Ok so I am a big fan of the National Football League, specifically a big fan of the New York Giants. However I do not live in their broadcast area so when they aren’t televised in my local area I either have to go to a local bar, or a friend’s house that might have DirectTV with the football package.

However, I really did not want to spring for a dish and drop my cable, and I was tired of going out to watch a game, so I went with satellite radio. At the time I bought my satellite receiver (more on that in a moment) Sirius and XM were two different companies. They have since merged so I believe you can get the NFL broadcasts on your XM receivers as well.

I purchased the Stiletto II receiver. It is a handheld portable receiver that you can take with you anywhere. It comes with headphones that pick up the satellite signal so you can go for a jog or a walk outside and still listen to your favorite stations. It also has space for a microSD chip. I bought a 1GB chip for extra storage, but the chip is not necessary to operate the radio.

Here are the good things I like about it. For starters the listings of channels you have available are tremendous. From comedy to rock to hip-hop and sports, it is all in there. The receiver gives you plenty of space to save your favorite stations so you can find them more quickly. For additional costs you can purchase the home kit or car kit which will allow you to just plug and play your receiver anywhere you go.

What I didn’t like about it is the price tag. It was very pricey at around $200, and then additional $40 each for the home and car receivers. The home receiver’s only flaw is if you have any obstruction to the antenna your signal will be poor and that will require you to put the antenna on your roof. I don’t have that problem myself, but a friend of mine did. As for the car receiver, you have to coordinate your car radio on a station not in use in the area with the signal in the satellite receiver. It’s not that hard to do, however, if you leave the area chances are that same station won’t work as well elsewhere as I recently found out on a trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. So do some research ahead of time to coordinate the proper channels.

All in all I absolutely love it. It was worth the price tag for the equipment that I bought and the membership I paid for. I listen to my satellite radio back and forth to work, during my afternoon walks with the dog, in the mornings while I am eating breakfast (nothing like listening to channel 75, Frank’s Place, first thing in the morning), you name it, so I know I get my money’s worth.

If it is within your budget and you were contemplating the purchase, I say go for it. It’s great listening and I am sure you will get hooked just like I have.