I'm running Sirius weather and audio thru an SR 50 and C 80 Ray Marine chart plotter.
The reception is fine when I'm at my mooring but when I get about 1/4 mile off-shore the reception drops, similar to what happens when, if you have Sirius in your car, you drive under a bridge. Evetually it doesn't come on at all until I return close to shore. I have had the sytem about 10 years and this started in the last couple of years but has gotten really bad this season.
At the suggestion of Sirius and Ray Marine I have:
- Replaced the antenna (it seems these fail)... no joy
- Re-soldered the connections... no joy
- Replaced the SR 50... no joy
I realize the SR 50 is the first receiver they made (they now have the 100, 150, 200 and more) but Ray Marine has told me that is the only model that will work with the C 80 plotter. I have no desire to replace my whole system. The only piece I have not replaced is the stereo thru which the SR 50 works thru the "Aux" function, but I can not imagine that would impact the receptivity.
I have a portable Sirius unit in my car and tried that in the boat. It works fine for music but, of course , does not have the weather functionality. The marine SR 50 receiver is "activated" thru the Sirius "Marine & Aviation" unit while the car receiver is activated by their normal service center. Ray Marine offers no help as they no longer service the SR 50. Sirius says all they can do is "send a signal".
Does anyone have this system, have any problems, or any suggestions? Since the unit works close to the shore, I have to believe the problem is not in my system. Does anyone know if there is a different signal for the Marine/Aviation units vs the normal car units.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Chuck Parker
HelenRita 2072 Mk II
2002 Tall Rig - Winged Keel
Atlantic Highlands, NJ
I have the same hardware on my boat with none of the issues you mention.
My setup has a music unit, that is portable and uses a separate antenna.
Go to the Raymarine C80 Chartplotter configure menu and turn off, the music signal from the SR 50 Sirius decoder.
See if that solves the problem.
Bill Matley
Duncan Bay Boat Club
Cheboygan, Michigan
Lakes Huron, Michigan,
Canadian North Channel
"Spirit of Aloha" Hull #1252
Bill...
Actually the music is what is dropping out. The music is what I caare about the most too.
Where are you located? The reason I ask is when I went up to the Long Island Sound last year the sytem worked fine. The problem seems to be in my local area which would seem to indicate the problem is not in my equipment but something to do with their transmission. On one of my Sirius calls the Rep. said something about a "repeater" and she would refer my problem to "the back room". The next time I called the Rep (a different one) said he was the back room and all he could do was send another signal.
.
Chuck Parker
HelenRita 2072 Mk II
2002 Tall Rig - Winged Keel
Atlantic Highlands, NJ