I don't know what this guy did wrong, but that is totally not my experience. I use a car antennas every day at work. I replace them very frequently because the wire gets closed in the equipment doors, and get cut. I started buying XM antennas, mostly the micro2, because they are cheaper. They use the exact same SMB connectors so there is no danger in damaging your equipment. XM antennas work just as well, are more reliable, and cost less. Which is odd because xm car kits are way more expensive than Sirius'.
Sirius Micro-Dot antennas failing
- Thread starter vaham
- Start date
I don't know what this guy did wrong, but that is totally not my experience. I use a car antennas every day at work. I replace them very frequently because the wire gets closed in the equipment doors, and get cut. I started buying XM antennas, mostly the micro2, because they are cheaper. They use the exact same SMB connectors so there is no danger in damaging your equipment. XM antennas work just as well, are more reliable, and cost less. Which is odd because xm car kits are way more expensive than Sirius'.
It might help. I just wonder if there was a huge batch that were made crappy. Mine only lasted two years (I think).
I like this idea. I also think that while it looks odd if you are a trucker for example and are really hard on your equipment it's good to put electrical tape around the connectors on the antenna and power cords at both ends so the wires don't fray in those places.
The black and silver plastic probably contract and expand at different temps, and the seal fails.
I have an extra new micro dot i wont ever use.. if anyone wants it.
First off i am so glad i found this site....
Secondly i agree wholeheartedly the microdot antennas just plain BLOW!!
I have 2 S50's. And since December 2005 have gone through 3 antenna's on my radio and 2 on my girlfriends S50 since December 2006
The guy who opened his up...I was shocked. How can Sirius get away with selling such Garbage?...Why dont they fix it?
I originally had an S50 that died within the first 2 years and bought a Stilletto S10.
Didnt like it at ALL!!!..I read that the S50's had a stronger transmitter signal then the others so i sold it and bought another S50. It's an older model that doesnt have all the nice pretty colors as the newer S50's but it works. I didnt want to have to worry about buying transmitter car kits and all that crap.
In fact i just replace my g/f's antenna about a month ago and had bought an extra thank god. Looks like i'll be putting it on mine in the next few days. Starting with "Antenna Not Detected" errors and crappy reception. I may have to crack it open myself and take a look. I average about 1 a year.....Pathetic at 40 bucks a pop....
Which leads me to this.
The TSS website that someone had listed for a Microdot sub, will it fit an S50?
Out Of Stock at the moment.
Who has an S50 with one of these compatable antenna's?
Any other sites available to purchase?
Any info is great!!
Thanks again!!:bigclap:
Secondly i agree wholeheartedly the microdot antennas just plain BLOW!!
I have 2 S50's. And since December 2005 have gone through 3 antenna's on my radio and 2 on my girlfriends S50 since December 2006
The guy who opened his up...I was shocked. How can Sirius get away with selling such Garbage?...Why dont they fix it?
I originally had an S50 that died within the first 2 years and bought a Stilletto S10.
Didnt like it at ALL!!!..I read that the S50's had a stronger transmitter signal then the others so i sold it and bought another S50. It's an older model that doesnt have all the nice pretty colors as the newer S50's but it works. I didnt want to have to worry about buying transmitter car kits and all that crap.
In fact i just replace my g/f's antenna about a month ago and had bought an extra thank god. Looks like i'll be putting it on mine in the next few days. Starting with "Antenna Not Detected" errors and crappy reception. I may have to crack it open myself and take a look. I average about 1 a year.....Pathetic at 40 bucks a pop....
Which leads me to this.
The TSS website that someone had listed for a Microdot sub, will it fit an S50?
Out Of Stock at the moment.
Who has an S50 with one of these compatable antenna's?
Any other sites available to purchase?
Any info is great!!
Thanks again!!:bigclap:
I'm sure we have something around here somewhere. Let me look and I'll get back to you ASAP.
Has anyone here had the Micro Dot Antennas fail when they are placed inside the car? Like under the windshield. I have had no problems with my antenna since it's been inside the car, for years.
I'm super aware that the Dot Antennas have a higher failure rate then I would find acceptable. I'm trying to convince Sirius to allow us to sell the Sigma Antennas which mounts inside your windshield toward the roof. They were concerned they would have too many dropouts and people wouldn't be happy. But I will fight Sirius to the death if they don't develop and antenna that can handle a solid 5 years of use. I think that durability is KEY and with the new Satellite going up the strength of the signal will go up. I've expressed a number of times there has to be a better option. I just don't hear about problems with the OEM Antennas or much about the Antennas that people place inside the car.
That being said the two failures for the current antenna seem to be the super thin cable that is easily crimped and the poor weather sealing on the antennas.
I'm super aware that the Dot Antennas have a higher failure rate then I would find acceptable. I'm trying to convince Sirius to allow us to sell the Sigma Antennas which mounts inside your windshield toward the roof. They were concerned they would have too many dropouts and people wouldn't be happy. But I will fight Sirius to the death if they don't develop and antenna that can handle a solid 5 years of use. I think that durability is KEY and with the new Satellite going up the strength of the signal will go up. I've expressed a number of times there has to be a better option. I just don't hear about problems with the OEM Antennas or much about the Antennas that people place inside the car.
That being said the two failures for the current antenna seem to be the super thin cable that is easily crimped and the poor weather sealing on the antennas.
That would be a vehicle that it would perform the worst because of the angle of the glass.
I agree about the angle of the glass, but not convinced it will work as well as the roof mounts given many cars don't have ideal glass angles.
I have one in the back window of a BMW 330i that I purchased from TSS. Not a problem. Actually was a better fit than the one that came with the car dock since it tucks against the window nicely. No dropouts at any time with a sat signal.
This is a very true statement. Again I'm bringing this up in hopes the new satellite will even the playing field by providing enough Satellite Power so that we all could essentially have our antennas inside the windshield.
Well it's that time again.
My new Micro Dot Sirius Antenna is starting to fail. These are the last ones i bought in bulk awhile ago so now i am looking for a new antenna for my S50.
Before i became aware of this site and it's alternatives, i bought like 2 or 3 extra's to have on hand. I'm anal that way....LOL
I emailled TSS looking for what my options are. Some appear discontinued. I am of course looking for the best antenna i can get that will last at least a couple of years...LOL.
I think this will make my 6th or 7th since Jan 2006
Any help is apprecaited as always.
The micro dot antenna I placed on the dash in my father's car about 2 years ago has cracked, but still works. The cracks are pretty large and I have no doubt that were it outside of the car, water would cause it to fail.
His car parks outside, and even though he uses a sunshade which reduces the amount of direct sunlight, it still gets pretty hot inside a parked car in FL.
I just had my micro-dot fail that came with my Sportster 5 fail after two years. I got the "Acquiring Signal" in wide open spaces no matter what I did. Eventually it actually started working again, but then I would never get more then 2 bars signal, and anything would cause the unit to cut out.
This is really sad, considering antenna I had on my previous vehicle with my Audiovox PnP2 went for over 7 years with no trouble. Both antennas were mounted externally.
I tried "sealing" the new antenna with Krazy Glue, as I think was mentioned in this thread. I basically went around the microdot on top, and tried to fill in the cracks on the bottom for good measure. I ended up doing some light sanding on the bottom to remove any burrs - I didn't want to trash the finish of my trunk.
I have no idea if this will make any difference, or any reasonable expectation that it might. But I figure it can't really hurt either.
This is really sad, considering antenna I had on my previous vehicle with my Audiovox PnP2 went for over 7 years with no trouble. Both antennas were mounted externally.
I tried "sealing" the new antenna with Krazy Glue, as I think was mentioned in this thread. I basically went around the microdot on top, and tried to fill in the cracks on the bottom for good measure. I ended up doing some light sanding on the bottom to remove any burrs - I didn't want to trash the finish of my trunk.
I have no idea if this will make any difference, or any reasonable expectation that it might. But I figure it can't really hurt either.