A satellite radio subscription enables you to listen to a wide range of channels that provide music, talk and news programming, many of which are commercial-free. Unlike traditional AM and FM radio, which broadcast from towers on the ground, satellite radio provides coast-to-coast coverage by using satellites in space. A small antenna in your vehicle receives the signal from the satellite, decodes it and converts it into the 175 or so channels. Some satellite services use a single satellite, while others, such as Sirius and XM, use multiple satellites.
In addition to offering a wider variety of radio channels, satellite radios typically have a clearer sound and a higher dynamic range than terrestrial radio. Some even offer CD-quality sound. Because satellite broadcasts are digital, they can include text information, such as stock quotes or sports scores, alongside the music and news programming.
Satellite radio is a subscription service that requires an expensive receiver to work. These receivers are usually activated by purchasing a subscription, which is typically charged monthly. Most of these satellite radios are designed to be used with a car stereo, and most come with a kit that includes a vehicle antenna and instructions for self-installation.
The most popular satellite radio service is SiriusXM, which offers over 175 commercial-free channels that include 72 music stations with a variety of genres and eras; 22 talk and entertainment show channels, including NPR and D.L. Hughley; 15 news and sports talk radio channels, with the ability to select specific plays from games; and several Spanish language channels. The company also features Howard Stern, a terrestrial-to-satellite radio star who helped legitimize the platform by adding celebrity and credibility.
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