Imagine a radio station that can broadcast music to your car from orbit, where there’s no static or interference from other stations. That’s what satellite radio does, and it’s one of the most significant developments in audio broadcasting since FM.
In the early 2000s, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made a section of the 2.3 GHz spectrum available for digital satellite transmission. Two companies—CD Radio (later Sirius Satellite Radio) and American Mobile Radio (later XM Satellite Radio)—paid millions of dollars to use the frequencies.
Both providers, now merged under the name SiriusXM, broadcast high-quality digital signals from satellites that orbit 22,000 miles above Earth. Your radio receiver receives the signal, decodes it and turns it into over 170 channels of music, news, comedy and more. Your subscription fee pays for the service, and you can use your radio in any vehicle with a tuner and a properly installed antenna.
The radios are designed to work just about anywhere in the continental United States, though coverage can be hampered by tunnels, parking garages and city buildings that block the satellite signal. To help prevent loss of a signal, the radios use what’s known as “maximum-ratio combining.” This circuit compares incoming satellite and repeater signals, and combines them with the strongest ones. The resulting composite signal is stronger than either of the individual signals, and has a higher chance of reaching your receiver.
In addition to a huge array of musical channels, SiriusXM also offers news, weather and traffic updates. Talk radio fans get their fix with a selection of exclusive channels hosted by Howard Stern, while sports fans can follow the action through live audio broadcasts.
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