Satellite Radio – Its here! Satellite radio is a new service being offered by two companies, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Both companies are offering over 100 channels of streaming music and entertainment. High quality sound is achieved through the use of satellites orbiting high above. Satellite radio has been commercial free and free from regulations by federal committees. The impossible, is now possible, hearing the same radio station across north America and from coast to coast. All made possible by XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio. Find more at: www.TopSatelliteRadio.com

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio have designed satellite broadcast systems that differ but they achieve the same high quality of satellite radio. A milestone of this success is the fact that satellite radio signals that are available across the United States and into Mexico and Canada. Rock and Roll – No its not a genre any more! XM Satellite Radio has two satellites named Rock and Roll which remain in parallel geostationary orbit to provide radio coverage throughout the United States. Sirius Satellite Radio has chose to use three satellites in an inclined elliptical orbit. This configuration provides 16 hours per satellite of signal, which gives a great redundancy if any satellite were to fail. Playing it smart, Sirius and XM both have spare satellites, which can be called on in a moments notice if needed.

XM satellite radio and sirius satellite radio have Earth based broadcast stations that are used to send up information to the satellites, which is then dispersed through out the globe. Sirius and XM both have disk jockeys that manage, create and program music which is then sent up to the satellites. The information is then taken in by the satellites and sent through a rebroadcast of the streams to earth. The Major advantage of this is that, unlike earth-based radio stations whose signals reach listeners 150 miles away, satellite radio signals have a huge reach, and are receivable anywhere within the continental United States and hundreds of miles in each direction of the borders. Satellite Radio is growing to become a world wide network and offerings are growing throughout the world. XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio are making it happen!

So How Does Satellite Radio Work: First, a receiver decodes and plays the received signals through an antenna. In the beginning, some cars have used a tuner that accepts the antenna signals and then passes them to a satellite radio-ready radio for playing. Ad the concept has grown out of the car and into the home, home kits for satellite radio use direct RCA inputs for home theater and traditional stereo systems. A Growing number of choices is occurring and each company is developing a broad scope of products for consumers. Already we are seeing receivers for car-only, boom boxes, computer-only, and portables for use in car and home configurations. The companies making these products are, Audiovox, Delphi Skyfi, Terk, and plenty others are jumping on board. Both XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio have licensed recievers and other products for consumers use.

Scott fish is the Owner of http://www.TopSatelliteRadio.com.

Top Satellite Radio is a resource for consumers seeking the history and facts about satellite radio. We also sell electronics related to Satellite Radio. Quick Access: http://www.TopSatRadio.com

sf@topsatelliteradio.com

Satellite Radio – Its here! Satellite radio is a new service being offered by two companies, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Both companies are offering over 100 channels of streaming music and entertainment. High quality sound is achieved through the use of satellites orbiting high above. Satellite radio is commercial free and free from regulations by federal committees. The impossible, is now possible, hearing the same radio station across North America and from coast to coast. All made possible by XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio.

Normal radio has been around for decades and is part of many people’s lifestyle. This is changing. Regular radio is monitored and regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, whom has fined several radio stations and media companies within the last 3-4 years. The FCC has only fined radio stations a maximum of $27,500 per show no matter how man profanities were aired.

Recently the FCC has been upping the ante and in conjunction with Congress has decided to raise the fine up to $500,000 per incident per station (Potter). A slap on the wrist has turned into a business-changing event. “Sexually explicit comments by Bubba the Love Sponge and Howard Stern could get a station in trouble — no doubt about it. Clear Channel Radio dropped both shock jocks this year after being hit with record fines.”(Potter) Recently Howard Stern has made a move to Sirius Satellite Radio in an effort to preserve his career and free speech. Consumers are reaching towards satellite radio as a way to hear unregulated news and content.

Recently XM Satellite Radio has claimed to have over 3 million subscribers paying $9.99 per month and Sirius claims to have over 1.3 million customers paying $12.95 per month. Many of those customers pay an additional $2.99 per month for premium content such as the upcoming Howard Stern Show.

Several normal radio stations and media outlets are realizing the potential to get their message across in a broad fashion. XM has launched a morning show, which is hosted by Bob Edwards, whom was fired earlier this year by National Public Radio. "The Bob Edwards Show" will air on a public satellite radio channel that also features news and programs from Public Radio International, among others. Sirius has its own public radio channel carrying NPR programs. Consumers and companies are demanding free speech and it seems that satellite radio is the vehicle.

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio have designed satellite broadcast systems that differ but they achieve the same high quality of satellite radio. A milestone of this success is the fact that satellite radio signals that are available across the United States and into Mexico and Canada. Rock and Roll – No it’s not a genre any more! XM Satellite Radio has two satellites named Rock and Roll, which remain in parallel geostationary orbit to provide radio coverage throughout the United States. Sirius Satellite Radio has chose to use three satellites in an inclined elliptical orbit. This configuration provides 16 hours per satellite of signal, which gives a great redundancy if any satellite were to fail. Playing it smart, Sirius and XM both have spare satellites, which can be called on in a moments notice if needed.

XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio have Earth based broadcast stations that are used to send up information to the satellites, which is then dispersed through out the globe. Sirius and XM both have disk jockeys that manage, create and program music which is then sent up to the satellites. The information is then taken in by the satellites and sent through a rebroadcast of the streams to earth. The Major advantage of this is that, unlike earth-based radio stations whose signals reach listeners 150 miles away, satellite radio signals have a huge reach, and are receivable anywhere within the continental United States and hundreds of miles in each direction of the borders. Satellite Radio is growing to become a worldwide network and offerings are growing throughout the world. XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio are making it happen.

Unregulated Satellite Radio is the answer for free speech in a government regulated airwaves arena. Not only can listeners hear unbiased information but also they can listen to it anywhere in the United States. Media giants are jumping to get the piece of the pie regarding satellite radio, as the new wave of the future is satellite radio.

Scott fish is the Owner of Satellite Radio Receivers Sirius and XM Reviews

Top Satellite Radio is a resource for consumers seeking the history and facts about satellite radio. We also sell electronics related to Satellite Radio. Quick Access: http://www.TopSatRadio.com

As many companies try to diversify their trade services we are seeing a rather unusual migration to services that one might never think possible in the Oil Change Quick Lube Industry. One company we visited had closed one of it’s bays since it had a Wal-Mart across the street and started to install car stereos, specifically XM Radio. Now we tested the XM Radio ourselves and our gut feeling right away was this: XM Sattelite Radio is great.

I recommend everyone buy a system for their car of Satellite radio. Go to

http://www.xmradio.com

and check it out. It is very excellent, inexpensive and impressive, soon it will be offered for your wireless PDA. Sirius is also good and has 100 channels their website is

http://www.siriusradio.com

It appears that the radio station industry may be the next hit with advertising lost revenue as more and more people go to satellite radio and dump their regular radios. This is going to hurt them because new car buyers are getting the XM and Sirius systems and many are buying gift certificates for loved ones at Best Buy and Circuit City for after Christmas Installations. We know that the trade Journal Industry is tanked and consolidating fast, that Advertising magazines is way down. That companies like Procter and Gamble and Unilever paying for advertising on results only. Advertising firms are going the way side and this is hurting the industry badly and causing empty office spaces in downtown sections of large cities. Satellite TV has also hurt TV stations by adding channels and therefore people flip channels more often some stations disallow flipping on certain commercials for an extra fee.

Now after reviewing this we have determined a few more facts and after our discussions and confirmations with this Quick Lube we found they had actually increased sales in their two bays to equal the three bay max volume. Simply by installing stereos and developing another set of new clientele, younger crowd on average and there seems to be no end in sight to the number of new people wanting these systems. Just a thought if your volume of oil change customers base is dwindling due to a local low priced competitor, that you might think of other revenue streams to make the lease payments.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/

The FM modulator or FM transmitter is a device used to play your plug-and-play Satellite radio receiver through your vehicle’s FM stereo. FM transmitters can also be used to play other digital audio devices like iPods, CD and MD players.

Normally second choice to an audio cassette adaptor because of sound quality, the FM modulator is still a very quick and simple way to get your plug-and-play Satellite radio receiver working in your vehicle.

Although sometimes only used if all else fails, the FM modulator at least provides an option for listeners who not audiophiles, want an easy way to hook up their receiver, or simply do not have a built-in cassette player in their vehicle.

Enough degrading these devices; there are probably thousands of Satellite radio listeners out there who will tell you that they experience good reception using an FM modulator. However, there is no doubt about it, an FM modulator, if used, can and will on occasions degrade the quality of audio output from your plug-and-play Satellite radio receiver.

An FM modulator converts the audio signal from the plug-and-play receiver into an FM signal, which is then transmitted over an unused FM frequency or station selected by the listener. The limitations of the FM frequency band mean this in no way represents what the signal actually sounds like.

There are two types of modulator available; wireless and hardwired.

The wireless modulator is built-in to a power adaptor that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket, the docking station or cradle that houses the plug-and-play receiver, or, more recently, the plug-and-play receiver itself. The receiver’s audio output is transmitted over the air to an unused FM frequency.

The wireless modulator is convenient, easy to install and configure, but broadcasts only a very short-range signal prone to fading and with interference; comparatively weaker compared to a hardwired modulator.

The hardwired modulator is placed in between the vehicle’s stereo unit and antenna. The modulator connects directly into the stereo’s FM antenna socket to provide a better frequency response and a signal with less interference that is less lightly to fade.

It is recommended that a hardwired modulator be installed professionally, as it requires a connection to the antenna socket on the rear of the vehicle’s stereo and to the electrical system, all located behind the dashboard.

The amount of interference, static and fading you experience, using either of these devices, depends on where you are geographically located in the US, quality of the in-built tuner or broadcast and the type of modulator installed in your vehicle.

For example, somebody living in a major metropolitan area, using a wireless modulator, will no doubt experience poor reception along with the frequent and often debilitating interference from other radio stations.

With regard to sound quality, the wireless modulator rests at the bottom of the pile with the hardwired version above it. However, depending on circumstances, hardwired modulators can be as good as cassette adaptors if not better.

For more information please visit: http://www.the-satellite-radio-advisor.com

This article may be freely reproduced so long as the above resource box is included in its entirety.

Jonathan Dalton: admin@the-satellite-radio-advisor.com

Ever wonder how this whole satellite radio thing works? I mean, it seems to be THE thing now. Many auto manufacturers are installing satellite radio receivers in their new automobiles, and there are home and portable models available through your favorite electronics outlet. But what is it? How does it work? Why should I pay for radio?

You pay for TV, don’t you?

Once, in those long gone days of yore, cable television operators offered us television, which we had happily been receiving for free through big tree-branchy things on our roofs, for a fee. Many people scoffed at the idea of paying for 30 channels when they received four or five, gratis. Well, just look at us now – cable TV, satellite TV, 500 channels not quite filling us up. So let’s stop asking questions about why you should pay for satellite radio, and let’s find out how the dern thing works.

Well, how does the dern thing work?

Let’s start by looking at the type of radio you are used to. AM radio broadcasts at a frequency range from 535 kilohertz (kHz) to 1700 kilohertz (1.7 MHz). FM broadcasts between 88 MHz to 108 MHz. Without getting too technical, one hertz is basically one cycle per second. So FM radio waves transmitted at 88MHz are cycling 88 million times per second. This seems like a lot, but is actually relatively slow. Slower cycles require larger antennas to transmit and to receive them. Also, radio station antennas are stationary and earthbound, and are therefore limited in range. At higher cycles, smaller antennas suffice. Cell phones range from 824 MHz to 1990 MHz (1.99GHz), depending on the type of service; this is a much faster cycle, and therefore a smaller antenna is used. Satellite radio is broadcast at 2.3 GHz, so your car or portable receiver has no trouble picking up the signal. There have also been great advances in antenna technology, which provide us with a relatively small, flat antenna rather than a dish that would have to be constantly adjusted to point toward the satellite as we drove around town picking up kids from soccer practice.

All them numbers hertz my brain.

Let’s lay megahertz and gigahertz aside for a moment. In addition to those higher frequencies, satellite radio signals come from, you guessed it, satellites. These satellites are in a geosynchronous orbit, which is an orbit that keeps the satellite always above one location on the planet, making it stationary relative to the earth. The satellite receives a digital signal from the ground station and bounces it back to us. Because the signal is digital, it can be compressed and beamed out packed full of additional data (disguised as 0’s and 1’s), and received by any satellite radio receiver tuned to the signal. Satellite radio receivers can pick up the broadcast from anywhere in the coverage area (meaning the whole US) because the satellite is orbiting at about 22,200 miles (35,000 km) above the earth, which allows for a greater dispersion of the signal. It’s analogous to water flowing from a showerhead. An inch from the showerhead, the water is a relatively tight stream. At the other end of the shower, the water sprays all over the wall, and gets on the bathroom floor, causing your wife to yell angrily about the mess. Satellite radio beams work in much the same way. The radio signal is much more widely dispersed 22,000 miles from the satellite that sent the signal.

So with satellite radio, you can listen to the same station as you drive from New York City to Los Angeles, whereas traditional radio has a range of only about 30 to 40 miles. And thanks to repeaters, or signal boosters, placed in urban areas, you can receive generally uninterrupted signals even driving through cities with large buildings and thick bridges.

Hey, that’s kind of cool!

But wait! There’s much, much more! The digital signal can carry much larger packets of data, and satellite radios are equipped with chipsets, or processors, that can decode that data. So satellite radios not only play the music, but also decode and display information containing the song title, album, artist, and genre. Satellite radio owners can also choose from hundreds of stations, which allows for specialization, just like your cable or satellite TV. In the same manner that you can get the HBO Comedy Hits of the Brahman Caste of Nepal Channel, and Tasmanian Worm Wrestling on ESPN 127, you can receive niche music, comedy, news, and sports broadcasts on your satellite radio. Pick your genre: any decade since the 40’s, Rock, Country, Urban, Jazz, Blues, Dance, Latin, World Music (e.g. Chinese, Indian, African), Classical, Kids, and even news, sports, comedy, and talk. You can also tune in to any sub-genre of the above; for example, in the Rock category you can listen to soft, heavy, classic, deep cuts, acoustic, instrumental, and even unsigned acts.

Maybe I should get me one of them there satellite radios…

Now that you know how it works, you can listen for the sheer pleasure of it - without all those nagging technical questions churning in the back of your mind. Go get you one.

Albert Medinas has developed and maintains the website Satellite Radio Galaxy, which answers the most common questions people have about Satellite Radio. Please visit us at http://www.satelliteradiogalaxy.com today.

The history of portable satellite radios is short compared to traditional over-the-air radio, but it has rapidly changed the face of radio listening like no other technology in recent memory. The two major satellite radio services, XM Satellite Radio and SIRIUS Satellite Radio, offer a stunning array of programming and compete fiercely for customers.

Their popularity has stunned many in the radio industry and with the advent of new, smaller, more convenient portable satellite radios, some industry veterans worry about the future viability of traditional broadcast radio.

How did satellite radio get started and what is its future? Let’s take a look.

The Beginnings of Satellite Radio

The history of satellite radio begins in 1992, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decided to set aside a portion of spectrum to be devoted to nationwide distribution of digital radio service via satellite. SIRIUS Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio bid huge amounts of money (at least $80 million each) for licenses to use this new allocation of spectrum, which were eventually awarded to them by the FCC.

Owning the right to use the spectrum, though, was only the first step. Even if they could start delivering satellite radio signals right away, there were no consumer-accessible portable satellite radios to receive the signal. Additionally, there was substantial debate within the radio industry about whether consumers would be willing to pay for new hardware and then pay a monthly subscription fee for radio service. After all, AM and FM radio broadcasts were available free all over the country.

Making a Business out of Satellite Radio

XM Satellite Radio and SIRIUS Satellite Radio set out to overcome these obstacles and make a real business out of portable satellite radios and satellite radio programming. They knew that to attract the most consumers they needed to offer a variety of hardware components that could be used in a variety of locations – home, work, and especially the car, where most radio listening occurs.

Working with electronics manufacturers already trusted and recognized by consumers (Sanyo, Panasonic, JVC, Kenwood, etc.), hardware development got underway. The results included portable satellite radios, receivers, and “plug and play” components for nearly every consumer application. Manufacturers built satellite radio receivers for cars, homes, offices, trucks, RVs, boats, and even airplanes.

On the programming side, XM and SIRUS put together an assortment of niche music stations that would have something to offer consumers with nearly any musical taste. Each station was programmed to appeal to a specific type of listener, and most were commercial-free. Programming originated primarily from New York, but also from other locations, plus XM and SIRIUS entered into collaborative agreements that would allow popular musicians, entertainers, personalities and others to perform live from the originating locations. This would give the services another unique selling point to attract consumers.

Dealing with resistance to a monthly fee, though, required a broader array of marketing, public relations, and strategies to communicate the benefits and advantages of portable satellite radios. XM and SIRIUS knew that the key to their success would lie in convincing consumers of the value they would receive while making the hardware widely available and affordable.

Spreading the Word

Portable satellite radios began to show up in a variety of places where consumers would find it easy to use them. One of the most important places for XM and SIRIUS to gain entry for the hardware was in cars and trucks, where consumers do the vast majority of their radio listening.

They collaborated with car and truck manufacturers to make portable satellite radios standard on many high-end luxury vehicles, and an affordable option on most other mid-range vehicles. For most of these consumers, the cost of a monthly subscription would not be prohibitive and by making it easy for them to access their services, XM and SIRIUS could entice consumers to try it out and start spreading the word about its value.

Portable satellite radios were also placed in boats and RVs, and standard receivers were heavily marketed for use in homes and businesses. Another innovation, introduced in November 2004, is the handheld version of XM Radio and SIRIUS Satellite Radio receivers. These devices were designed to appeal to people who want access to satellite radio services while running, walking, or otherwise moving out and about in locations other than their cars, trucks, homes or offices.

Another important component of spreading the word was establishing partnerships and marketing agreements with electronics retailers such as Circuit City, Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and other well-known names. Working closely with retailers, XM and SIRIUS have greatly increased their presence with consumers and sales have steadily increased.

Why Pay for Radio?

Still, the bottom line question for most people is why pay for radio? The answer is in the benefits received with a subscription to satellite radio. Some of the most popular benefits include:

More channel choices (up to 150) Commercial-free (music channels) Live audio streaming of sporting events Weather and traffic information (in major markets) Clear, crisp digital signal Signal available with no fading when driving long distances Niche music stations to suit any musical taste Assortment of sports, talk, and news stations

Coming Soon

Satellite radio service is in its infancy so it is inevitable that the technology and the features will continue to develop. XM Radio and SIRIUS Satellite Radio will have to devote resources to such innovations if they are to attract enough subscribers to become profitable.

For example, one feature that will soon be available in some areas real time traffic information delivered via satellite directly to the navigation system in the car. This information will appear as color-coded displays of the average speed of vehicles on specific roads, allowing the driver to select the travel route that is least congested at any particular time.

Other new options and ideas are inevitable over the next few years, so it is likely that portable satellite radios will continue to grow in popularity and become more common in vehicles, homes, offices, boats, RVs, and just about any other location that can be imagined.

About the Author: Julie-Ann Amos is a successful writer for 1st-Dish-TV.net, a consumer guide to free DirecTV satellite dish systems. She has contributed numerous articles on portable satellite radio receivers and writes frequently on high speed satellite Internet service providers.

Copyright 2005 1st-Dish-TV.net

Permission is granted to publish this article on your site only if the author’s byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.

Think of your favorite music or discussion topics, piped into your home or car in digital-quality, crystal-clear sound. And then think of your favorite format with absolutely no commercials - no used car salesmen, no fuel company ads, no heavy rotation ads hawking every possible product or service all the way to work and home again - all your favorite stations available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with no static.

Whether you love fifties music or reggae, conversation from right wing pundits or Air America, or even ’round the clock comedy, Satellite Radio is it. The purchase of a satellite radio and a small monthly fee will open a whole world of ad-free radio listening to you.

XM Satellite Radio offers over 150 digital channels in formats specializing in music, sports, talk, and entertainment, plus 21 channels dedicated to weather and traffic patterns in major metropolitan areas around the U.S. XM offers the deepest music playlist available, with over 2 million titles. For $12.95 a month (less if you opt for an annual contract) and the cost of an XM radio (anywhere from 50 to 200 dollars, after rebate) you will have an amazing range of music formats to choose from, from Decades to Classical to Urban, from Jazz and Blues to Latin, World, and Christian. Channels for kids are available as well, plus a variety of sports, talk and comedy formats.

Sirius offers over 60 music channels plus a wide variety of other formats, including football, soccer, and even horse racing channels. The "World" music options are a bit more edgy than the XM offerings, and offer music from all over the world, including Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean, the British Isles, Central Europe and Asia. Musicians range from the Rolling Stones to the Gypsy Kings and Khadja Nin. Both XM and Sirius offer channels which give emerging artists a boost.

Sirius offers a variety of radio systems, including a Plug and Play kit with adaptors for your car or home radio, only $29.99 after the rebate; the systems go up in price and complexity from there. Subscriptions start at $12.95. Right now Sirius and XM systems are not compatible.

Owners of conventional broadcast radio stations have expressed concerns that the commercial-free satellite stations will cut into their listenership and, as a result, their ad revenue; but the proponents of satellite radio feel that that won’t happen. There’s plenty of room for free local programming offering local and regional news and events announcements. With this thought in mind, both XM and Sirius offer radios which can be connected to home or car radios without interfering with their regular operation, for the best of both worlds: free local stations keeping the listener up to date on happenings in their community, plus the best in music, talk, and sports from around the world.

Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips and Topics. She has published numerous articles in local and regional publications on a wide range of topics, including business, education, the arts, and local events. Her feature articles include an interview with independent documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and a feature on prisoners at the New Hampshire State Prison in Concord. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com

Satellite radio is also called as digital radio. Since normal radio frequency is very low, the signals can be limited and you can listen to your favorite radio channels up to a certain limit (40, 50, 100 miles). When you go beyond a certain mile your radio won’t get the proper signals. While going for a long journey, you won’t be able to listen to your favorite radio stations. You need to keep tuning to get the nearest radio station so that clarity is good.

A satellite radio is a kind of static radio, wherein you can listen to certain radio stations anywhere in the world. It’s a fixed and permanent radio station. No matter where you are, in Florida or Texas, while traveling or at home, you can receive up to 100 radio stations with very good frequency and of CD quality. There are two-satellite radio services in the US - Sirius and XM. Subscribers have to pay a monthly fee of $9.95. Many car manufacturers have started installing satellite radio receivers. If you want to listen to satellite radio at your home or office you can buy a portable satellite radio and listen to your favorite radio stations. There are many companies manufacturing satellite radios and you can buy them online or at retail stores.

The radio stations of Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio have their own program schedule. The programs are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sports, entertainment, talk shows and many other programs are aired.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com

In Part 1 of this report, we discussed how the technology of using satellites to broadcast radio signals from over 20,000 miles above the earth results in great reception throughout the US everywhere and all the time. But there is more.

Satellite radio is not free radio. It is subscription based, meaning that you pay a monthly fee for the service. The costs are very nominal though as Sirius costs $12.95 a month and XM is $9.95 a month. Neither of the subsciptions can be said to be expensive, but initially you may recoil from thwe idea of paying for something that you have gotten for free for so many years.

However, think about this. You weren’t actually getting anything for free all this time. Think of how much time in your life has been wasted listening to ads or commercials on the radio instead of the programming that you tune in for. If you added it all up, it would no doubt be a huge chunk of time, and if your time is worth anything, you were definitely paying a price for tuning in. The radio stations have no other way of making radio broadcasting a profitable business, so you are stuck with putting up with ads for so many minutes of every hour just to be able to listen to the programming you want in between the commercials.

Satellite radio is following the proven business model example of cable television and instead of inundating you with ads, they just provide high quality programming all the time. No ads, no commercials, no wasting your time.

And what kind of programming do you get? Just about anything that you can imagine, and it’s growing all the time. Your selections include music, talk radio, sporting events, kids programs, news and more. There are several celebrities that have set up shop in the studios of the satellite radio companies, including the high profile case of Howard Stern. But you can find even more celebrity specific programming from others like Martha Stewart, Jimmy Buffet, Eminem and more.

There are around 65 channels of music listening alone on each provider’s service, and they cover almost every conceivable kind of music that is found in the US including rock, jazz, country, blues, reggae, and more. And there are several different kinds of each music genre as well, For instance, rock has channels devoted to hard rock, early rock, soft rock, heavy metal, and many more. Just pick your favorites and tune in for solid good music that you like to listen to wherever you go.

Be sure to read Part 3 for even more satellite radio facts.

Jim Johnson is a successful author and publisher on consumer related matters. You can find out more about satellite radio and portable satellite radio by visiting our Satellite Radio Review website.

Time and technology marches on and things that were considered impossible just a few years ago, are now almost routine. That applies to a lot of things in life, but certainly to the way that we are able to listen to radio broadcasting today.

Just a few years ago it was just accepted that if you tuned in to a particular radio station, you would lose reception and clarity if you were driving long distance and you would have to hunt around and find another station instead. It was also accepted that every broadcast would be filed with lots of ads that you didn’t really want to hear, just so the radio station could turn a profit.

Well, now there are more choices to be ahd and technology has made a whole new way of broadcasting radio possible. It’s called satellite radio and we will try to help you understand a few facts about it, because the more you know about it, the more you will no doubt appreciate what it can do for you.

First of all, conventional radio traditionally only travel around 30-50 miles with any clarity at all, and then they degrade rapidly. Much of that is due to the roundness of the earth and so as the signal goes out it can’t follow the contour of the earth and so the signal is lost to the user. Satelliter radio has solved that issue altogether. As it’s name implies, the signal is sent from satellites over 20,000 miles above the earth, so there is absolutely nothing that can obstruct the broadcast signal.

There are currently two major players in the US in this new field, Sirius and XM satellite radio. XM has two satellites in orbit and Sirius employs three. They are specifically timed and placed within orbit to maintain constant coverage of the US for about 16 hours at a time. What this means to you is that no matter where you go in the US and no matter what time of day or night, you will not lose reception, and can enjoy the programming that you like uninterrupted.

This feature alone of satellite radio is an incredible advantage over conventional ground-based radio stations. It comes in handy especially for folks who may live in rural areas that get very poor reception from standard radio, and for those that are long distance travelers. There is no hunting for stations as their reception fades. No having to listen to programming that you don’t particularly like just because it’s the only thing available in a particular area. Just crisp, clean programming all the time.

But there is lots more about satellite radio to be covered in Part 2 of this report.

Jim Johnson is a successful author and publisher on consumer related matters. You can find out more about satellite radio and satellite radio reviews by visiting our Satellite Radio Review website.