Which Satellite Radio Company Should You Choose

XM and Sirius are the two companies in the U.S that offer quality satellite radio service. XM, the forerunner of satellite radio has 2 satellites, Rock and Roll, and has 2 satellite radio studios in Washington D.C. which reaches all of its 3,200,000 subscribers. Sirius Radio, XM's current competitor, has 3 satellites, studios in NY and has 1,100,000 subscribers.

There is no question about it; satellite radio is far superior to the landlocked radio stations. This new generation of radio, with its digital quality and unlimited content, makes AM/FM radio look ancient in comparison. Satellite radio has incredible advantages that regular radio stations can only hope to offer.

Satellite radio is completely commercial free. That means no annoying jingles, no listening interruptions, no stupid voice actors, and no one trying to sell you something you couldn't possibly need. Satellite radio offers you the ability to, not only listen to what you want, (Jazz, Country, Hip Hop, R&B, Classical, Do Wop, Dance, Electronica, Latin, Blues, House, Rock, Alternative, Contemporary, Christian, or Gospel), but you can also listen to it where you want. In your car, your house, your yacht, your tent, and even your bus ride downtown. You can listen to you local weather, traffic alerts, news, sports, and entertainment, or national weather, traffic, news, sports and entertainment. It's like being omnipresent and omniscient at once! Satellite radio is also completely uncensored. That means that you can listen to your favorite comic or rap without having to figure out it behind the bleeps.

The content is the only thing that sets satellite radio apart from its terrestrial buddy; it also has digital, CD quality sound. AM/FM radio cannot offer that without having to put up a transmitter every few miles. Your satellite receiver also has information on songs and artists right on the read out so you can best select what you want to listen to. It's all about your choice! Where, what, when, and how! Do you feel like a god yet?

Both XM and Sirius are amazing satellite radio providers, which one you choose to listen to will be up to you. Since they each offer such great programming, the choice will be difficult. There are 3 different types of receivers, depending on where you want to use it. The plug-and-play tuner is used primarily outdoors as long as the portable boom box can receive the satellite signal. There are also tuners made specifically for cars, and tuners made for use at home.

In the future, XM and Sirius radio will be offering satellite video. Look for this at the end of 2006.

Satellite radio prices start at dollars, with an additional .95 per month. Be on the lookout for discounts and lifetime subscription offers.

Which Satellite Radio Company Should You Choose

Home Radio Xm

Which Satellite Radio Company Should You Choose

Which Satellite Radio Company Should You Choose
Which Satellite Radio Company Should You Choose

Home Radio Xm

Sirius Satellite Radio vs XM Satellite Radio Which Streams Should You Choose?

Just as many TV viewers have come to consider cable TV a life necessity, so too is satellite radio becoming a mainstream replaceMent for traditional AM/FM listening. Yes you have to pay for it, but just as with cable, you get way more channels and edgier, more innovative programming. Plus, you don't lose your favorite station as you travel across the state or country. And satellite players show the artist and name of the song, which is definitely a plus for those who like to know what they're listening to. In the U.S. there are just two main players in the satellite radio industry, Sirius and XM. WorldSpace, which has been broadcasting the longest and covers the most area, currently does not offer coverage in the United States. I know with just twoproviders to pick from, one would think that the choice would be easy, but each has its own pluses and drawbacks and the decision usually comes down to budget and personal preferences.

How It Works

Sirius Satellite Radio vs XM Satellite Radio Which Streams Should You Choose?

Sirius Satellite Radio vs XM Satellite Radio Which Streams Should You Choose?

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Sirius Satellite Radio vs XM Satellite Radio Which Streams Should You Choose?

Sirius Satellite Radio vs XM Satellite Radio Which Streams Should You Choose?

In 1992, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocated to spectrum in the "S" band (2.3 GHz) for nationwide broadcasting of satellite-based Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS). Of the four companies that applied for licenses, only two were granted rights to broadcast; Sirius (formerly CD Radio) and XM (formerly American Mobile Radio). Each company has satellites in orbit above the earth to transmit their programming. Programs are beamed to one of the satellites, which then transmits the signal to the ground, where your radio receiver picks up one of the channels within the signal. Signals are also be beamed to ground repeaters for listeners in urban areas where the satellite signal can be interrupted.

In many ways, Sirius has set the tone for the industry, being the first to offer commercial free programming on all its music channels and has larger selection of receivers, adapters and other products. XM has a cheaper subscription fee, at least for its basic plan, which offers much the same deal as its competitors.

Both providers have partnered with automobile manufacturers to offer satellite radio in new car models. And each has systems that will search the channels for your favorite music and alert you when and where the songs are playing. Choosing between the two companies can bedifficult since each has its advanTAGes. Here is some information that may help the listeners choose between the two.

XM Radio

XM satellite radio offers 68 commercial-free music channels, 33 news, sports, and talk & entertainMent channels and 21 dedicated traffic and weather channels. XM is the exclusive satellite radio provider of FOX Sports Radio, Sporting News Radio and the world's only 24-hour NASCAR Radio channel. It does not offer NFL programming.

EquipMent

XM has several choices in equipment. For just under $ 120, you can get the Delphi XM Roady receiver. This complete package comes with a micro-antenna, cassette adaptor, 12V power adaptor, and a universalmounting bracket. For another $ 10, you can upgrade to the Roady2, proclaimed as the smallest satellite receiver available. In addition to the traditional satellite radio features, it allows you to scroll up to 20 stock symbols and has 30 channel presets.

The Delphi XM SKYFi is a receiver with a more advanced display. It gives you more information about each song and the five-line display lets you see what's playing on other XM channels before you switch. The SKYFi2, which costs $ 30 more, gives pause and play functions. It must be combined with an adaptor kit for home, vehicle or audio system. These adapters range from $ 70-$ 100 in price.

Coming in November of 2004, the Delphi XM MyFi, touted as the world's first XM2go receiver, becomesavailable from XM. It comes with car kit, home kit, rechargeable battery, headphones, antennas and more for $ 349.99.

Sirius

Sirius satellite radio offers 65 channels of commercial free music, plus more than 50 channels of great sports, news and entertainment programming. They are the only one of the two competitors to offer NFL coverage, including play-by-play action and pre-game gab.

Equipment

Siruis offers a host of equipment options. Customers can choose from over 15 Plug and play options. Average receivers sell for $ 99.95 and can be combined with a car or home , or a choice of different boomboxes. For the same $ 99.95, the Sirius Sportster adds special features for the sports enthusiast such as Game Alertwhich prompts you when your favorite NFL or other sports teams are playing and Game Zone, which lists all of the play-by-play games and scores on Sirius by league.

Or for $ 149.99 you can cover all your listening needs with the Sanyo CRSR-10 Plug & Play System. It includes home and car kits for use at home, office, truck, RV, boat or car and antennas for home and car. It has 20 presets and a built-in wireless FM transmitter for use on all 100 FM frequencies. If a boombox is not your style, you can go with a home system that integrates with you existing audio equipment. Prices range from $ 250 up to $ 2000.

You can put a headunit in your car, throw in a tuner and antenna and you're wired for satellite in your vehicle without theportable receiver and adapter. Sirius has over 15 headunits to choose from at prices ranging from under $ 200 to over $ 1000. Some of the more reasonably priced units come with CD players and removable fronts.

Satellite radio appears to be here to stay. The offerings keep getting better and the decision between the two keeps getting tougher. Equipment is available at store locations and websites of retailers like Wal-Mart and Best Buy and through the providers ' websites. For static free, commercial free radio listening and your favorite stations wherever you go, satellite radio is the choice of millions. Installation and activation are easy. In fact the toughest decision may be deciding which provider to choose.

Sirius Satellite Radio vs XM Satellite Radio Which Streams Should You Choose?

What is the Best CB Radio Antenna That I Should Buy?

I have been driving a tractor trailer for about 10 + years. I am a member to many CB Radio Forums, also a lot of Truck Driver Forums.

What is the Best CB Radio Antenna That I Should Buy?

What is the Best CB Radio Antenna That I Should Buy?

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What is the Best CB Radio Antenna That I Should Buy?

What is the Best CB Radio Antenna That I Should Buy?

I see and get this question all the time, so I thought I would try and answer it here.

You made it through truck driving school, now you need a CB Radio? OK, first off we need to do some research on CB Radios. DO you want a 10 Meter radio? Or do you want a standard 11 Meter CB Radio? Well it is going to have to be the latter of the two. Because unless you are a Ham Radio operator licensed through the FCC, then it is illegal to own a 10 meter radio.

CB Radio operators are only allowed to talk on the 11 meter band.

There are 40 channels in the 11 meter band, no CB Channelsgo below channel 1-26,965 or above channel 40-27,405. Anywhere in between you are allowed to operate as long as your CB Radio has not been "worked on", we will get into this later. There are several different kinds of CB Radio's to choose from that are legal in the US.

Cobra 25 LTD, 29 LTD, 148 GTL DX, 25, 19, NW WXNW, 25, 29 WXNW 29 NW Texas Ranger 696, 121.966 Uniden With 538 PRO 510 XL, weather, PC 68 XL PC 78 LTW, PC 68 XL, PC, PC 78 LTW 78 Elite Galaxy and the Galaxy 949 959

These listed here are the basic legal radios allowed to be used in the USA today without having to have Amature radio license. They are allowed to be used as long as no modifications have been made to them such as "Peak andTune "where the power has been turned up on the radio. From the factory these radio's are preset at 4 watts of power, which is legal. Tuned properly they will go up to about 35 watts, but again this is not allowed by the FCC.

But most truckers go to the nearest "cb shop and pay $ 50.00 to $ 100.00 to have a Connex Board" and "to" peak and tune "done to their radios. The "Connex Board" is to echo feature added to the inside of the radio, so as to distort (echo) the voice it also adds a talk back feature so the operator can hear themselves through an external Speaker.

Most drivers I know usually buy a decent radio ($ 150.00) then they buy a cheap antenna to go with it. Well this won't work, your antenna is 95% of your cb outfit. I recomMend any Wilsonantenna, especially a Wilson 2000 or 5000 Wilson. These range in price from $ 50.00 to $ 100.00 and that is usually installed. Yes, have it installed by a tech so that they can set your SWR for your antenna. SWR Standing Wave Ratio-this is what makes your radio talk. If you have a SWR of above to 3 or more it will burn your radio up. The tech will use a SWR meter connected to your coax and antenna to check it's SWR reading. If it is to high they will cut some of the antenna whip off 1/8 "increMents, until a satisfactory SWR is reached. If you do not want to spend a lot on an antenna at least buy one that is tunable.

The coax is another big part of the radios. Which would be caught by a good tech when they were installing your "new" antenna. But if you arealready using the radio and you notice it drops in performance, it will usually be either the SWR or the coax. Truck stops sell precut lengths of coax, usually you will need a 18 ' piece to replace what is bad runs about $ 25.00, I recomMend the gray or clear coax. If you are just replacing the coax you can do this yourself, unless you want the SWR checked.

I hope maybe this has shed some light on what to buy.

Be safe out there.

What is the Best CB Radio Antenna That I Should Buy?