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colbys
08-23-2005, 21:23
ok,im thinkin about doin another thru-hike next spring,and in this way cool times we live in we now have the ability to take satellite radio on a thru-hike.for only 299.99 you can be the first hiker on your block to own the xm radio portable xm walkman!! it only weighs 7.2 ounces...would it be worth the weight to take on a thru-hike..? would it defeat the purpose of being in the woods for 6 months or less?
me personally i think i will buy one if another thru-hike is in my blood..since im a huge sports fan and to have xm radio is something i never had access to back in '95..just think hiking over max patch and listening to jim rome,espn radio,rush limbaugh,howard stern(oh he's only going to be on sirrius),dr.laura,or whatever....

digger51
08-23-2005, 21:29
I thought of doin gthat same thing this year until i looked at how long the batteries lasted. The extra weight wasnt worth it.

hikerjohnd
08-23-2005, 21:33
I haven't seen the walkman style XM radios yet, but 7.2 oz seems light... Does that include an antenna (all the XM's I've seen have that bulky antenna...) and batteries? Would the canopy inhibit the reception? I like the idea though... I travel with an MP3 player - maybe an XM would add more variety :-?

TwoForty
08-23-2005, 21:40
Even a GPS can be shaky with the ridges and trees. I'm sure having your radio cut out mid song would suck.

colbys
08-23-2005, 21:53
yeah only 5 hours of battery life.youd have to go into town to re charge all the dam time.guess i didnt read up enough on it,:datz

see specs at: www.myradiostore.us/xm-radio-receivers/myfi-sa10113.html (http://www.myradiostore.us/xm-radio-receivers/myfi-sa10113.html)

still an idea but now i dont think its worth it...a longer battery.maybe 10 would suffice

Skyline
08-23-2005, 22:02
If I'm not mistaken, both XM and Sirius "portable" radios have to have access to a hard-wired antenna and/or a docking station. They can record their respective programming (you can't get XM on Sirius or vice versa) for later playback away from those things. They have a relatively low play-time before the battery needs recharged.

This satellite radio industry is in its infancy and IMHO has a way to go technologically before it hits mass market saturation. Radio's appeal is that it is portable. Satellite radio is not truly portable in the sense that terrestial radio is. Maybe one day it will be. I hope so because what programming I've heard thusfar, particularly on Sirius, is impressive. (You can get a free three-day "guest" log-in to sample all of Sirius' channels via the internet.)

Also, the XM and Sirius business models aren't user-friendly. You have to purchase proprietary hardware to receive proprietary programming. This is the opposite of the cable TV and satellite TV models, where you subscribe to one service but you can receive programming that is produced independently of Comcast, Adelphia, Dish Network, etc. So suppose you like a particular channel on XM, and can't live without another particular channel on Sirius. You'd have to buy two complete systems, and pay two monthly programming fees! With the satellite TV business model, you get their dish and receiver and you can subscribe to almost any channel in the universe--most of it in tidy packages. No proprietary channels!

generoll
08-23-2005, 22:11
I bought the radio you are talking about intending to give myself something to listen to when I went for local walks in the park. There is a clip-on antenna that comes with it and since I don't mind looking like an alien I used it. Even with the antenna I lost the signal whenever I walked under a leafed-out tree or power line. So, if you want to perhaps sit on top the shelter in the evenings and hold the antenna just right, you might be able to listen to the radio, until the batteries die that is. Then it's back to the car for a recharge.

Or to put it another way, forget it.

colbys
08-23-2005, 22:32
oh well it was a good idea anyway.back to using the ipod...maybe when technology improves in another 5-10 years it will be feasible

Skyline
08-23-2005, 22:34
I bought the radio you are talking about intending to give myself something to listen to when I went for local walks in the park. There is a clip-on antenna that comes with it and since I don't mind looking like an alien I used it. Even with the antenna I lost the signal whenever I walked under a leafed-out tree or power line. So, if you want to perhaps sit on top the shelter in the evenings and hold the antenna just right, you might be able to listen to the radio, until the batteries die that is. Then it's back to the car for a recharge.

Or to put it another way, forget it.


Some of us are old enough to remember TV rabbit ears. Many a night one of us would have to hold the antenna a certain way, and stay there holding it, so a particular channel could be viewed. And if an airplane flew overhead, the signal would come and go.

But television matured once cable and later satellite TV prospered, and hopefully satellite radio will as well. When it does, I hope they take a big bite out of the audience that is now stuck with the likes of Clear Channel, Infinity, etc. These and a couple other big conglomerates have bought up nearly every American radio station and dumped most of its character in favor of bland, standardized formulas. At night lying in my tent I can hardly ever tell if I'm listening to a nearby station or something from far away--they all sound the same. Local news and weather? Scarce as hell.

Skyline
12-10-2005, 19:53
Back in October, I bit the bullet and became one of several million subscribers to Sirius Satellite Radio. One of the best investments I ever made, though it still isn't quite right yet for long distance hiking if you want live broadcasts (you can, however, get a light, small unit that records anything broadcast via Sirius kind of like a TIVO for cable or satellite TV and hike with that--it stores about 50 hours of programming).

For about the cost of one CD per month, you get over 60 channels of music. Every conceivable genre is represented--even some I didn't know existed. These are 24/7, commercial-free, digital quality.

Each music channel is programmed by people really into its particular genre. Many channels have live DJs that talk sparingly every five or so songs--mostly about the genre's artists, not chit-chat about politics, weather, or what passes for humor on regular radio. I've seen photos of Sirius HQ near Times Square in NYC, where they've remodelled three floors of a large building and dedicated studio space for each channel. The other service, XM Radio, has about the same music offerings but has not invested nearly as much in on-air talent or programming, instead relying more on repeating hour-long blocks of pre-recorded, computer-generated "shows."

For the most part, what's on Sirius is only on Sirius and what's on XM is only on XM--and each satcaster's hardware is not compatible with the competition.

There are Sirius all-Elvis, all-Rolling Stones, all-Bruce Springsteen and other such channels, and seasonally dedicated channels like Christmas music.

You also get almost the same number of other non-music channels--some home-grown, others picked up from third parties. On Sirius, there are multiple sports, religious, family/kids, news, talk, NPR, Canadian, international, entertainment, comedy (including one that is uncensored), localized traffic/weather, and special interest channels. Sirius has exclusive local feeds of NFL, NHL, and NBA games (XM only has baseball feeds), plus home-grown Left and Right talk channels, an all-gay channel, Maxim Radio, a truckers channel, Cosmopolitan magazine, Martha Stewart, and in early January TWO Howard Stern channels after he leaves "terrestrial" radio and moves to Sirius. There are scores of other celebrity types from all walks of life who have at least their own shows, if not a dedicated channel. I've only scratched the surface here.

The programming on Sirius is definitely edgier than XM--which is its strength in the marketplace. However, currently they don't have ways for families to block programming they may find objectionable for younger ears. This is coming, though. XM at present doesn't have this capability either but at least they identify channels that go beyond R-rated stuff.

To receive Sirius programming, you need an antenna and a receiver which plugs into a docking station on either a proprietary playback unit or a docking station connected to your own sound system. There are auto units and home units, and some are plug-n-play to switch between home and auto. There is a Sirius-friendly boombox with antenna that marries with a Sirius receiver and can be plugged into a wall outlet or used outdoors as a portable when drawing power from batteries...not practical for hiking, tho.

The Sirius unit I have in my vehicle has an excellent signal about 99.9% of the time. Occasionally, rarely, I'll get a brief (one to five second) outage which self-corrects. Also, you lose your signal if you're in an urban parking garage, driving through a tunnel, or under a canopy at a gas station, drive-thru, etc.

In many large and medium size cities Sirius has installed repeaters to enhance its signal for both auto and home receivers.

My home unit has a small antenna you point through a window to a predesignated direction in the sky (different sky space for different regions of the country). From there a wire goes to your docking station/receiver and you hear it through your choice of existing sound system(s) or something like the aforementioned boom box. Because there are trees outside the only window I can use to shoot for the northwest (where my region must pick up a Sirius signal), I've experienced the need to slightly adjust my antenna occasionally. They make stronger, better quality outdoor antennas you mount on the side of your house which I may eventually switch to.

You can spend as little as $50 for a receiver, a little more for the docking station/antenna, and go up from there. Sirius was running a special rebate on some popular units a few weeks ago that made them nearly free, and probably will again if they aren't still. Programming for every channel Sirius offers is $12.95 per month for the first receiver (additional receivers half-price), and if you pay for 11 months you get the 12th month free.

Sirius' music channels are offered for no extra charge on Dish Network TV's second tier of service. If you subscribe to Sirius, you can also get the music channels (and a few others--but not all) via the internet by signing up with your account number and choosing a password. But IMHO some of the best stuff on Sirius is on the non-music channels, which you can only get via a Sirius dedicated receiver.

For a free three-day internet trial for the music-plus, and to check out all the equipment options and the full array of programming, go to www.sirius.com.

If you have a Crutchfield electronics store near you, I highly recommend them over discounters like Wal-Mart because their staff is Sirius-trained. They can be a big help explaining how it all works, and offer installation help if you need it for home or auto (home was no biggie for me, but I let them install it in my vehicle). There are probably similar knowledgeable retailers where there are no Crutchfield stores, and I think the Sirius website might point you in the right direction.

RedneckRye
12-11-2005, 01:44
And Skyline's not just the president, He's also a member. Quite the sales pitch.

Skyline
12-11-2005, 11:14
That's really funny.

For the record, I never have owned stock in Sirius (tho I wish I had -- those who did a year ago made a fortune!). And I definitely don't work there, tho if they'd have me I suppose I'd be honored. Trust me, they wouldn't have me. :-)

I posted that long informational piece because I initially contributed a sort of negative view of satellite radio and I had an epiphany once I actually bought Sirius. I'm very up on it, and I think it's the future of radio. So look at my post yesterday as my way of saying I was wrong.

XM isn't so bad either, I just think, after looking into both XM and Sirius, that Sirius is better. YMMV.

Chef2000
12-11-2005, 16:04
I use a $25.00 grundig I bought at radio shack. It has am/fm shortwave. In April 05 I was hiking in NC. I learned that Benedict had been elected pope by listening to a german station.

teachergal
12-11-2005, 22:11
I'm in the process of purchasing a new Saturn VUE and one of the options in XM - I initally didn't think that was something I needed or wanted then the sales guy started showing it to me....the comercerial/jibber-jabber free aspect is what truly sold me....and the fact that you won't drive out of your stations range....also the fact that you can listen to just the music you want at the time... It had never occured to me that you'd lose the signal under trees or in parking garages etc.... Thanks for the overview Skyline and for pointing out the good stuff and some potentially irriating stuff... Lucky for me that I live in the Washington Area where there is TONS of traffic and that I spend 2+ hours a day in my car - I'll have plenty of time time explore all 100 some odd channels!!!! :banana

Skyline
12-11-2005, 23:48
teachergal,

I don't think I've ever noticed leaf cover affecting my Sirius auto unit--just my home unit because I have the cheaper window antenna. Also, I live out in the Shenandoah Valley where we don't have any Sirius repeaters to improve signal strength but you're in a metro area where they do.

(Hopefully XM reception is similar in strength as Sirius...probably is. XM repeaters I dunno about.)

Uncle Silly
12-12-2005, 00:21
Hmmm... half a pound that runs 5 hours on hard-to-find batteries, or under 2 oz that runs 16 hrs on one AAA? a required monthly subscription, vs free mp3s and free (tho ad-based) local fm-broadcasts?

i'll be ready for satellite radio when they can standardize the equipment and spread the content over multiple carriers (like, say, FM radio). until then if i need portable music i'll stick to a basic flash-based mp3 player with FM capabilities.

do XM and Sirius provide any sort of localized weather information? how good is it? at least with FM your local station will be telling you about the hurricane about to blow down your shelter...

Skyline
12-12-2005, 00:56
You're right...satellite radio wouldn't be ideal for long-distance hiking just yet, but otherwise it's awesome! I do know someone who successfully/efficiently uses the Sirius portable playback unit while dayhiking in SNP, but for the reasons you mentioned it would be impractical for a thru-hike. Stay tuned--they will likely be addressing these issues in the next couple years.

Can't speak for XM, but Sirius does offer local channels for traffic and weather for a bunch of cities. It also has channel 184, "Weather and Emergency." It was very active during the recent hurricane season. Sirius partners with The Weather Channel for weather, and local radio/TV for traffic.

Uncle Silly
12-12-2005, 01:10
I've noticed the Weather Channel (the cable version) seems spectacularly useless for anything other than a regional overview. I can't help wondering how Sirius' "Weather and Emergency" channel handles extremely localized emergencies vs broad regional ones. ("Hurricanes" being a regional problem...)

Skyline
12-12-2005, 11:44
Sirius' Channel 184, in non-emergency times, just does the regional Weather Channel generalities.

During the hurricane emergencies, I recall hearing what sounded like it could have been NOAA advisories being broadcast in addition to the WC stuff. It was very localized--to the point that they named various bridges that were out in places.

teachergal
12-12-2005, 21:26
Although I haven't actually used it yet....talk to me in a week or so once I get my new car.....XM does have a station for "The Weather Channel", they also have local traffic for select cities - Washington DC being one of them...I think it's the same traffic channel you just get the traffic for the city you are near.... Seems like they should be able to broadcast the NOAA weather radio but I haven't seen it listed on XMs website..,

generoll
12-13-2005, 11:14
the local weather on both Sirius and XM is city based. Generally focusing on about a dozen or so of the major metropolitan areas. Atlanta might be of some interest to those hiking in Georgia, but off hand I can't think of the next eastern city that is featured until you get into the 'North'. Richmond might be there, but I just don't recall. Look on their webistes and see what they offer.

KirkMcquest
12-13-2005, 11:49
Bringing a radio in the woods seems to defeat the whole purpose. How about a portable T.V? Why walk at all, when you can drive?

icemanat95
12-13-2005, 13:30
Bringing a radio in the woods seems to defeat the whole purpose. How about a portable T.V? Why walk at all, when you can drive?

I agree fully with this, though the idea of having a few tunes to settle in at night and get jump started in the morning isn't without its appeal, just not for hiking.


Satellite radio still has a ways to go yet. Tee satellite constellations are set up to orbit over metropolitan regions rather than the backcountry, so when you are well away from the cities, the satellites won't really be overhead, but rather closer to the horizon, where ridges and mountains and many tree trunks and lots of competing RF signals can get in the way and degrade the signal. All radio devices operate under line of sight (LOS) rules. Generally speaking, if the receiving device could not, with the right magnification) see the transmitting device, then it won't receive a signal. As the technology matures and more satellites go up, coverage will improve, but that'll take a while.

Skyline
12-13-2005, 13:46
the local weather on both Sirius and XM is city based. Generally focusing on about a dozen or so of the major metropolitan areas. Atlanta might be of some interest to those hiking in Georgia, but off hand I can't think of the next eastern city that is featured until you get into the 'North'. Richmond might be there, but I just don't recall. Look on their webistes and see what they offer.


Sirius covers 20 cities. Those with forecasts somewhat relevant to the AT would be: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, DC, Baltimore, and Atlanta.

Channel 184 would be the place to turn during emergencies. But really, satellite radio just isn't truly portable for live broadcasts yet.

As an aside, I just figured out, quite by accident, that my little home Sirius plug-n-play receiver has a feature to "broadcast" its own FM signal wirelessly. By setting it to "send" to a frequency not in use in my region in a predesignated range, I can then pick up whatever I'm listening to on the original Sirius receiver by tuning in that frequency on a normal FM radio anywhere else in my house. For some reason, cheap tabletop radios (like radio-alarm clocks) pick up this signal better than higher end components.

Skyline
02-19-2006, 12:12
Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin announced Feb. 17 that a fully portable SIRIUS satellite radio would be available this summer. Here's a cut-and-paste from a sat radio BB I participate in ...




SIRIUS Live Portable Receiver Coming This Summer

Mel Karmazin just announced at the SIRIUS conference call that a live wearable portable satellite radio receiver with MP3 capabilities will be on sale this summer. We heard about this new live portable unit a couple months back and its good to hear things are on track. This unit was demo'd to select retail partners at a private CES 2006 and the response was very positive.

Features known so far:

LIVE Satellite Radio
MP3 Capabilities
"Buy Button" for purchasing songs (optional downloads--not required)
...and a "few more surprises" :)

UPDATE: The reason why the summer is targeted as a release date is to ensure adequate supply for the Holiday Season. The Sirius S50 came particularly a little too late than expected, so they want to ensure a decent supply to meet demand.

soad
02-19-2006, 13:20
Imagine Trisha's disappointment in "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" when she realized that she had a Sirius radio and could not listen to the Red Sox 'cause MLB is on XM.

Skyline
02-19-2006, 19:39
Imagine Trisha's disappointment in "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" when she realized that she had a Sirius radio and could not listen to the Red Sox 'cause MLB is on XM.


Yeah, but the NFL, NBA, NHL, and soon Nascar will be on Sirius. And if you consider Howard Stern a sport, he's on Sirius too! :-)

colbys
02-19-2006, 20:55
nice to see my thread is still goin strong.well im not thru-hiking this year,but i did go into best buy and grill the tech guy on the xm portable receiver last week.its down to like 175.00 and im sure he was trying to sell me on this so he was bias,,but he said that no leaves or trees will disrupt the signal if youre hiking in the wilderness.i tried to stress "thru hike"but those words seemed foreign to him.fellow sales person heard us talking and he said he has a friend in asheville that uses his portable receiver in the mountaines all the time hiking(didnt say at) and it works perfectly.
battery life has increased to 7 hours,but still not enough for a thru hike,i guess if you wanted to charge it when you walk past restaurants and truck stops and trail towns,you could,and youd have to carry another battery to get another 7 hours...to much weight?

Skyline
02-19-2006, 23:38
nice to see my thread is still goin strong.well im not thru-hiking this year,but i did go into best buy and grill the tech guy on the xm portable receiver last week.its down to like 175.00 and im sure he was trying to sell me on this so he was bias,,but he said that no leaves or trees will disrupt the signal if youre hiking in the wilderness.i tried to stress "thru hike"but those words seemed foreign to him.fellow sales person heard us talking and he said he has a friend in asheville that uses his portable receiver in the mountaines all the time hiking(didnt say at) and it works perfectly.
battery life has increased to 7 hours,but still not enough for a thru hike,i guess if you wanted to charge it when you walk past restaurants and truck stops and trail towns,you could,and youd have to carry another battery to get another 7 hours...to much weight?

Sounds like the XM Roady2Go. I'd wait for the Sirius true portable this summer. Better unit, and Sirius has better content.

Unless the guy was a long distance hiker he wouldn't have a clue about your needs (lite, compact, long battery life, and cheap wouldn't hurt). I can't be sure the Sirius portable on the near horizon, at least in its first incarnation, will be exactly right for a thru-hike but it will be better than the Roady2Go.

If they use the same antenna technology they use for vehicles I don't believe foliage will be a problem most places for either Sirius or XM. It's solid structures like parking garage floors (or huge rock formations) between you and the satellite signal that cause brief outages. Also, with AM or FM, you lose the signal when you get too far away from the tower. The satellite is always beaming the signal to you and you should almost always be in range. Once you find some stations you like on Sirius, you just put them on your preset buttons for easier access (tho you can still listen to ANY of the 120+ channels by pressing the up/down buttons) and you can keep those stations from Springer to Katahdin.

If Sirius can get the battery life up to 15 or 20 hrs. or more it would be sufficient for a week or more on the Trail if you used it mostly in camp and not while hiking that much. A good strategy would be to keep a spare in your bounce box along with a charger--and charge one/switch them out every town stop.

I've gotten SO spoiled on Sirius the past five months or so I can't stand to listen to terrestrial radio anymore. On a dayhike a couple weekends ago I pulled out my Sony Walkman, and put it away again as soon as I started to hear too much DJ chatter and those nasty commercials. Plus, I couldn't find any music that would come in, and stay in, that I wanted to hear anyway. SPOILED, I SAY!!! I'm getting the Sirius portable this summer even if it weighs a whole pound! Maybe I'll get rid of my water filter to compensate and go back to (ugh!) iodine tablets.

colbys
02-20-2006, 00:51
thanks for all the info.yeah would be better to wait for the sirrius new one in summer.yeah battery life is key...longer the better.

ski10e04
04-28-2012, 19:57
Folks,

I realize the last post on this subject was a little over six years ago. However, I'm planning another thru-hike, this time the CDT. Does anyone have any updated information on the use of satellite radios on a thru-hike? Obviously, my concerns would be durabilty, signal strength, and battery life. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. I hiked with an am/fm portable radio on the PCT and enjoyed it very much for sports and those mindless days where a little music goes a long way! From the little research I've done with the portable satellite radio it seems as though a thru-hike wouldn't be the best application for them, but I just don't know. Again, any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

SunnyWalker
05-08-2012, 21:10
I am seriusly interested in THIS! It'd be great!

Wise Old Owl
05-08-2012, 21:29
ok,im thinkin about doin another thru-hike next spring,and in this way cool times we live in we now have the ability to take satellite radio on a thru-hike.for only 299.99 you can be the first hiker on your block to own the xm radio portable xm walkman!! it only weighs 7.2 ounces...would it be worth the weight to take on a thru-hike..? would it defeat the purpose of being in the woods for 6 months or less?
me personally i think i will buy one if another thru-hike is in my blood..since im a huge sports fan and to have xm radio is something i never had access to back in '95..just think hiking over max patch and listening to jim rome,espn radio,rush limbaugh,howard stern(oh he's only going to be on sirrius),dr.laura,or whatever....

Wow old post - who looked this up? Lets see.....


Even a GPS can be shaky with the ridges and trees. I'm sure having your radio cut out mid song would suck.

Old info - antennas are better Now....


Folks,

I realize the last post on this subject was a little over six years ago. However, I'm planning another thru-hike, this time the CDT. Does anyone have any updated information on the use of satellite radios on a thru-hike? Obviously, my concerns would be durabilty, signal strength, and battery life. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. I hiked with an am/fm portable radio on the PCT and enjoyed it very much for sports and those mindless days where a little music goes a long way! From the little research I've done with the portable satellite radio it seems as though a thru-hike wouldn't be the best application for them, but I just don't know. Again, any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

Yea the systems are 95$-115 now life is a little better for the stand alone separate product.

However a smart phone at 4 oz with 3 separate apps will get you there with high quality set of headphones... Yea pay a little more so they don't fall out. Rush appears live with the CBS Radio App, Sky FM is MP3 quality for free and Sirius has its own app for a few bucks a month... There are other apps to cover other needs. (sports) And NPR got its issues worked out with a separate app. Running the app on a smart phone... priceless - acts about 8 + hours per day then the battery needs a backup or second battery...

Hope that helps PM if further help is needed.

dornstar
05-08-2012, 23:00
Wow, 2006? This is an old thread.

Just use your smartphone.

ChinMusic
05-08-2012, 23:23
I can't imagine a satellite radio on the AT being worth spit. Couple that with poor battery life and it's a no-go. For the PCT or CDT, with less tree coverage it might be useful to get your news fix.

For me, a smartphone and maybe a small AM/FM (many areas without cell coverage for my AT&T) will be my choice.

For my car it is XM for sure. I can't go back.

Skyline
05-09-2012, 10:54
For the content, Sirius and XM are the greatest. Since their merger, there is little difference between the two offerings. What little difference there is you can upgrade from one to the other--for example, if you have XM and can't live without Howard Stern, or you have Sirius and cannot live without MLB.

But as others have said, the SiriusXM smartphone apps may make the portable/wearable satellite radios obsolete. Just like the ability to get Sirius on your computer inexpensively makes having a home antenna and receiver less attractive.

So, since this thread started in 2006, the real question may have become: which smartphone and which smartphone carrier is best for the AT?

Wise Old Owl
05-09-2012, 11:06
We hashed that out a few years back it was Verizon that won the argument - I feel Att is better for MD, PA, NY as I carry both services... Maine has nothing. - Hope that helps.....

Skyline
05-09-2012, 11:53
We hashed that out a few years back it was Verizon that won the argument - I feel Att is better for MD, PA, NY as I carry both services... Maine has nothing. - Hope that helps.....

Good to know as that's what I have. Verizon is certainly the superior choice in SNP. Last weekend a friend and I backpacked, using ridges and hollows. I consistently got at least one or two bars with Verizon on or near ridges I tried where the AT is mostly routed; three or four bars at locations with westward viewpoints. Undoubtedly there would have been some places along the AT without reception so I did not try the most obvious of those. Only one bar if I was lucky in Nicholson Hollow (eastward severe drop in elevation) where we camped, where most of the time it was zero bars. He was on AT+T, got nothing all weekend -- even in Luray among the civilized. Others have told me T-Mobile and Sprint are not good choices in SNP, either.

Does anyone have a preference for the best smartphone itself to be used on the AT, with an eye toward using it with a SiriusXM app? I'm thinking things like ease of use, battery life, reliability, how much trail-related abuse it can take, etc. would be factors to consider.

max patch
05-09-2012, 14:16
I used to think that XM/SIRIUS would be a slam dunk winner. However, now that I have it I find that I can get "better" music with my smartphone using Pandora and Spotify because I can more narrowly define what I want to listen to. Not sure what I'm going to do when renewal time comes.

I didn't realize there was a Sirius app for my phone. Since I have a subscription is it free for me?

Skyline
05-09-2012, 18:07
I used to think that XM/SIRIUS would be a slam dunk winner. However, now that I have it I find that I can get "better" music with my smartphone using Pandora and Spotify because I can more narrowly define what I want to listen to. Not sure what I'm going to do when renewal time comes.

I didn't realize there was a Sirius app for my phone. Since I have a subscription is it free for me?


Yes, it's free if you have a subscription. Here's a description for those with an Android phone; I assume the same would apply for I-phones, etc.:

Over 140 channels of great SiriusXM programming on your Android Smartphone! The SiriusXM Internet Radio App has been enhanced with new features that make it easier than ever to listen to what you want, when you want. Most SiriusXM Internet Radio channels, including Howard Stern, now let you go back in time up to 5 hours, allowing you to hear previously aired programming from the beginning, pause live radio, and fast forward and rewind. Access requires a SiriusXM Internet Radio subscription. Just download the free app.

Theosus
05-09-2012, 19:16
I've had XM for years. I have the XM direct. There's a free PC program on the Internet called "Sirius XM recorder". You have to make your own serial-USB interface cable, or buy one. Once you get it all working, you select the channel you want to listen to, and hit record. The program records songs and saves them as individual mp3s. Drop the mp3s into the iPhone or any other player. It's not perfect, because it bases song ends and beginnings on the information displayed on the screen. Sometimes it's off by a second or two, so you get a smidge of another song. Unlike downloading from the net, it's 100% legal, it's easy, and free, and no chance of viruses. The iPhone actually lasts a long time if you are just playing music and leave the screen off.