The Gamble Family (.Net)

I’ve had XM Radio for almost a month now. I have to say that I am completely satisfied with the programming and the audio quality of the broadcasts. Satellite radio is broadcast in digital audio, so there is no static. Basically if you can receive the satellite signal, you will have crystal clear audio.

The sheer volume of channels can be somewhat overwhelming at first. With 20 categories to choose from, and multiple channels within each category, you can easily get lost in the fog initially. One thing that has helped me to find channels that I enjoy is the artist/song search at xm411.com. On this page, you can search by song title or artist. The resulting list shows which channels played your search argument recently. This page has been a lifesaver for me in locating my channels.

Lots of people (myself included initially) are hesitant to pay the monthly subscription fee. XM charges $10 a month for your first receiver, and $7 for each additional receiver up to five. Once you begin to listen to XM, however, if you are like me, your hesitation will soon fade. Here are some of the compelling reasons that I am sold on XM.

XM is essentially commercially free (with the exception of a few channels). The local FM stations around Nashville play more commercials than music. On my typical 40 minute commute back and forth to work, I’m lucky to hear 10 minutes of music. XM is a pleasant change. My favorite music channels play commercial-free music, 24 hours a day.

As I already mentioned, the audio quality is superb. There is no static to be heard.

XM is nationwide. No matter where I drive to, my friendly XM channels follow me all over the United States. My Roady 2 is easily unplugged and swapped from one location to another, so I can take it with me no matter where I go. I have wired our Camry, Avalanche, Goldwing, and home stereo to be XM-ready. So, in less than 60 seconds, I can move the receiver from one vehicle to another.

XM programming has something for everyone’s taste. With categories like Decades, Rock, Hits, Country, Jazz, Comedy, etc, etc, there is no way that you won’t find something that tickles your fancy.

Below is my current list of favorite categories and channels:

So, there you have it - My first month on XM. If you haven’t sampled XM radio yet, what are you waiting for? You won’t be disappointed.

Talk about service - I ordered the XM radio yesterday and it arrived today. As an added bonus, I received the “Home Bundle” with it at no extra charge. The Home Bundle includes the home antenna, AC power adapter, an audio cable for connecting the XM receiver to my stereo, and a cheapo stand.

In only 5 minutes, I had unpacked the unit, connected the AC, antenna, and audio cable, and was receiving the XM Preview Channel. Next, after a short phone call to XM customer service, I “got the hookup”. I also did a “quick and dirty” installation in my Chevy Avalanche. I simply stuck the magnetic antenna on the edge of the roof and draped the antenna cable across the floorboard. This weekend, I’ll finish the job with a more professional (translated no visible cables) installation.

I am totally overwhelmed by the channel selection on XM Radio. In looking over the channel listings, I have identified at least 35 channels that are of interest to me. Thank goodness for channel presets, although channel and category navigation on the Roady 2 are a breeze.

Let’s hope that I don’t have an accident in the next few days as I fiddle with my new toy.

After stumbling across the XM Radio deal of the century, I ordered a Roadie 2 receiver. I am extremely excited about XM for several reasons - Digital audio quality, better channel selection, no commercials, XM carries Nascar races, and your favorite stations follow you all over the US. The no commercials thing is important to me because I have a 45 minute commute to work. On a typical day, I will only hear about 10 minutes of music, because the Nashville stations are so cluttered with commercials.

I like to listen to several genres of music. Classic rock, soft jazz, country, and contemporary Christian are my favorites. In looking over XM’s website, I’m certain that they have several channels that will tickly my music fancy.

Roadie 2

I chose the Roady 2 because of its compact size, its portability, and its rich feature set. We have two automobiles and a motorcycle, so portability is a must. One of my co-workers recently got a Roady 2 also and he has been very pleased with it so far. He has it installed in his truck. He also has the Walkman-style headset unit so that he can listen to it at work and he got the boombox for Christmas. This buddy is a techno-geek and quite a music fan, so the fact that he is happy with it makes me certain that I will also be happy with mine.

I placed the order this morning, so I’m currently waiting on the shipment confirmation. Once I get that, I’ll know that I’m close to being an XM junkie.