Sirius Micro-Dot antennas failing

vaham

New Member
Nov 6, 2008
18
0
1
Springfield, VA
Has anyone else experienced problems with the Micro-Dot magnetic antennas?
I have just replaced one that has been on the car about two years, and the antenna on the other car is beginning to fail as well. Both are being replaced with the older model black, solid antennas, with I had used on another car with no problems.
 

SSF

Member
Oct 12, 2008
124
8
18
New Jersey
www.tss-radio.com
I've actually had the opposite experience as you - with my micro dot antenna getting a much better signal then the older block antenna. Maybe you bought one from a bad batch? Depending on the retailer you purchased it from you may be able to swap it out for a new one.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
26,721
13,432
168
Toronto, ON
This issue was well documented at SBS. The Sirius antennas are crap. You can use an XM car antenna. They are much more sturdy and work just as well.
 

MM

Administrator
Oct 9, 2008
4,312
105
63
New England
I had one on my car for a few years from a s50. It finally went and I cracked it open and it was rusty as hell on the inside. It was the one with the gold dot in the center.
 

hexagram

Medicinal & Recreational.
Oct 11, 2008
2,760
97
48
Seattle, WA
This issue was well documented at SBS. The Sirius antennas are crap. You can use an XM car antenna. They are much more sturdy and work just as well.

Really? I had no idea you could use an XM car antenna for a SIRIUS radio.

Which one is the very best? I'm gonna need top-of-the-line since I live all the way up in Alaska.
 

MM

Administrator
Oct 9, 2008
4,312
105
63
New England
Really? I had no idea you could use an XM car antenna for a SIRIUS radio.

Which one is the very best? I'm gonna need top-of-the-line since I live all the way up in Alaska.

I can confirm this. I used an XM antenna from my Roady XT with my Stiletto 100 for a little while.
 

mynameisjamie

Member
Oct 10, 2008
182
9
18
Chicago, IL
I wonder if we could get a copy of that thread. I'll ask Taylor if we do because it was ridiculous how poorly some of those responded to weather and what not. In short, it seemed water/moisture was getting inside the antennas and rusting them out after a very short time. If you have a dot micro and all of a sudden things aren't working, it's probably the antenna.
 

HecticArt

Administrator
Oct 19, 2008
49,123
17,079
168
Toledo, Ohio
(Knock on wood. . . )
I've been using the same dot I got with my SL50 3 years ago (or so).

It's still doing well. I tuck it in the trunk when I go through the car wash though.

I'd like to get a nicer looking one, at some point, but they don't seem to sell the ones that come on new cars. That's too bad.
 

JoeTan

Well-Known Member
Oct 14, 2008
1,425
26
48
My original Sportster home antenna has been going strong for 4years now. Replaced 2 dot antennas after a year for major rot and rust. So far so good on the replacements 2 years later.
 

hexagram

Medicinal & Recreational.
Oct 11, 2008
2,760
97
48
Seattle, WA
I see there are various kinds of XM antennas. Could someone tell me which one is the very best antenna? Like I said, I live way up North and I need top of the line.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
26,721
13,432
168
Toronto, ON
I see there are various kinds of XM antennas. Could someone tell me which one is the very best antenna? Like I said, I live way up North and I need top of the line.

I just bought them from xmfanstore. I can't tell the difference between the ones that come from my radios. Here is the one I used: XMFanStore SKYFi2/MYFi Replacement Mini-Micro Antenna

I also should point out that all my use of XM antennas have been done a bit farther south. I assume it won't make much difference at your lattitude but it is something to consider.
 

ovrrdrive

New Member
Oct 14, 2008
19
0
1
I tried an XM antenna once and it didn't work. It was also a little bigger and it bent the prongs inside the connector so I had a loose fitting antenna until I finally bought a new base for it. I wonder what was different about the one I tried vs the ones that have been working for some of you. Oh well, buyer beware.

As for the microdot antennas, I've probably had 6 fail over the years. Some in as little as 6 months. For some reason though, the ones that came with the SL100 docks have been working now since I got them. It's been well over a year too. I'm knocking wood as I type this...
 

johninbricknj

Member
Oct 14, 2008
63
0
6
NJ
I had one on my car for a few years from a s50. It finally went and I cracked it open and it was rusty as hell on the inside. It was the one with the gold dot in the center.

On that rusty note, I picked up a replacement mico-dot at Best buy a year and a half ago for the girl friends car, it started crapping out a couple months ago usually when wet out so I ordered a new one different style from TSS.
I saved it and cracked it open just now and took some pics just for you guys:wave:
 

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DAB

Mod Emeritus
Oct 9, 2008
9,434
149
63
Louisiana
On that rusty note, I picked up a replacement mico-dot at Best buy a year and a half ago for the girl friends car, it started crapping out a couple months ago usually when wet out so I ordered a new one different style from TSS.
I saved it and cracked it open just now and took some pics just for you guys:wave:

Wow no wonder these things have such a high failure rate.

Some of you may remember this has always been one of my pet peeves with Sirius antenna in that the high volume of antenna failures causes so, so many problems for subscribers.

Clearly these things aren't even sealed well enough to keep the elements out of them to prevent the rusting out.

I've caught a lot of flack over the years, but I've said it many times that the bulk of reception problems that most subscribers have are crappy antennas and over the years that has been proven to be the absolute truth.
 

SubSonic

New Member
Dec 24, 2008
18
0
1
Central NC
It's hit or miss with me. The original antenna that came with my Sporster 4 is still on the first vehicle I put it on, and it continues to work fine. However, I went through 2 antennas on the 2nd vehicle I installed this tuner in - 1 antenna came with the additional car dock kit (died in about 6 months) and its replacement died after about a year.

I just put an SVCDOC kit in my new 4Runner (run through a TOYSC1 to my nav system) and noticed the antenna was different (not the small black puck - this one is even smaller, and is silverish) so here's hoping it is an updated model and lives for quite a while. The little rubber feet on it may help, it doesn't all seem to sit right on the metal now and gives water room to dry/move and not just allow the antenna to sit in puddles of water for however long at the time. Who knows?
 

limegrass69

Confused
Oct 12, 2008
6,079
245
63
New York
On that rusty note, I picked up a replacement mico-dot at Best buy a year and a half ago for the girl friends car, it started crapping out a couple months ago usually when wet out so I ordered a new one different style from TSS.
I saved it and cracked it open just now and took some pics just for you guys:wave:

YIKES!!!!!:shock:
No wonder why there have been so many problems. And Sirius had you believing it was us dumb subscribers all along.
 

TSS Taylor

DRC Fan
Oct 9, 2008
3,501
202
63
Chicago, IL
www.tss-radio.com
Wow no wonder these things have such a high failure rate.

Some of you may remember this has always been one of my pet peeves with Sirius antenna in that the high volume of antenna failures causes so, so many problems for subscribers.

Clearly these things aren't even sealed well enough to keep the elements out of them to prevent the rusting out.

I've caught a lot of flack over the years, but I've said it many times that the bulk of reception problems that most subscribers have are crappy antennas and over the years that has been proven to be the absolute truth.

Yep, it's the fact that the antenna isn't sealed as well as it should be. The non Dot Micro Antennas might not pick up quite as good of a signal, but they do last a lot longer from what we've learned.

Here are two that last longer than the Dot Micros.
Directed Electronics Replacement Car Antenna
SIRIUS Square Car Antenna
 

johninbricknj

Member
Oct 14, 2008
63
0
6
NJ
Yep, it's the fact that the antenna isn't sealed as well as it should be. The non Dot Micro Antennas might not pick up quite as good of a signal, but they do last a lot longer from what we've learned.

Here are two that last longer than the Dot Micros.
Directed Electronics Replacement Car Antenna
SIRIUS Square Car Antenna

Got the Directed Electronics Replacement Car Antenna from you and it's working great.
That was the second Dot antenna I cracked open and the first one was even worst then that one:eek:
When in doubt, replace the antenna first.