Bought my XM MyFi through ..

[Maat]

abesofmaine.com.

Someone on DU recommended them. The unit costs $299 plus shipping (etc)through XM; $274 plus tax was the cost at Best Buy.

I got it for $212.90.

As soon as the nice person on DU recommended Abe's, I went downstairs, and my husband said, "I love Abe's. I ordered a camera lense successfully through them."

We ordered. It was here within a week and a half. It came with the MyFi unit, the car kit, the house kit, and the walking-around kit.

It is AMAZING.

We could never get good Sirius reception in the house (we are in a complete no-radio zone in the Temecula Valley in SoCal). We got great reception - no problem.

I carry my unit around, and it seems that you can't get bad reception; if that thing is on - you hear it loud and clear. It is great.

Plus, I carry the car unit around from car to car in a fanny pack; you just set the antenna up on the dash on one of those jell-no-slip pads.

Roscoe T - you were right. I hate to say it. I give you full credit.

I tried to be loyal to Sirius; but they would not improve their programming.

Thom Hartman was one reason for staying; but now it looks like I'll be able to get him another way.

I also researched XM stockholders; at least one is a very big Dem contributor.

Here is the link to buy:
http://www.abesofmaine.com/viewproduct.asp?id=dlsa1011311p1&l=CNET .

[kikiek]

1. I was considering one of those. I dropped Sirius also. Thanks for

posting that. It answered a lot of questions I had about that unit.

[Maat]

2. Have had it three days.

Exceptional performance.

Had to change the frequency setting from 107.5 to 88.5; I did have a Mexican Polka music interruption around Riverside, Ca. That is blasted throughout the area; the Polka customers take their music broadcasts very seriously.

Soon as I changed the frequency setting, no problem (the thing is wireless - no paying a installation/connection charge).

[kikiek]

3. Sounds good I think I will try it.

[Maat]

4. Let me know your experience.

I love it.

[madfloridian]

5. I see there is a home antenna in the kit.

Is it the type we could mount outdoors? We use our Sirius only in the home and it expires Oct. 7.

I talked to them, and they appear to not have much planned coming up. Guess we switch to XM.

[Rosco T.]

7. You won't need to mount the antenna Outdoors...

a southward facing windows will do... or near a southwall (I have a SkyFi2 in the bedroom in a boom box, I set the indoor antenna flat against the southwall and get three bars of signal...)

[madfloridian]

14. I don't have a southward facing window without trees in the way.

We were forced to buy an outside antenna for Sirius because of poor reception.

Could you describe the antenna to me? Is is like something you hold in your hand, or could it be mounted?

[Rosco T.]

16. Sirius reception is screwy anyway.. but the XM Indoor antenna...

looks like this



(the black box on the stand on the right)

Since the sirius birds are always moving, you (generally) never see more than one at a time (and are mostly to the north'ish). The XM footprints actually come from the south-east/south-west so the reception is a WHOLE lot more stable.

[madfloridian]

17. That looks like what came with Sirius.

You are right, when we got the roof mounted antenna it was to the northwest. The directons for the small antenna in the picture said turn it to the south.

I am still trying to find an antenna for XM we can mount on the roof. There are just too many tall oak trees unless we can find something like that.

They say you can adapt the Sirius one, but that reception is not very good then.

[Maat]

12. Yes, I second Roscoe.

This is the first time I have not had to mount an outdoor antenna.

Getting superb reception just putting next to my window inside.

And I am in Radio Wasteland, surrounded by huge houses.

[Rosco T.]

6. No thanks necessary Maat... another good deal is...

the Pioneer AirWare (there are three portable XM units out, the MyFi, the Tao and the Pioneer...) the Pioneer has a different look/style than the MyFi..



and gets just as good reviews... you can get them for $239 here

http://www.myradiostore.us/portable/pioneer-airware-xm2go.html

(no, there is no referral link in that...)

There's about to be several new channels added to XM in the next 60 days.. keep an eye on XM168 (right next to Air America) a little bird tells me that it is going to be worth listening to (grin).

BTW.. Siruis officially announced their new batch of channels, nothing to replace Air America, still just Talk Left

and another amusing thing... in order to move Ed Schultz over to ASK! (it's temporary, till Schultz goes to a 4 hour show). The shoved Dr Laura over to 'America Right'... in doing so pushing Bill Bennett,Michael Medved and Mike Gallagher OFF THE AIR!

So, the FREEPERS are DOUBLY PISSED.. not only are the DOWN THREE FREEPER VOICES... they have to put up with DR LAURA!!!

Ohhh... they're not happy....

anyway Maat... welcome to the XM Nation

[longship]

8. Bill Bennett and Michael Medved!! Gees!

Sanctimonious assholes, both of them. They deserve nothing but to reap the whirlwind.

[Rosco T.]

10. Bill Bennett, Michael Medved & Mike Gallagher kicked off XM --

that was on September 1st... couldn't ask for better than that!

[Maat]

13. Thanks for the welcome!

Looks like they have performed a great public service by even temporarily those guys off of the air.

Yes, thanks again, Roscoe (even though you graciously said 'thanks' were not necessary).

[blue sky at night]

9. Delphi Roady 2, extremely inexpensive way.......

to get your feet wet with satellite radio. I bought one for each of our cars and installed the FM Modulators for around $75.00 each. I am quite happy with the results as I am no audiophile. I also like dealing with Crutchfield...they ship for free on most of their special offers, have excellent customer service and instruction. They will give you $20.00 if you get a friend to buy something.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-J6aHfrlrW7J/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=247350&I=040SA10085

[Rosco T.]

11. You can get some smoking deals on the Roady2 now, with the RoadyXT ...

... coming next month.

(digs around a second..) how about$39 bucks with a car kit...

http://www.xmfanstore.com/showproduct.php?id=roady2

on edit.. here's a better deal... a Roady2 EVERYTHING kit.. Roady2/Car/Home kit for $77..

http://www.xmfanstore.com/showproduct.php?id=roadyeverything

[blue sky at night]

15. ya, that sounds good....

the unit used to cost $99.00! Great little idea!