Sirius Satellite Radio.

[randomness]

In Florida, bedfull_o_books and I had a rental car with Sirius Radio in it. I'd driven one before which had a satellite-capable radio but no subscription, so this was the first time I'd actually gotten to listen to the service.

It was nice to have so many stations to listen to, but we ended up listening to the CBC a lot. Vaguely surreal when driving around Florida, but I imagine some Canadians must do it, too.

Reception isn't so great, though. You'd expect it to go out when you go under a concrete overpass, but under some tree branches? There were times when all we were doing was driving along a tree-lined road, and the radio would cut out. Disappointing.

I'm not sure I'm ready to pay for satellite radio, if that's normal.

Comments

[ishaa.livejournal.com]

I got XM (the one with baseball and without Howard Stern, both desirable features).

Wikipedia sez, "XM uses fixed-location geostationary satellites in two positions, and Sirius uses three geosynchronous satellites passing over North and South America, to transmit the digital streams. The net difference is that the Sirius signal comes from a higher elevation angle in the northern part of the U.S., and even more so in Canada. (This higher angle makes Sirius' signal less likely to drop out on cities, but more likely to drop out in parking garages, gas stations, and other covered spaces.)"

And they both supposedly have various terrestrial repeaters.

Anyway, the only places I've had trouble getting a signal were in tunnels, and along the very hilliest, tree-linedest and east-west-est parts of Route 108.

The nonstop local traffic stations are key. They even call highways by their numbers, not by names you have to be a local to recognize.

As for the music stations, hey, there's something to be said for reintermediation! Listening to xL Fungus, I am learning a little more about the history of punk and how it turned into alternamainstream. And listening to XMU I learn what whiny mope rock the kids like now. With your iPod, "All you can ever learn is what you already know". ;)