BajaNomad

My Baja Tunes

Lee - 3-30-2024 at 10:55 AM

About 2003, Sirius satellite radio started service and offered a lifetime membership for $300+. I figured I'd always have satellite radio and bought the subscription. It paid for itself in 3 years or so and I've had free radio for 18 years. Later found out my membership was good for 3 receivers. I'm on my second one now and after my 3rd receiver stops working, I'll join Sirius and pay $17/month.

Two types of Sirius receivers: one I installed in my car with a kit that comes with 3'' diameter disc type antenna and the receiver. The other kind of receiver would come already installed with a newer ''radio'' -- a car radio with an option to subscribe to Sirius. (I access the car radio receiver through my iPhone and Apple CarPlay. Also have years of iTunes downloaded on my phone that can be accessed.)

I've sampled Spotify and that's a good choice with different format. I've stayed with Sirius because of the ''dedicated channels'' for different artists: Elvis, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Willy, Sinatra, Phish, ELO, Grateful Dead, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, CNN, NPR, etc.

My external antenna works with no interruptions in Baja. The Sirius receiver installed in the car radio does not. There are ''dead'' spots in the US and Baja where satellite radio stops working.

My other satellite music platform is ''YouTube.'' (Thanks JZ!) As a subscriber ($11/month), YT offers countless commercial free music videos (and non-vids) that can be stored to a ''Library.'' So, even when I've lost connection, that music is still available. (I have about 100 YT music videos in my library that I can watch in my car or on my iPad, iPhone, or laptop.

With a portable Bose speaker, Blue Tooth allows access to both Sirius and YT music outside my car in Baja.

Hope this helps anyone wanting to upgrade their tunes in Baja. Any other music options nomads are using?





mtgoat666 - 3-30-2024 at 11:04 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Lee  


Hope this helps anyone wanting to upgrade their tunes in Baja. Any other music options nomads are using?



Got xm, gets a bit boring after a while, same old tunes/themes.
Also got spotify, Spotify is way to go, create your own play lists.

[Edited on 3-30-2024 by mtgoat666]

Lee - 3-31-2024 at 11:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
rquote=126451
Got xm, gets a bit boring after a while, same old tunes/themes.
Also got spotify, Spotify is way to go, create your own play lists.

[Edited on 3-30-2024 by mtgoat666]

Sirius XM isn't for everyone and neither is Spotify.

I've created dozens of lists in the beginning with Spotify and never listened to them. Between iTunes downloads, and personal CD's I've downloaded over the years, I don't listen to them.

If there's a specific album I want to hear (Springsteen's Nebraska), I call it up on YouTube. Otherwise I tune in Ch 20 and get random tracks of Bruce all day. Don't notice repeats.

A Canadian neighbor in Pesky hated hearing Ronstadt's Blue Bayou every hour on Sirius. Don't know what channel that was. Ronstadt is on Ch 106.

pacificobob - 3-31-2024 at 04:34 PM

I hate everything about Siriusxm. Yes. I have an account. Only because I use it on the boat in Alaska , where it's my primary news and entertainment. I also use it when we drive to the states. ... My kids tease me as if i had an 8track tape player. And yes, one can hear the same songs several times a day..... Like it or not.

Lee - 4-1-2024 at 09:02 AM

Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob  
I hate everything about Siriusxm.


Wow. You haven't said why you hate Sirius. Choices are limited for satellite radio.

You don't like Elvis? Tom Petty? Classical music?

What do you listen to?

mtgoat666 - 4-1-2024 at 11:20 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Lee  
Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob  
I hate everything about Siriusxm.


Wow. You haven't said why you hate Sirius. Choices are limited for satellite radio.

You don't like Elvis? Tom Petty? Classical music?

What do you listen to?


a few channels worth listening:
Grateful dead
UG garage
1st wave
Willies roadhouse
Browadway, jazz and standards
NPR, BBC

pacificobob - 4-2-2024 at 06:29 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Lee  
Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob  
I hate everything about Siriusxm.


Wow. You haven't said why you hate Sirius. Choices are limited for satellite radio.

You don't like Elvis? Tom Petty? Classical music?

What do you listen to?


I dislike the way the cost creeps up....
punishment for being a long time customer. When i switch radios from truck to the boat they want a silly fee. I have to threaten to quit, and the eventually wave it. I also think their music library is very limited. Easily hear the same songs 3 or 4
times a day. But to your point... There are precious few options.
I listen to reggae, blues, jazz, classical and all the mews sites. Once in a while the comedy selections.

pacificobob - 4-2-2024 at 06:31 PM

Oh, and radio classics.... I enjoy a thrilling visit to old west. Gun smoke, et al

JZ - 4-2-2024 at 07:20 PM

Have had XM (now Sirus XM) forever, since some time in the early 00's.. My truck, wife's car, and on the boat.

My experience is it gets a little dodgy around La Paz. Have listened to Ohio State football games 45 miles out on the Sea of Cortez.

Big fan of YouTube Music. Have about 400 songs downloaded to play when there is no cell service.

Podcasts are my favorite thing to listen to when driving or hiking alone or flying. So many entertaining podcasts out there.


[Edited on 4-3-2024 by JZ]

Playing with AM can be fun

AKgringo - 4-3-2024 at 11:21 AM

When I am parked for the night I like to run up and down the frequencies searching for distant stations. Atmospheric conditions dictate the strength and clarity of the stations, and they can drift in and out.

In southern AZ I listened to stations in Vancouver BC and Texas. Near San Felipe I got a strong signal from Omaha Nebraska. In La Paz I was able to connect with the Nebraska station but it was weak and faded out. It was replaced by shows from Oklahoma and southern California.

Sometimes I listen to music, but I also like news and some talk programs, and if you are into sports or gospel, there always seems to be something on.

It gives me something to do that doesn't require phone or internet availability.