XM also offers to fix non-compliant radios

ghey...I like being able to tune into my skyfi2 from each and every room in my house.

When will the satradio industry step up and fix their mess completely and responsibly?

Like the computers back in the late 80's that produced all sorts of RF noise these overpowered satrad receivers will mostly go away through obsolescence rather than being modified. Most people will NOT down power their receivers. The FCC is aware of this and they fined Sirius XM $19 million partially as a matter of punishment for the over powered receiver-FM transmitters. Anything being done now is simply window dressing. Time to move beyond this folks!

Option D: XM will send Ben Wa balls for traditional use, as well as strands of beads that give distinct compliance for even more professional installation - along with a coupon to cover the cost of installation.

"The FCC monitors pirates, and how a close in direction finding vehicle works. After you have been the victim of this process, you are likely to be served with something called a "NOTICE OF APPARENT LIABILITY". This is the way the FCC tells you that they believe that you have violated the Commissions Rules, and they are holding you responsible. This is usually accompanied by a forfieture which is set by the FCC. If you ignore this notice, the FCC lawyers may take you to court.

In the past, the FCC has sent pirate stations a letter through their mail drop. This letter usually quotes the Commissions Rules, tells you that you are breaking the law and orders you to immediately cease operation and respond to their letter in writing within a certain period of time

the FCC seems less forgiving now than in the past, the location of the pirate, and the personality of the field operator.We do know that a Pirate may be fined $1,000 to $100,000 and receive up to one year in jail.

Many people will say that the FCC has no right to enforce their regulations. They say that the whole idea of the FCC is unconstitutional and unfair. They argue that the FCC can't bust them because they have no right to tell them they can't use the airwaves, after all they belong to the people, and what about free speech!? Well, all of that may be true and it is nice for speeches, but if you think the FCC cannot bust you and fine you for being a pirate, think again. Although it may not be fair, the world is not a fair place and they WILL bust you and they WILL fine you. It is not what we want to believe but it is fact, and we have to live with it (or around it)."

I'm keeping my Sirius receiver. I hope those self-righteous douchebags listening to NPR on the way to work are forced to listen to Howard Stern. That is punishment for NPR opposing the merger.

Why Not Just Re-program the radios over the air ? Directv can.

"I hope those self-righteous douchebags listening to NPR on the way to work are forced to listen to Howard Stern. That is punishment for NPR opposing the merger."

That sure sounds like a punishment to me! There is nothing worse than that!

I live in a town where there is literally no free space on the FM band. Not wanting to replace the radio because the stock system sounds good already, I picked up a skyfi3 with direct connect and that setup is just worthless. Even after getting it professionally installed I would still be overpowered by local radio that I didn't want to hear. I managed to find an old skyfi2 on craigslist and I plugged that in. The difference was immediately noticed. I no longer get overpowered and the sound is much better than before. Even without the existing direct connect hardware it sounds good.

No thanks. I'm going to keep my set up the way it is.

They are resolving this responsibly. They worked out a deal with the FCC, and are following all their rules.

I actually hope if there are individuals who know about the recall/trade-ins and refuse to submit them become personally prosecutable. If you don't follow the recall requests, and you bug your neighbors, maybe it's in the FCC's power to fine the individual or actually confiscate the radio.

This is a joke, this is not a fix but a band-aid and a waste. The non-compliant radio's will still be out there interfering with others just as they were before the FCC fined and forced Sirius/XM to do something. To bad the something is typical of a loser company with a management staff without a pulse.

Kit ever think of having your skyfi3 professionally installed with a direct aux in? You'd get better sound and you wouldn't be adding to the interference problem. Nice idea go backwards... NOT

REHR TO FCC: SATCASTER DECEPTION MUST BE ADDRESSED AS PART OF MERGER REVIEW
Written by Editors_Choice
Thursday, 14 August 2008
WASHINGTON, DC -- NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr sent a letter yesterday to FCC General Counsel Matthew Berry urging the Commission to address XM and Sirius’s "lack of candor" as part of the agency’s review of the merger.

Citing reports that FCC’s General Counsel’s office believes that the merger parties’ lack of candor can be addressed separately without further investigation and without transparency, Rehr told Berry, "This position could not be more inaccurate"

"The simple fact that the applicant is willing to deceive the Commission raises qualification concerns" Rehr wrote. "Under the Communications Act, the Commission must address as part of the merger proceeding the allegations in the record regarding lack of candor. If it determines that the allegations raise substantial and material questions of fact, it is required by law to designate the applications for a hearing. Either way, the candor issue may not legally be deferred to a subsequent enforcement proceeding"

Last month, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee related to XM and Sirius’s failed promise to the FCC to develop an interoperable radio receiver.

Additionally, Sirius has admitted requesting manufacturers to produce Sirius radios that operate beyond the interference regulations set by the FCC. In Sirius’s annual report (Form 10-K) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last year, the company disclosed on page 26 that "certain SIRIUS personnel requested manufacturers to produce SIRIUS radios that were not consistent with the FCC’s rules" In April 2007, Bloomberg reported that at least one-third of the 800 antennas used by XM were "placed in unapproved locations or emitted signals that were too strong"

A 2006 study of 17 wireless devices commonly used to transmit audio signals from satellite radio devices and MP3 players to in-dash car radios showed that 13 of the 17 devices exceeded field strength limits set by the FCC. Six of the noncompliant devices exceeded strength limits by 2,000 percent, and one surpassed strength limits by 20,000 percent. The Associated Press reported in 2006 that such interference resulted in some Christian radio listeners being inundated by Howard Stern programming.

Well, that's how the FCC settled it with Sirius and XM. The FCC understand how hard it would be to recall all the radios. They aren't going to force the company to do that--how do you enforce something like that, it's not worth it both in company costs and administrative costs to the FCC unless it's vital for health and safety sakes. It would be a burden to the consumers who might have to go without their radios, for instance.

There are two scenarios of interference happening. Those who are ignorant of the flaws, and those who know about it and deliberately flaunt the FCC. The former will be informed from advertising--I think those notices will even go on the commercial free music channels--and the latter will be prosecuted should there FM tuners interfere with their neighbors.

There are lots of companies who end up paying fines--things like Hair Dryers and other electronic products. This happens more commonly than you think. HD radio has the same problems, if you look at some of the filings the NAB and terrestrial radio has had similar problems.

SIRI XM need to start acting as ONE. One announcement on
Non Compliant radios, One freakin Office ( close XM)
One website etc. Come on MEL get it together.

If you read paragraph 12 or 13 on the FCC order for Sirius , that somebody posted the link to the other day , it says that the FCC will allow continuing use of radios purchased before September 1 ( I believe that's when the order takes effect .) So basically , the FCC says you can continue to use the old radios .

The same paragraph is on the FCC order for XM also .

Is anyone else having trouble with the form on the XM web site? I enter my FCC ID, click next, and nothing happens...

In case no one noticed, the three alternatives only address the devices when used in automobiles, truck, etc. It does not address using the devices in homes, or planes, busses, offices, when used as portable devices, etc.

Bob

I enjoy messing with people. I choose popular radio frequencies and transmit over those.
It is so funny seeing people in thier cars trying to change the channels.
haha dumb ass FCC will never find me!!! They are A government agency and are totally Inefficient.

It's sad there are idiots like jim hamilton which are getting SiriusXM more heat from the FCC. Perhaps someone should start "messing with" you? Maybe interfering with you TV signal? Cell Phone signal? Satradio signal? That would be "funny" too. You should educate yourself and learn the FCC can find you, and you shouldn't mess with the US Radio spectrum to say nothing about being a complete low life trying to mess with others.

Grow Up.

REMilk,

Thats the problem. This half-assed band-aid doesn't solve the problem that the radio's were not made properly. You can't add something to something that was made wrong and fix it. So you might use a "fix" in one location but these radio's are plug and play or portable radio's, still interfering with others. No matter what "optimizing" or fix choice it is still a FCC non-compliant radio.

Typical Sirius/XM is not doing the smart, responsible thing and solving the problem, just making a lame attempt to convince the ignorant they are doing something about it. Probably giving the FCC a list of radio's they've band-aided to place the non-compliant blame on the subscriber who they are telling the "fix" or optimze" is "optional", yet FCC compliance is never "optional". Lets hope 20 million more in fines will set Sirius/XM straight.

Please remember this. There is no such thing as XM Radio and Sirius Radio. So these fixes mean nothing. Both companies where fined separately. XM Radio and Sirius Radio have no reason to make this right (instead of patched) because neither company exists anymore.

All this crap about pirate radio stations getting busted means nothing in this situation. The radios have an FCC tag on the back of them. So if the FCC pirate patrol stops you on the high way and you show them your radio and you haven't opened it or done anything to it what are they going to do? They may inform you that you need to get it fixed, but what are the odds they are going to stalk a consumer. Hell, who says they even give a crap? They got their fine money and the court of public opinion they put the hurt on XM and Sirius. Case closed. This is just the lawyers making sure everyone does what they agreed to do. No one will care in 3 weeks...I don't think any cares now.

XM202

The FM modulator is a stupid piece of technology that shoudln't have to exist, and we have car manufacturers to blame for its existence!

The REAL problem here is that car radios aren't built with aux-in ports. Every car stereo made should include an aux-in port as standard equipment. With all the portable devices that we listen to in our cars nowdays, there's no excuse for any automaker to not include the ability to upgrade later. If that had been standard practice for the last 20 years (ever since the cassette adapter was invented to let people use CD players in their cars), we wouldn't have this mess today.

Ray,

WRONG on just about every excuse.

If XM and Sirius don't exist then neither do their FCC licenses to operate. If no one cares? Sirus and XM spent about 20 million dollars of no one cares fines. You better educate yourself, you don't mess with the US radio spectrum. XM and Sirius would be smart to step up and fix the problems as a responsible corporation which wants to continue using the US radio spectrum. The band-aid games is only costing them more money in the long run, and the good will never will return.

Just a portion of the law;
X. COMPLIANCE PLAN
As part of the consent decree the parties have agreed to a strict compliance plan,
which includes the following:
· Hire FCC Compliance Officer responsible for ensuring future compliance with
Act and Commission rules;
· Adopt Procedural Guide establishing procedures for testing, certifying and
making modifications to satellite radio receivers and Repeater Change Guide
establishing procedures for making any changes to terrestrial repeater network;
· Conduct audits of randomly selected satellite radio receivers to ensure compliance
with FCC requirements;
· Establish an FCC Compliance Training Program for all employees who engage in
activities subject to FCC regulation;
· Provide notices to subscribers offering various technical fixes to non-compliant
radio receivers at no cost to subscriber via its website, subscriber newsletter and
automated telephone response;
· Broadcast on-air notices to subscribers regarding non-compliant radio receivers;
· Turn off or bring into compliance 100 terrestrial repeaters, and send the others to
FCC’s International Bureau for processing;
· Replace non-compliant radio receivers returned by consumers for repair or
warranty claims with compliant devices; and
· Submit periodic compliance reports to FCC.
In addition, the parties will be subject to a combined forfeiture of approximately $20
million. All future violations will be subject to the maximum monetary penalties, and
will be considered in light of these past violations.

Everyone with a education "cares", yet as typical it's the ignorant who don't care and think it's funny "messing" with others ability to interference free use of the radio spectrum.

SiriusXM should be acting with responsibility, dotting I's, crossing T's since they are the one to make up for past wrongs and try to get back some credibility when it comes to following FCC rules and regulations.

WTF??? Why would I want to reduce the FM modulation on a perfectly good XM radio. I don't have an aux in-put or a cassette player with my factory radio so I ran away from those darn RED boxes when looking for my XM. fyi-If you know somebody with a spare Sureconnect (my bud with CC gave me one leftover from an install) and you got an old XM with the strong modulator, use them together, Works GREAT!

Why would you?

Because "Your radio contains an FM transmitter that allows it to operate wirelessly through your car FM radio. We have determined that the output of this transmitter exceeds the limits established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). As a result, the unit may interfere with the performance of radios operating in areas adjacent to your radio."

Your causing interference to others around you. Which is against FCC rules.