Imagine radio that’s always on and clear, with no static or interference, and virtually no commercials. This is what satellite radio delivers. Unlike traditional FM radio, satellite broadcasting is digital and uses direct-to-consumer satellites to transmit programming to radio receivers, which receive the signal and convert it to sound.
The three major satellite radio services (Sirius, XM and WorldSpace) have different broadcasting systems, but all use the same basic technology. The service providers each own a number of satellites, which beam signals to the earth. These satellites are in orbit about 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers) away from your car.
Signals are also beamed to ground repeaters, which can be used to boost or amplify the radio signal. The signal then goes to the radio receiver in your car or home, which decodes the satellite digital audio and transmits it to your speaker system.
Satellite radio’s main selling point is its vast array of programming, including music by genre, news, sports, traffic and weather, talk radio, comedy and more. It also offers a clean, digital audio signal with no static or interference, coast-to-coast coverage and the ability to send text information like stock quotes along with musical signals.
The two most popular satellite radio providers (Sirius and XM) offer a variety of subscription plans that let you listen on your car or home radio, computer, smartphone or tablet. The more expensive subscriptions allow you to stream SiriusXM through various devices and even on your TV, with most channels being advertisement-free. You can even turn your satellite radio into a walkie-talkie by installing a special two-way radio that works just like the one you had in childhood, allowing you to communicate with a friend who’s in another car or at the next desk, for example.
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