I’ve had XM radio since September 2005.  At that time, I bought the boom box, car kit, and home kit accessories.  I mostly listened to it when I was in the truck.  A couple years ago, my car kit died right before a long drive (the time XM satellite radio is most valuable).  That’s when I realized my tuner is out of date, but I managed to find a replacement for a very reasonable price on Amazon–after a long drive with no satellite radio.

Then I retired, and I’m in Central Texas and San Antonio most of the time.  When I’m in the truck, I listen to WOAI, 1200 AM, talk radio out of San Antonio.  It’s called The Blowtorch for a reason.  I remember receiving this station in Charles City, Iowa, at night on my radio in my room when I was a kid.  That was before I really knew or cared about San Antonio or even had it inkling it would play a role in my life.  After dark, I’ve received this station in my truck in Alabama (great when I had to go back to Alabama during the NBA finals — the game started about the time I reached Mobile, so when I hit 65N, I tuned in and as the game went on, reception got increasingly better.  I sat in the driveway for a few minutes while the game finished out, but I could receive it).  I’ve also caught the morning show while driving through Atlanta just before 8am.  This station has RANGE, and it dials up the power at night.  So, it comes in real good here in Central Texas — unless I’m in the house.  Then it’s staticky.

The XM radio hasn’t been used much over the last year and a half.  I stuck it in the console of the truck and forgot about it.  In December, I pulled it out, and it wouldn’t work.  I needed to have the XM folks send it a reactivation signal, and it jumpstarted again.  But I still wasn’t using it much in the truck.

In 2005, I bought a 5-year subscription.  It will expire in September, so I have to decide if I want to renew it or not.  If the radio is going to sit in the console of my truck, there’s certainly no need to renew.  Yesterday, I pulled the boombox down from where I stored it.  Last night, I postioned the antenna, and it works fine here in the parlor next to the Mac Mini, where I do most of my sit-down work when I’m in Central TX.

I can’t find the 5-year plan on the XM site anymore, so we’ll see what they try to bill me at when renewal time rolls around.  I expect to hear from them this summer.  At that time, I have to decide if I want to re-up, use the same receiver, or upgrade to a new receiver, or just give it up completely.  I’m still averse to paying for radio, so that’s another factor to consider.  If I only have to pay for it every five years, I can forget that I’m paying for it.  If I have to pay more often…I don’t know.

I love the clear reception.  It’s great on trips.  I hate having to scan for a channel that has something I want to listen to as I’m driving cross-country.  Of course, I’m not driving as much as I used to.  In fact, for the trip to Wisconsin for my folks 50th Anniversary celebration this summer, we’re taking Amtrak.  No virtual strip search for me, thank you.