h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Satellite Radio - A20423107 Author: Rains - Just when I think I'm too cynical, something happens to prove me wrong - U205100 This is my Flea Market rescue; I've added bits, tried to make other bits clearer, and feel like it's pretty much there. Flea Market link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F74125?thread=2644031&post=46262300#p46262300 Original PR thread: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F2994946?thread=1532606&skip=0&show=20 Please, review away .

Well, whilst it's something I don't know anything about, I can say I now do! Nice easy informative read.

One thing, EG style calls for single quotation marks instead of double (' not ").

with the rescue

Traveller in Time searching for Alabtross
"John Ridgway used one of those for keeping contact during the Albatross race. "

Ok, one minor point... Either the title should change or the entry should be 10 x longer

You seem to be exclusively dealing with commercial radio broadcasting via a satellite to North America... whereas the actual title would cover...

- Commercial broadcasts to the rest of the world
- Two-way commercial (and military) satellite radio telecommunications
- Satellite mobile telephones
- and probably a short paragraph on GPS systems too


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After the title, I had a couple of problems understanding these sections...

"Satellite radio, on the other hand, is very different. In order to start to listen, a subscription needs to be set up with a satellite radio provider;"


Does that mean there are no free-to-air services available in the US? In the UK, certain radio channels are broadcast unencrypted and you should, theoretically, be able to pick them up without a subscription.

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"Then the antenna has to be aimed, which is a tricky affair. The antenna must have an unobstructed "line-of-sight" to the satellite,"


Ok, now this, to me, sounds like you're pointing a parabolic dish at the satellite?

"Satellite radios are also availabe to fit in-car - many manufacturers in the US offer digital radio as an optional extra, and aftermarket kits are available. In this case, the multidirectional antenna" is located in a "pod" on the vehicle roof,"

Whereas this says there are multi-directional aerials available you wouldn't have to point or aim the aerial - just make sure it's got a clear line-of-sight...

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Have changed the " to ' throughout, and removed a few I realised were unnecessary.

TiT - I'm not sure if that falls within the bounds of this entry as it covers commercial radio rather than communication-biased radio, though I can add it in if people feel it would be interesting and relevant?

simpost...

Whisky, just the post I was afraid of .

I think I should change the title of this to Satellite Digital Radio Services in North America, or something similar (suggestions?), as I have nowhere near the expertise to cover the whole range of rest-of-the-world broadcasting, two-way comms, or satellite phones. I'd consider GPS to be a separate subject, though.

I'll do a bit more work on the antennas: I'm more familiar with the in-car aerials rather than the home set up. I *think* there are differences in antenna design between the car and home versions so I'll try to dig up more detail to clarify that and explain more in the entry.

As far as I understand it, there aren't any similar free services in America, but if any US-based researchers can correct me, I'll update the entry to say so .

all.

*insert sound of Rains slapping herself around the head for being dumb*

Right, there *are* free digital radio services in the US, so I'll be updating the entry to cover those, with a little technical background and comparison to DAB.

Updated to cover IBOC, which is *kind of* the US equivalent of DAB.

Whew. I'm now.

Please let me know if it makes sense and still flows as an entry .

Any more comments, or have I scared everyone away?

Traveller in Time on his head
"I think I know some basic things about the subject, will have a read tonight to see if I can understand any of it. "

Traveller in Time reading . . .
">> is a quote from the entry, > proposed replacement (if any)

>>Of course, it is well known that anything that relies on a signal from a satellite can be temperamental. The signal can fade in and out with the passing of the clouds, or it can get choppy when the wind blows a few tree branches in front of the antenna, or when you are driving through a city with tall buildings. Obviously, traditional radio doesn't have this problem. Standard radio waves go anywhere they please, obstacles or no, and never have a problem getting to a traditional radio.

There was a discussion recently about 'radio wave propagation' on SEx < F2124165?thread=3742366 >.

I do not understand how the cars can pick up the satellites, but that is out of scope of the entry. "

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Thanks for that - I'll have a read of the discussion as that may well affect what I've described in the entry.

A discussion of aerial differences might be in order, though - the car aerials are tiny compared to the home ones, but the only ones I can find much technical detail about are the car aerials. Hmm, I feel a SEx question coming on.

I'll probably update after the weekend, though, as I'm going to be offline from this lunchtime till Monday morning, and I still have packing to do

Traveller in Time
"That is surely a long lunch break "

No, just off up to my parents as it was my mum's birthday .

It's been a long time since I updated this.... has been a bit hectic!

I've added a para about the car antennas, tidied a few other bits and pieces up, and removed the odd unnecessary footnote.

Any other comments?

*schsheeprrtttfcrk*

Hang on, just let me fiddle with the knob.

Ah, there we go.



mmm. I love that song.

Looking good, just a couple of things. You've used the word despite very close together in the first section, and sas such it is a little confusing and to me, a bit clumsy to read over.

And Internet needs capitalising

Other than that, nice informative Entry. Thanks

- I'd completely missed the consecutive uses of "despite" .

I've changed it to: "In the early twenty-first century, radio is ubiqitous, and still popular despite the growth of CDs and digital music. Compared to these, the drawbacks of radio have become more and more apparent."

Internet now capitalised, too (unless I missed one).

Coolio

Not sure, I can never recall, but it might be House Style to make twentieth and twenty-first century to 20th and 21st Century too

But that's really nitpicking

No, it's a valid point - have just checked, and you're right, so that's also been updated .

Any more for any more?