cc_rider wrote: 
Cool.

We also have a new community FM station, WERA,  that is doing some really eclectic stuff. Like you say, they mix in talk programming with the music, but it's like travelling to a different country and trying all the food. You won't like it all, but some of it just gives your aural tastebuds little orgasms. 

 cc_rider wrote: 

 cc_rider wrote: 
yeah good to see you

 

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
in the car i use my phone a lot

my phone connects automatically via bluetooth

use an app like xxia and there you go

works like a champ

 

 cc_rider wrote: 
Welcome back

 aflanigan wrote: 
While I've been away, I have become hooked on a local station, run by staff who left the local PBS station (and took their shows with them). Sun Radio http://sunradio.com/. They are a non-profit, and solar-powered. They bought up old licenses for a bunch of low-power stations, scattered around CenTex. Plus on the web of course. They say they're 'Solar Powered Roots Rock and Roll' but they are nearly as eclectic as Bill.

Their format is exactly what you describe: actual DJs playing what THEY want to play. They also have radio shows, most by local radio/music personalities. A couple must-hear shows are 'Dance Halls and Last Calls' hosted by John Dromgoole (The Natural Gardener), and Larry Monroe's (RIP) 'Blue Monday'. Mr. Monroe was the heart and soul of the station, and his shows are still the standard by which all others are measured. One unusual host has been quite a surprise: semi-retired TV weatherman Mark 'Lightnin' Murray has become a favorite DJ as well. He started out filling in occasionally, and was so popular he got his own show.

Last week was SXSW and they had tons of interviews and whatnot. Interesting stuff, but not music, and hard to listen to and work, so I'm back on RP... you've been warned...

c. 

Aside from the audio quality (Thanks, B & R!), I enjoy the eclecticism. My other favorite stations/programs tend to be themed, and some of them I love because of the exhaustive nature of the catalog of the programmer (The Hometown Special, the Trail Ride), others because I simply enjoy hearing the little gems I've never heard before that the DJ/programmer finds to delight me with (Americana Breakdown). The thread connecting them all to RP, in my mind, is the eclecticism which links them to the golden days of FM radio of my yoot.

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
My gizmo has izzues but I ordered a new gizmo so we'll see.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
Or buy really noisy tires, too.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
Just load up your gizmo with RP!

 BillG wrote: 
Memo to self:

1. Stop thinking about getting Sirius for the long drives 

 neonsox wrote: 
You're welcome.

Frankly, I'm surprised that I don't hear more complaints about SiriusXM's audio quality.  They've gradually lowered the per-channel bitrate on music stations to somewhere around 24kbps. That allows more channels, but is pretty much unlistenable on a good audio system — at least to my ears. 

Bill, Rebecca:

Just wanted to say a simple "thank you" for filling my car, home, office, wherever with good, high-quality music. Switching over to SiriusXM in the car with it's compressed, ad-laden content has become painful and rare. FM is even worse. It seems like you really have a passion for the music and focus on the quality of the sound, which is refreshing. I honestly had felt like music (specifically rock and roll) was dying a slow, commercial death until I started listening to RP again. Hope restored.

Best,

Jeremy in Connecticut