Satellite radio beaming down soon to a car near you

Five dedicated satellites are floating in space and ready foraction, as Sirius and XM, two rival satellite radio providers,prepare for their nationwide roll-outs.

Sirius, which began broadcasting in four test markets in February,plans to be broadcasting from coast to coast by August. XM expectsits national roll-out to be completed by November.

XM has been broadcasting in several Southwestern markets since thefall, offering 100 channels of music, talk, sports and news, many ofwhich are commercial-free. Stations that are not commercial free willbe limited to about 6 minutes of advertising per hour, as opposed to16 to 20 minutes on commercial FM stations.

All of Sirius' 100 channels are commercial-free, but the monthlysubscription cost is slightly higher: $12.95, as compared with $9.95for XM. Both services require a special receiver in the car plus atrunk-mounted antenna. Cost of the equipment ranges from about $200-$300 for a basic set-up to $2,000 for systems that also include DVDplayers. Installation costs are extra. XM and Sirius receivers arenot interchangeable, so audiophiles who are planning to retrofitshould do some homework ahead of time.

GM rolled out factory-installed Delphi-Delco XM radios in CadillacDeVille and Seville models last November and plans to expand to 21additional GM models this year. Saab, Honda, Isuzu and Acura alsohave signed deals with XM, while BMW, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Jeep,Mazda, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln, Volvo, Jaguar and Porsche are offeringSirius option packages.

Most of the satellite radio receivers are confined to use withinautomobiles. However, Sony has developed a "plug and play" receiverfor XM that also can be used in the house. The receiver plugs intothe car's cigarette lighter and has a cassette adapter for divertingsound through the car's speakers. An AC adapter will allow listenersto plug the device into a wall outlet. A magnetic antenna is easy tomove and install. Jensen has announced plans to introduce a Sirius-enabled "boom box" radio later this year. The boom box (pricing notyet announced) will incorporate the Sirius chip set, an antenna, AM-FM tuner and CD section that will also play MP3 files, CD-Rs andconventional discs.

While both companies broadcast digital signals from remotesatellites, the satellites work differently. XM utilizes two Boeingsatellites, "Rock" and "Roll" in geostationary orbit over the Eastand West coasts, while Sirius has three satellites that orbit thenation in a figure eight pattern. Sirius claims the orbitalsatellites maintain better signal elevation angles for maximum lineof sight from the satellites to the receivers. Because satelliteradio operates off digital signals, there's no static, and listenerscan expect uninterrupted service with enhanced sound quality fromcoast to coast. Closely packed tall buildings in urban areas canblock the signal, so both companies have installed "repeaters"(antennas that can be used to rebroadcast the signal) to eliminatethe possibility of reception problems.

Is satellite radio worth the investment? That depends on how muchtime a person spends in his or her car, and, to some extent, wherethe person drives. People who travel a lot for business will enjoysatellite radio's uninterrupted broadcast clarity, especially inremote areas. In addition to offering commercial-free programming,satellite providers can also provide a depth of content not found innetwork radio.

"We have the advantage of economy of numbers," said Siriusspokesman Matthew Meyer. "The audience for certain types of music,say jazz fusion, is relatively narrow, even in a large urban area.Since satellite radio draws listeners from the entire country, we canattract enough listeners to offer this type of specializedprogramming."

Sirius has seven commercial-free jazz and standards stations,including classic jazz, swing, Latin, standards and contemporary.XM's offering includes NASCAR radio, XMU (college radio), Rhyme(classic hip hop), and X Country (alternative country).

For additional information on satellite radio, includingprogramming and availability, log onto www.xmradio.com orwww.siriusradio.com.

Nina Padgett-Russin is a certified mechanic and Phoenix-based autowriter. If you have a service question for Nina, write to her c/oChicago Sun-Times, Fourth Floor, 401 N. Wabash, Chicago 60611. Pleaseenclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope.