Bumpyroad wrote: If you are going to buy a radio, and would prefer to get the ala carte plan that they have to offer due to the merger, I would hold off since that reportedly will require a special radio.
bumpy
just did a search and it is available but does require a special radio. I don't intend to buy a new one myself.
bumpy
Both will work. Sirius works further south since its satellites are in a higher orbit. XM is good to Nicaragua, Sirius to Northern Columbia.
Sirius
* Apogee Height: 47.232 Km
* Perigee Height: 24.337 Km
XM
* Apogee Height: 35.788 Km
* Perigee Height: 35.782 Km
XM Footprint
Sirius Footprint
Note this is the minimum footprint, depending on where the satellites happen to be, it will work into Alaska & as far south as Brazil.
Because the 3 Sirius satellites move in a figure 8, you can lose reception for a few minutes when parked near high objects or trees as the signal from one satellite gets blocked and another moves into place. XM Satelites are in geosyncronous orbit, so if you have a signal you won't lose it, however, their coverage is not as good.
For us Canadians, the sat radio situation is somewhat more interesting in that both companies here operate separately from those stateside, although most of the programming is supplied from the US. I believe the Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) has a financial interest (and has a number of channels)in Sirius Canada so it will be interesting to see what happens down the road. When my Sirius receiver packed it in last year when we were in the US, I was told that buying a US receiver would result in the loss of some channels (probably the Canadian ones) so it's not quite the same service US vs. Canada
I had a new Sirius radio connected yesterday, the third of October, and they wanted me to sign up for a three year subscription. So I guess the same Sirius radio is expected to work for at least three more years.
I love Sirius satellite radio, as it opened the airways to some news in my native language while in Mexico. Prior, had used short wave with very mixed results. Have always enjoyed ice hockey, but can one imagine the announcer on short wave Radio Canada International mentioning one night the score of the hockey game the Toronto Maple Leafs were playing, at the end of the second (of three) periods!!? On schedule, they promptly went off the air, replaced by Radio China.
On the other hand, tuning in on short wave allows a wider appreciaton of the diverse oppinions people in far away lands hold. Well, Sirius does offer BBC news coverage, not quite the same thing.
On my set, NHL hockey has been removed and placed with XM Radio, a minor disappointment. But then, there is often a nearby Canadian RV'er who has a wide screen tv and the Star Choice HD equipment to go with it. Such folk are beginning to make me think, "if only I could find the space!"
I bought the lifetime subscription to Sirius. Its not really lifetime you can transfer it to 2 more radios if yours packs it in. break even point is about 3 years. I considered getting a US subscription. I think all you lose is the French language services, & Canadian weather radio, but you gain some Spanish ones. You still get CBC 137 on a US sub.
I am very glad to hear that I will be able to continue my satellite radio while traveling in Mexico. When I called XM I was told I would Not get a signal in Mexico.
When I leave the States, is there anything I have to do with my XM account to ensure continued reception?
My XM in a Chevrolet wouldn't work in areas of the Yucatan two winters ago.
States I have spent the night in my current rig, bought three years ago.
Have RV'ed through 49 states and been in all 50, just short of my half-century.
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