way would be to get a Stiletto2 and record content at night and listen to the recordings during the day.

Still not sure what to do but I am convinced that there is a solution out there somewhere:
Spoke with someone who worked in an office building. They couldn't open any of the windows and, because of the tinting, couldn't get any solid reception. They couldn't go online to listen to Sirius because the company had it blocked. They couldn't use their phone because it wasn't compatible with streaming Sirius.... Every suggestion we could come up with there was a reason it wouldn't work. It's one of the questions I always think back to and try to think of a way to get it done...
 
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ProperModulation

Green Type of Tube
Oct 11, 2008
2,612
90
48
California
Still not sure what to do but I am convinced that there is a solution out there somewhere:
Spoke with someone who worked in an office building. They couldn't open any of the windows and, because of the tinting, couldn't get any solid reception. They couldn't go online to listen to Sirius because the company had it blocked. They couldn't use their phone because it wasn't compatible with streaming Sirius.... Every suggestion we could come up with there was a reason it wouldn't work. It's one of the questions I always think back to and try to think of a way to get it done...

Probably the best way would be to get a Stiletto2 and record content at night and listen to the recordings during the day.
 

mynameisjamie

Member
Oct 10, 2008
182
9
18
Chicago, IL
Yeah. That would be the best way I suppose. It's just that I wanted this man to have the live stream so badly. I think if I were him I would try to find a way to sneak an antenna into my desk somehow. Which leads me to a question.... Can I use a Echo signal repeater antenna with an Echo Repeater in order to extend the signal another 75 feet? Hmmm... I am now on the hunt for an open Echo Signal Repeater.