JGR01

Pioneer will soon begin shipping their portable XM radio/MP3 player.

The shopping catalog on AA planes has a full page ad for the product saying 'use it ANYWHERE'. So I guess if AA promotes it for pax to buy they would be thinking ahead that 'gee anywhere will mean on our airplanes!'.

I have one on order ... and its due to ship like soooooon!

In looking at the AA 'approved' and 'not allowed' list of onboard electronics .. the issue seems to be in the transmission of a signal. It states:

During flight, never use cellphones (to make or receive calls), two-way pagers, radios, TV sets, remote controls (example: DVD, CD, game, or toy remote controls), a cordless computer mouse, commercial TV cameras, or Global Positioning Systems. Radio transmission using personal communications devices (example: walkie-talkies, two-way pagers, or wireless headphones) is prohibited, as it may interfere with the aircraft's communications and navigation systems

Has anyone approached AA on the XM portable sattellite reception devioes??

I actually bought the device for my car that came without XM .. (hooked on the adult comedy channel).

Yes I searched for 'XM Radio' and got lots of 'radio' hits but when searching XM only got nothing....

JonNYC

XM rules. I have the current portable and will be getting the new one the second it's available. It works in flight as long as you're on the "south" side of the plane (essentially.) However, it is not currently approved that I know of, and-- if I had to guess-- won't be anytime soon.

Opie and Anthony!!

omegadeal

JonNYC: Do you have to have the unit near the window for reception? I know the portable units work indoors in the city because they have terrestrial rebroadcasting stations. I didn't think they would get reception indoors when away from the rebroadcaster.

aamilesslave

OT: CBS (Viacom, whatever) has hired Opie and Anthony to replace David Lee Roth in the mornings in something like 7 major markets.

greggwiggins

Any radio receiver is also a low-powered radio transmitter. That's an unavoidable consequence of the laws of physics and how the circuitry used to pick up the signal works.

As a result, it is very unlikely that an XM receiver is ever going to be treated any differently than any other radio receiver.

McFlyPHL

Are you on crack?

Everyone knows it's all about Sirius. I mean, who can live without the Jimmy Buffett station?

JonNYC

omegadeal, definitely have to be exposed to Southern sky if you are in an area w/o terrestrial repeaters. Overall, once you have it you will wonder how you lived w/o it.

JGR01

This 'southern sky' thing bothered me all night on my MIA-MSP flight. Since I was somewhat flying South to North .. a bit west .. would I have enough 'south' exposure??

Life sounds like it is getting too complicated... FEBO, less room in First A/B on MD80s now Southern Side....

JonNYC

Well, the antenna on the new ones is supposed to be much better than it is on my MiFi. Thing is, you could easily solve the problem by holding the unit up to the window (or an external antenna on the window) but that brings us back to the OP-- I wouldn't do that for fear of an FA asking "what the hell is that thing!!??"
Maybe someone else has more personal experience using it in-flight on non-trancons.

Ltgfrk

Get an external antenna with a wire about 3 feet long. Close the shade and put the antenna behind it then run the wire behind your back to the reciever. Works great.

justageek

Excuse me, but why aren't planes crashing all the time if all you guys are using these radios in flight?!?

Ceasy

"Mr. MacGyver, could you kindly remove your contraption from the window? Also, could you use this duct tape, this screw, and these sticks to modify our ovens to allow for 'eat when you want' service we boast we can provide?"

ps - I have XM, but must say Stern is better than O&E.

JonNYC

Me personally? Wouldn't do it-- You're right and I'm wrong-- but I wouldn't do it (the wire under the window shade part) until sat. radio joins the acceptable list.

Ltgfrk

I'm not saying it's right or wrong. Just that it works great!

JonNYC

And ya' never get some Nosey Nellie asking you (or, worse, a FA) "what's that wire running from the passenger to the window-- that he's trying so hard to conceal?"