sugarbear

Here's my situation, got me deck rebuilt and looking for a source of music, I'm very hard on C D's seams they always get covered with food and drink, so I'm thinking about one of the satalite radio systems and a portable system, that way when I'm gone or a hurricane approaches I can store everything inside. We're talking 59 year old ears so good but not great quality will do, any suggestions ??

Thanks

ralper

[QUOTE=sugarbear,Jul 13 2006, 09:12 PM] Here's my situation, got me deck rebuilt

sugarbear

Thanks , as to music what ever turns my new sweetie on , really, summer time, some oldies, 50's & 60's, Jazz and blues, , this winter probably the same, may up the tempo, wouldn't want to go to sleep in the hot tub

S1997

Fortunately many of the new cars now offer XM or Sirius radio that is built into the OEM unit. I have the Roady II, because I like to transfer the unit from one car to the other. In general I like XM radio, but I originally thought I would get more consistent reception across the country. It works quite well back East, but in the West it disappears in the mountains, and many of the llarger cities out West have patronizing religious stations on the FM band piggy back frequencies that drown out the XM in the greater metro areas. And unfortunately there are many long stretchers of highway that get no XM reception at all. So the blanket coverage that you would like to depend on doesn't yet exist across the country, leaving you with your IPod, CDs, or limited AM/FM stations with their local yokel music, etc.

Filthy Beast

We have the XM boom box, works on both AC and batterys. It works best outside, or near a window. We use it mostly on our deck and at the beach

S1997

Also, if you have a subscription to XM you can go to the XM website and register for free access to XM stations on line while you are surfing Vintage. That's an added perc.

Kyras

Jim (S1997), I'm surprised to hear that you've had long strectches with no reception. What antenna do you have?

I have the XM that Honda put in the S2000, with the Honda antenna on the trunk. I drove back to Ohio last July and I had reception everywhere. The only time I haven't had it is when I'm on the northern side of tall mountains, like in a canyon, sometimes an underpass, or when I have my trunk open and the antenna is under the lid. The XM paperwork said reception could be bad if the direct line to satellites is blocked, as with mountains.

I am considering a Roady II or something, in the future so I can have XM like Rob does, in other vehicles and in the house.

S1997

^^ Maybe that's my problem. I also have the Roady II that is easy to transfer from one vehicle to the next. I just use the official portable antenna that sticks to the top of the car by a magnet. It only functions when it is located outside the car. You have to channel the wire out through the door opening somewhere. It works well where there is a strong signal from a nearby satellite.

I'm glad to hear that you get good reception almost everywhere. That means I have to do some research. My S is pre-XM, so I don't have anything built in. The RoadyII works as a wireless if it is situated close enough to the FM radio. Tunes through FM 88.3. Maybe I need to install an Aux plug-in connection to get a more direct signal source to the FM radio.

Satellite radio is almost a necessity across the western badlands where other radio is very limited.

ralper

[QUOTE=S1997,Jul 14 2006, 04:10 PM] ^^ Maybe that's my problem.

mikegarrison

I had it for free for a while when I bought my Element. Didn't sign up to keep the service.

I did like that they had an all-blues station. I did like that I was able to get a Mariners game on the radio from my rental car in San Diego.

But trees and mountains blocked the signal a lot in the Seattle area. Also, going under overpasses had a delayed effect -- the radio would keep playing while I was under the overpass but it would cut out after I left it.

But mainly I didn't listen to the radio much anyway. I listened to CDs except when Mariners games were on, and those I could pick up at least as well for free anyway. So it wasn't worth $12/month to me.