Sirius 14240 vs Terk SIR6 Outdoor Antenna

[jpmarto]

Does anyone have experience with both and could recommend which of the two is the better antenna? (or point me to someone who might be able to advise me?)

I'm using the little clamshell antenna, mounted outdoors. I'm NE of Seattle, and I go to zero signal for significant periods of time, so spending $$ on a good antenna may be the ticket.

Thanks!

 

[DJ Rob]

I just bought a new place where I couldn't get any of the terrestrial repeaters I did at my old place with an indoor sirius boombox antenna.

The Sirius 14240 Outdoor Antenna is now working great for me. I compared the two antennas you mentioned and going by both user manuals, they both have the exact same specs - gain, noise figure, etc. I found the Sirius 14240 on Ebay for about $30 shipped. The Terk one was a lot more expensive.

 

[jpmarto]

Thanks for the reply.

I downloaded a manual with the filename: Sirius_14250 external Adapter.pdf. Nowhere in the manual does
it reference a model number, but the last page has:
© 2004 Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. Outdoor-Antenna-Install-Manual (v120404)

Some of the specs say:
LNA: Gain ...... 42 dB, typical
Noise Figure .... 0.7 dB, typical
Antenna: ......... Radome: 3 1/4” x 3 1/4”
Cable Type........ RG-58 coaxial
Cable Length ..... 30 feet
Antenna Connector. SMA
Cable Connectors . SMA & SMB

The above antenna as pictured, and from the above radome specs appears square.

There is a Sirius outdoor antenna with "SMA" or "F" connector, which in the SiriusHomeSignalDistributionProducts.pdf both are pictured as having a round radome.

I see most pictures of the Terk SIR6 as a square radome, but I also see google search and ebay listings where more than one model number is attributed to the same picture, and the words Terk and Sirius are associated in no particular pattern.

If I understand, there's a Sirius 14240 (I assume the one for home distribution -- uses RG-6), and a 14250 (comes with 30' of rg-58 sma-smb). Is the Terk SIR6 yet a 3rd antenna model?.

To further complicate, RG-58 is 50 ohm, RG-6 is 75 ohm. The receiver would probably be happier with one over the other. RG-6 would also have less loss than RG-58, which might be offset by the extra adapters and splitters needed.

 

[DJ Rob]

In my research, I found that the Sirius 14240 and Terk SIR6 both have identical in specs except for the sirius one is round and the Terk one is square. I'm not sure if the Terk uses RG6 or not. I have the Sirius 14240 and it uses RG6 until the radio where it included a F-SMB adapter. I'm using a 100' RG6 feed to my antenna outside and it works fine.

 

[DJ Rob]

Looking on amazon, it looks like the Terk 6 does use smb to smb cables. I would avoid that one and go with one (like the Sirius 14240 I have) that uses RG6 since if you are doing a long run, there would be less loss.

 

[jpmarto]

Thanks!

Doing a search on Amazon for "14240" I get the antenna with a round radome, ($40/free shipping) but it comes with "30 feet" of cable, which sounds like the sma-smb cable. I'm sure I'll end up needing 31' of cable

The Sirius website has the 14240 with a 30' cable listed as: SIRIUS 14240 External Home Antenna.

It has the SIRIUS 14250 CATV Distribution Kit Model#: 14250-CATVSD
"The SIRIUS CATV Home Distribution Kit lets you send a SIRIUS satellite radio signal to any room in your home with a cable TV outlet. The kit includes an all-weather outdoor antenna, 2 diplexer signal splitters, and the necessary adapter to supply signal"

They both look and are priced the same, (hence my confusion with model numbers). I've seen another model with one feedline, a splitter and two "F" to SMB adapters for feeding two receivers.

I'll order the CATV version, and install without the diplexer/splitter. Nuttin's simple anymore...........