This antenna was a component of the first commercial XM satellite radio unit, produced in 2001 by Pioneer, a leading consumer electronics firm. It was given to Lon Levin, a founder of XM Satellite Radio, for installation in his personal automobile to promote the new business venture.
XM Satellite Radio started commercial operations in fall 2001, providing a range of music and news channels to customers in North America. It was part of a larger trend that brought satellite-based services to consumers during the 1980s and 1990s. Developments in technology and changes in legal and regulatory frameworks connected satellite capabilities to consumer and business products and services in a variety of areas, including “direct to home” satellite TV, Global Positioning System services, and cellular telephony. In 2008, XM Satellite Radio merged with its competitor Sirius Satellite Radio to form Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
This antenna, positioned on the roof of a car, received radio signals from an XM satellite, which were then processed by the receiver and radio.
Lon Levin donated this artifact to the Museum in 2009.
