... or does it require an unobstructed shot at the birds? I don't have a TL, yet. The reason I'm asking is that I have a two-car garage that actually has room for two cars, and I would park the TL in it. The garage also has my workbench and tools and I spend a fair amount of time there working on projects. It would be nice to play XM channels on the TL while I'm working in the garage. The garage is frame and plaster construction; the roof is the standard joists with plywood sheathing under composition shingles. The TL's satellite antenna is toward the rear of the roof (correct?) and I could open the garage door for a south-east exposure, but I don't know if that would be enough to give the antenna an unobstructed view of Rock and/or Roll.

I already have XM in the house and, being near downtown Sacramento, get some signal from terrestrial repeaters, but my results are better if I combine terrestrial and satellite signal. Yes, I know how I could get another SkyFi kit for $200 and add a second receiver to my XM bill for like $5/month, but I'd rather save the money.

 

It works in a parking garage I use...

 

Mine works fine in my garage.

 

Mine works fine.

 

The TL's XM radio does not work in my garage. The garage faces east. XM does not work while underneath the roof of a a bank drive-thru, and momentarily goes out underneath interestate overpasses.

 

XM Does not work in my garage either.

Wow, for once I agree with a seminole.

 

Thanks, all, for the quick replies. The difference in results may be due to the availability of terrestrial repeaters in your particular locations. The TL, unlike the SkyFi unit, probably doesn't let you measure terrestrial and satellite signal strength separately. I'll try taking my home XM receiver and antenna into the garage to see what I get, although the results could be better or worse with the TL's antenna setup. In my experience, XM satellite reception isn't worth squat under a roof unless the antenna is pointed out a south-facing window; outside is best.

 

depends where in my garage it is, it will work

 

Oddly enough, mine doesn't work while I'm pulling into my garage, but after I'm parked, if I wait a couple seconds, it will come back. From then on, as long as I don't move, and hold my tongue just right, it will work fine.

I also have issues when I'm sitting under overpasses (but not driving under them), or if I'm sitting (really close) to the north of a tall building (again, no problems driving past them).

 

mine cuts in & out in garage, and also under overpasses, etc

 

mine also cuts in and out in garages, around large buildings (ie: Bank of America tower), and other random locations.

As noted above it's got to do with the terrestrial repeaters in relation to the TL. I've found that my service has degraded since I got the car, but probably has nothing to do with the service itself.

 

In general, XM needs line-of-site with the satellites, unless there's a repeater near your garage (like in a big city).

 

XM does not work in my north facing garage either!

 

When my XM service was first activated (dealer forgot to do it when I bought the car ) I the car was parked in the garage with the door closed. It received the activation signal and all channels just fine. Dunno if the signal came from the satellites or from ground repeaters, but the radio definitely received it.

 

The XM radio in the TL works fine in my garage (faces west). My wife has an after market "Roady" in her car and it does NOT work. Maybe the antenna in the XM is stronger?

 

Yeah mine does that too and I dont understand how that is possible. I am doing 80mph and I go under the overpass for what half a second? How can it fade out that quick, shouldnt it use some kind of buffer????