# Do XM radios work inside an office building?



## rrrrrroger

s


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## berg0449

I would like to know also. I have a bet that it's a no. My car XM radio often goes out when going under longer bridges.


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## Wiggin

Depends on building construction, but generally, only if you are near a terrestrial repeater. If you want reliable reception, the antenna must have a totally unobstructed view to 1 of the 2 satellites.


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## hphase

In a wood frame house I get satellite XM indoors on the second floor (just the roof and the ceiling.) In an urban area with lots of repeaters (like NYC) XM works just fine anywhere in a typical office building. That said, it's best to assume that you need line-of-sight to at least one of the satellites, although I've had it work with one bounce off an adjacent building.


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## jschefdog

It might if you can put the antenna near a window, especially one facing south. The instructions in my XM home kit say to place the antenna near a south facing window but I found it works with an east facing window as well (I'm on the west coast). But it doesn't work at all inside my house unless the antenna is near a window.


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## Lee L

My XM has worked at 3 different offices. The first 2 were standard metal frame and deck construction with modern windows. I was only able to pick up a terrestrial repeater and it was perfect. The place I am now is an old warehouse building converted to office and the roof deck is wood. I can pick up terrestrial at nearly max (Bit Error rate around 0.2-0.6% usually) and one satellite at a little under max (BER at 0.5%-2.0%.).


So, to answer your question, it will depend. Terrestrial repeaters are your friend.


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## marvi1

I get better reception indoors with my Inno than I do with an antenna hanging out my south-facing windows. Bizarro. I also get 2 bars in my cubicle at work, and that is a good 20 feet from the closest window.


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## barbie845

If you are near a terrestrial repeater you should be able to get a signal anywhere..Office buildings, cellar, anywhere..The repeater signal is like a regular radio signal so as long as you're close enough indoor reception shouldn't be a problem..


Without a repeater nearby since the sats are in the southern sky then the best bet is a south facing window..


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## d_m1010

Well I'm very disappointed. I just bought the universal boombox and Onyx XM head unit and I cannot get reception in the rural bank in which I work. I just printed the return label to Amazon and received a refund from XM. A sad day indeed.


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## lockuplever

rrrrrroger said:


> s


I've got an antenna in a garage with the door closed and it works amazingly well.


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