Borderlands 3 – Complete Bad Reception Guide (How to Unlock and Walkthrough)

This guide explains how to unlock and complete Bad Reception in The Droughts zone of Pandora.

Note: Make sure you complete the Cult Following story mission before doing this side mission so that you can unlock the catch-a-ride and drive a vehicle around instead of walking for an incredibly long time.

Other Borderlands 3 Guides:

• Tips and Tricks.
• Borderlands 3 Shift Codes!
• Easter Eggs and References.
• How to Respec Your Character and Costs Explained.

Bad Reception Rewards and Requirements

Below are the rewards and level requirements for completing the Bad Reception mission.

• Suggested Level: Lvl. 5
• Rewards: $422.

How to Unlock Bad Reception

Walk up to the outpost in the middle of the area outside the Crimson raiders hideout in The Droughts zone of Pandora.

A yellow exclamation point will indicate this mission on the map. Walk there and you’ll find Claptrap. He’ll give you the mission.

Mission Objectives

Below are the mission objectives for Bad Reception.

• Search Spark’s cave
• Search old laundry
• Search satellite tower
• Search Sid’s Stop

Search Spark’s Cave

Head into the cave. To find the cave, look for the slightly elevated bridge (that requires you car to be going quickly in order to make the jump).

Off to the side of that bridge is a cave.

Collect spork

Head inside but watch out for the electricity. Shoot the small target to turn it off.

Walk up and collect the spork.

Search Old Laundry

Go to large structure pictured below, interestingly enough you can take on the Dump on Dump Truck side mission here if you haven’t already. This mission is unlocked during the Cult Following Story Mission. If you want to do that now, go ahead and jump to that page.

Open trap door

There’s a trap door you need to slam through to explore.

You’ll need some serious height to break through it so climb up the cargo containers on the left to get to the top.

From the top, drop down and break through the trap door.

Collect wire hanger

Once you’re inside a psycho will run towards you. Kill them then take the wire hanger in the back to the left (across from the washing machine).

Search Satellite Tower

The satellite is pictured below.

Destroy satellite dish

Jump up to the top of the tower and destroy the it.

Collect Antenna

Now pick up the Antenna.

Search Sid’s Stop

Head for Sid’s stop which is past the Children of the Vault underpass.

Speak to Sid

Talk to Sid who is completely sane. It even says so in his name.

Destroy to satellite dish

Destroy the antennas because the transmissions are bothering Sid. Below are their locations. It’s recommended to use a sniper rifle to spot these.

Side Bar: There’s a bounty board on the side of Sid’s shack. Interact with it and you can accept the Undertaker Side Mission.

Antenna #1 is on top of Sid’s shack.

Antenna #2: Jump on top of Sid’s shack and look into the distance (towards the right of Sid).

Antenna #3: Look to the far left for the final antenna.

Speak to Sid (again)

Kill Sid

Now that you’ve helped Sid it’s time to kill him for his hat.

Collect tinfoil hat

Pick up the tinfoil hat.

Search old shack

Drive to the waypoint and search the old shack pictured below.

Note: It’s on the other side of the area pictured below. You can go through this structure to get there but it’s full of enemies which may or may not be what you want.

Kill the guy waiting there and run / slide under the garage door.

Collect the umbrella

In the back of back room is a badass tink to kill and then grab the umbrella.

Give items to Claptrap

Return to claptrap and this will complete the mission. You can now switch out Claptrap’s antenna whenever you want.

• Rewards: $422