All change to DAB radio

[William_H]

Some posters mention the government want to sell off parts of the frequency spectrum now used by LW MW and FM bands. I wonder who would want to buy it or for what use. Given that these kind of radio spectrum to my understanding are now not really wanted. Short wave band used to be the really in demand spectrum yetnow days there is very little use especially for broadcasting. UHF spectrum seems t be the go as I see it. Not really argueing just interested olewill

 

[Niander]

I wouldn't worry about it. Everyone now knows DAB is utterly useless, and despite an incessant publicity campaign, DAB radio sales have dropped through the floor.

What bull is this DAB works great !

 

[EdWingfield]

I wouldn't worry about it. Everyone now knows DAB is utterly useless, and despite an incessant publicity campaign, DAB radio sales have dropped through the floor.

On a recent round-uk trip I cannot recall my set not working.

 

[[3889]]

The only UK radio service you can get in France is Radio4 LW. I suppose it might be possible to get some FM reception in the very North of France if it is range of UK transmitters but certainly does not work in Brittany. Bit of a pain as car radio now does not have a LW option.

I can get radio 5 in Redon in my car, but not on the boat.

 

[MikeBz]

What bull is this DAB works great !

Quite agree! But there are probably still people who bemoan the lack of availability of crystal sets and state with conviction that colour TV is 'useless'.

Having said that I'm sceptical about there being a switchover in the foreseeable future.

 

[ianj99]

You poor southern spoilt brats . Try living / sailing north of the Cyde.

FM hit & miss, forget DAB, Freeview is the 'lite' version with a handful of channels unless you have line of sight to a main transmitter (Mull or North Ayrshire).
As for 3g or 4g - don't make me laugh we're lucky to get a decent mobile signal at all, and then only Vodaphone or O2.

Don't get me started on broadband either! I'm saddled with satellite broadband (£35/month for 10gb) and Freesat

 

[elton]

What bull is this DAB works great !

On a recent round-uk trip I cannot recall my set not working.

I can get radio 5 in Redon in my car, but not on the boat.

Quite agree! But there are probably still people who bemoan the lack of availability of crystal sets and state with conviction that colour TV is 'useless'.

Having said that I'm sceptical about there being a switchover in the foreseeable future.

Don't get me wrong, DAB is fine if you suffer from age-related high frequency hearing loss, and you don't mind listening to everything except the BBC in mono, and you happen to live in an area of reasonable reception, and you don't mind spending money on batteries.

Otherwise it's utterly hopeless.

 

[jerrytug]

You poor southern spoilt brats . Try living / sailing north of the Cyde.

FM hit & miss, forget DAB, Freeview is the 'lite' version with a handful of channels unless you have line of sight to a main transmitter (Mull or North Ayrshire).
As for 3g or 4g - don't make me laugh we're lucky to get a decent mobile signal at all, and then only Vodaphone or O2.

Don't get me started on broadband either! I'm saddled with satellite broadband (£35/month for 10gb) and Freesat

Do you happen to know Ian if BBC long wave, 198 metres, is useable for getting the Shipping Forecast in that area? It gets out to Brittany and the Scillies from the Droitwich mast no problem, I was wondering if it makes it past Argyll and the Highlands at all? cheers Jerry

 

[ianj99]

Do you happen to know Ian if BBC long wave, 198 metres, is useable for getting the Shipping Forecast in that area? It gets out to Brittany and the Scillies from the Droitwich mast no problem, I was wondering if it makes it past Argyll and the Highlands at all? cheers Jerry

Yes I can long wave up here - that's about all, in fact!

 

[jerrytug]

Yes I can long wave up here - that's about all, in fact!

Thanks for that, useful to know!

 

[knightvision]

We sail frequently in the Clyde. DAB and particularly Radio 4 extra seems to work fairly well most places. We use a Sansui DAB Radio with has DAB/MP3 and FM. We also carry a Roberts SW/LW/FM Radio. The Roberts lasts weeks on 2 AA cells. The DAB needs recharging about every 3 to 5 days, depending of usage.

 

[alan_d]

On a recent round-uk trip I cannot recall my set not working.

That's interesting. The official DAB coverage maps show it as unavailable on the north and west coasts of Scotland, apart from the Firth of Clyde. Was your trip by sea?

 

[EdWingfield]

That's interesting. The official DAB coverage maps show it as unavailable on the north and west coasts of Scotland, apart from the Firth of Clyde. Was your trip by sea?

Alan, I also carried a MW/LW set and I cannot remember when I used it. My original info is unreliable. sorry Matey.

 

[Jim@sea]

I have a radio which has Long Wave and Fm, in the Irish Sea apart from getting the Shipping Forecast on Long Wave I also get the Irish Shipping Forecast, and on FM I can also get the Isle of Man. Will Dab do that.

 

[Jim@sea]

The only UK radio service you can get in France is Radio4 LW. I suppose it might be possible to get some FM reception in the very North of France if it is range of UK transmitters but certainly does not work in Brittany. Bit of a pain as car radio now does not have a LW option.

Some car radios are rubbish, some are fit for the purpose, i.e. picking up a long wave.
I lived 60 miles south of St Malo, My Nissan Patrol had a superb car radio. I could pick up Radio 4 and the Irish Shipping Forecast, and on FM Radio Jersey. But when I tried with my Citroen parked next to it to tune in to the same programmes it could only pick up Radio 4 very faintly.
The programmes are there to be found with the right equipment.

 

[jwilson]

+100

Replaced one DAB in the house the other will go in time.

Bring back LW.

Tried a DAB radio when they first came out - useless.

Tried again a few years later - this (not cheap) DAB radio I bought for the house was rubbish - you could just about hear the programmes through strange warbling/purring/burbling noises. Thought it was a duff unit so swapped it at the shop - other one just the same. Kept it but have only ever been able to use on FM and with CDs. We are in a valley - but in a medium sized town.

 

[Minchsailor]

I have always thought DAB radio was a solution looking for a problem.

 

[vyv_cox]

Yesterday I bought a DAB radio/alarm for my bedside. It picks up 75 broadcast stations, even in our stone-built house in a relatively remote rural part of NE Wales. The sound from the fairly low-cost set is excellent, far better than the FM one it has replaced.

I also have a DAB radio in the motorhome. We have driven the van many times between N and S Wales, through areas where FM is totally lost. The DAB set has never lost signal.

 

[st599]

I have a radio which has Long Wave and Fm, in the Irish Sea apart from getting the Shipping Forecast on Long Wave I also get the Irish Shipping Forecast, and on FM I can also get the Isle of Man. Will Dab do that.

The question is for how long will LW do that?

The BBC announced 5 years ago that they'd bought the world's supply of valves for the LW transmitter and when they're gone, they're gone (along with LW Radio 4).

 

[vyv_cox]

The question is for how long will LW do that?

The BBC announced 5 years ago that they'd bought the world's supply of valves for the LW transmitter and when they're gone, they're gone (along with LW Radio 4).

I find it astonishing how few LW and MW remain when scanning through the dial. Years ago there were MW stations every couple of millimetres along the scale, now there only seem to be half a dozen. There have never been many LW ones but now only two or three.