So, What’s So Great About Satellite Radio?

The quality of an FM signal can fluctuate, depending on how far away you are from your radio station’s ground transmitter and the terrain you’re traveling in. But satellite radio’s reception is always crystal clear, since its signal is transmitted from space -- and the more time you spend in your car, the more you’ll appreciate the difference. The really great thing about satellite radio, though, is the number of channels you have to choose from. Among the 100+ channels available through XM and Sirius (currently the only two satellite radio companies available in the U.S.), about 65% are music channels and the rest are sports, news and talk radio.

To get all these channels from XM and Sirius, however, you have to pay monthly subscriber fees. When you’re used to free radio this might seem objectionable, but with your subscriber fee you get a huge bonus: commercial-free radio. The cost to subscribers is comfortably below $15 per month, and it means that XM and Sirius don’t have to sell advertising airtime. It’s a win-win. And if you’re almost as tired of free radio’s homogenous programming as you are its commercials, then satellite is a terrific alternative -- with approximately 65 channels of music alone, and several channels in each genre, satellite radio’s variety is light years ahead of free radio’s.

Satellite Radio Installation Options

If you’re planning on buying a new car in the near future, many auto manufacturers are now equipping their vehicles with factory-installed satellite car stereos. With a factory-installed stereo you only need to pay the subscription fee and turn on your radio to begin listening.

But if a new car isn’t in your future, you have other options. Some of the installation methods might be difficult if you don’t have any prior experience installing a car stereo, so if you choose one of these methods but lack the necessary expertise then you’ll need to allow room in your budget for professional installation. Fortunately, there’s also an installation method that practically anyone can do on his or her own (see "Installing a Plug-n-Play Car Kit" below).

To be able to listen to satellite radio in your car, the total cost for the necessary equipment can be as low as $150. You can spend a lot more to get a sleeker-looking receiver unit with more features, but all units will receive all the channels offered by the satellite company you choose. Both XM and Sirius have web sites that give complete information about the features and prices of their satellite receivers. They can be purchased directly from XM or Sirius, or from large discount stores that carry electronics. If you decide you want purchase your receiver locally, call some electronics stores in your area first. Not all stores carry all receiver models, so if you have a good idea of what you want you can save yourself some wear & tear by calling ahead.

• Satellite Radio Antennas

All satellite radio receivers require an antenna of some kind. For cars, these are low-profile roof-mounted magnetic antennas, ideally placed directly above your vehicle’s back window. A wire runs from the antenna to the satellite receiver at the front of your cab. The easiest way to bring the wire inside is to use a flat-edge screwdriver, and from the outside gently lift up the seal on your back windshield. Poke the end of the antenna wire through the small opening you make, and pull the rest of it through from inside. The seal will go back into place by itself.

Purchased separately an antenna costs about $50, but one is included with a car installation kit, which also costs about $50 (see "Installing a Plug-n-Play Car Kit").

• Satellite-Ready Car Stereos

Besides factory-installed units, many models of newer cars are being sold with "satellite-ready" stereos. If you have a satellite-ready car stereo then you’ll need to purchase one additional piece of equipment to get connected, called a tuner. A tuner is a small box that costs about $100, and fits out of sight underneath your car seat. Just a single wire runs from the tuner to the back of your in-dash stereo. Both XM and Sirius sell satellite-ready stereos, and as time goes on more and more after-market car stereos will be made satellite-ready. Read the documentation for your stereo; if you bought it recently it might already have this capability.

• Plug-n-Play Satellite Radio

If you don’t have a satellite-ready car stereo, you don’t need to purchase one as long as you already have an FM stereo of some kind installed in your vehicle. If you do, another option is to buy a "plug-n-play" receiver. To use a plug-n-play receiver in your car you also need to buy a car installation kit made specifically for the receiver you choose (in order to "plug" it into your car).

Some plug-n-play receivers are part of a "boom box" unit - and just like it sounds, you can carry it with you and listen to satellite radio wherever you want, or even connect it to your home stereo. The receiver, which is roughly the size of a compact Walkman, is detachable. When you want to listen in your car you just remove the receiver from the boom box and plug it into your car.

• Installing a Plug-n-Play Car Kit

The car kit for a satellite receiver consists of an antenna, a mounting base and a "cradle." The base attaches to either your dashboard console or to the inside of your windshield with a suction cup, and the cradle fits onto the base and holds the receiver unit. The size of the receiver cradle is a little larger than the dashboard cradles used for cell phones. Once the base and cradle are installed, there are only two wires you need to run: one from the back of the receiver cradle to the antenna, and another wire from the cradle to a power source inside your car.

If you want to use your vehicle’s 12V battery line as your power source, have a professional stereo installer do this unless you’re comfortable working with an automotive electrical system and know exactly what you’re doing. An easier option for connecting the receiver cradle to a power source is to use the cigarette lighter adapter that comes with the car kit. Just plug in one end of the adapter to the receiver cradle and the other end into your cigarette lighter. It’s not as aesthetically pleasing as using the battery line hidden behind your dashboard, but it has the advantage of being easy and fast.

• Connecting Car Stereo Speakers to a Satellite Receiver

Satellite receivers use wireless technology, which lets you listen to your car’s speakers without needing to wire them to the receiver. Just set your stereo to an unused FM frequency (usually 88.1) and turn on the receiver; you’ll then hear your satellite channels through your car’s speakers instead of your regular FM stations.

Using the satellite receiver’s wireless capability will give your radio the FM sound quality you’re accustomed to hearing in your car. But if you want to take advantage of the digital quality sound that you can get from satellite radio, then there’s one last step before finishing your installation. Run one more wire from the back of the receiver cradle to your existing car stereo. Even though this is a step that might require a professional installer, it would probably be well worth it if you have high-end stereo speakers.

Which is Better, XM or Sirius?

Making a decision about which satellite radio company to choose will probably come down to a purely personal choice based on the listening channels each offers. The subscription fees they charge are about the same, and will probably stay that way in order to remain competitive with each other. So if you’re an Elvis fan, you might be swayed by Sirius’ Elvis Radio channel. On the other hand, NASCAR enthusiasts can only find NASCAR Radio on XM. The truth is, both companies have such a wide variety of programming available that either one will probably have plenty of channels you’d be happy with. Both companies have information about their programs on their web sites, to help you decide.

One thing it’s important to know, however - once you buy a satellite radio receiver from one company, you can’t use it to receive the other company’s broadcasts. So take the time to check out the programming each company offers before you choose. Once you’ve gone to the trouble & expense of installing one company’s system into your car, you’re committed -- unless you want to do it all over again. The FCC has ordered XM and Sirius to work together to produce a receiver capable of playing both companies’ broadcasts, but it might be several years before it’s available for sale.

Satellite Radio’s Space-Age Reception

People who live in rural or hilly areas will particularly appreciate satellite radio’s reception capabilities. Because the signal is transmitted from high above the earth’s atmosphere, you can receive it no matter where you’re located on the continent. This powerful reception is great even if you’re just driving from one end of town to the other, but you just might decide to make your summer vacation a road trip this year. With a satellite radio you can drive from Los Angeles to New York while listening to the same channel for the entire journey, with perfect reception. Now that’s a listening experience that’s out of this world.