[Ham-Mac] RF from XM radio

[Bob Hinden]

Lon,

On Mar 4, 2007, at 8:09 PM, Lon Kinley wrote:

> At 7:29 PM -0800 3/4/07, Robert C. Smithwick wrote:
>> Interesting. I'm learning a lot from your comments and those of  
>> others. I know nothing about "Sirius". Yes, I've heard the word  
>> before and sorta 'figgered' it is perhaps a network of Internet  
>> broadcast stations, but that may be way off. You can easily spot  
>> my ignorance!!
>> Thanx for the brief introduction to it!
>
> Sirius and XM are both satellite broadcasters, i.e. all their  
> programming is broadcast to earth from a satellite. They have just  
> merged into one company, however. It has nothing to do with the  
> Internet

They have proposed merging, but it needs FCC approval.  Once  
condition of the current licenses was that they would not merge.   
Hard to tell what will happen.

> The little satellite receiver picks up the signal from the  
> satellite and then feeds it into your vehicle's radio, either by an  
> induced signal into the cassette deck from an adapter, or by a VERY  
> low power FM modulator that either physically attached to the  
> external vehicle antenna or inductively coupled to an in-glass  
> antenna. In either case, any RF exposure is essentially non-existant.

It's understand that they also broadcast terrestrially in major  
cities.  Satellites don't work that well in major cities with tall  
buildings.

73,
Bob / KI6ASK