DAB Radio on yachts

[northwind]

DAB has always struck me as over complicating what is such a simple invention. The beauty of wireless has always been its simplicity, low power requirements, good quality and easy of use.

DAB doesn't tick any of these boxes for me, that coupled with the fact that the UK have gone with the wrong version of DAB standards, means in its current form its ultimately destined to fail.

The transistor revolutionised radio, I don't think DAB will.

Just IMHO of course!!

 

[Seajet]

I can't see plucky POW's knocking up a DAB out of a bit of fag paper etc; if they did make one the commandant would be saying 'Vy iss ze camp generator suddenly not coping ant my light going out' ?!

 

[nimbusgb]

Asda was selling a Phillips portable DAB for £29.99. Runs off A handfull of AA penlites or a mains adaptor. An excellent buy. Cracking sound. We have one in the kitchen

 

[pmagowan]

I don't understand DAB. Why change from the cheaper, higher quality and more widely available FM. You then need to change your nice wireless to a mega-gadget which consumes half the grid and tries to show off all kinds of useless functionality. The only function I have ever wanted is to be able to tune in to Radio 4 but with Dab I get the sound of a waterfall in the background and if you move about the room it makes it worse.

It wasn't broke so why fix it. Is it so that they can send adverts to us in the future (scrolling across the little screen)?

 

[elton]

I don't understand DAB. Why change from the cheaper, higher quality and more widely available FM. You then need to change your nice wireless to a mega-gadget which consumes half the grid and tries to show off all kinds of useless functionality. The only function I have ever wanted is to be able to tune in to Radio 4 but with Dab I get the sound of a waterfall in the background and if you move about the room it makes it worse.

It wasn't broke so why fix it. Is it so that they can send adverts to us in the future (scrolling across the little screen)?

It's because Labour wanted to sell off the VHF/FM band and cram the existing stations into less bandwidth. In their greedy haste they chose DAB, which is useless; i.e. inferior to FM and vastly inferior to the later (incompatible) DAB+, as used in Australia and elsewhere.

 

[northwind]

It's because Labour wanted to sell off the VHF/FM band and cram the existing stations into less bandwidth. In their greedy haste they chose DAB, which is useless; i.e. inferior to FM and vastly inferior to the later (incompatible) DAB+, as used in Australia and elsewhere.

+1

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I'm not really concerned about which DAB system is better and which is worse. We've got we've got and there's nothing I can do to change it.

Where I live FM and LW reception is so poor that I had difficulty in listening to Radio 4 without a massive aerial on the roof. With DAB I get excellent reception. I also get Radio 7 (renamed as Radio 4 Extra) and The World Service. That's all I bother with but I could choose from 91 other stations if I wanted, which is far more than I was able to receive pre-DAB.

In addition DAB is great on the boat!

 

[SteveIOW]

Please excuse my ignorance but will I still get the shipping forecast on a DAB radio or is the DAB Radio 4 transmission the same as the FM Radio 4?

Previous posts re multiple music channels and good volume on DAB make me despair. Probably the same boat owners who ruin my evenings in a "quiet" anchorages.

 

[CreakyDecks]

It's because Labour wanted to sell off the VHF/FM band and cram the existing stations into less bandwidth. In their greedy haste they chose DAB, which is useless; i.e. inferior to FM and vastly inferior to the later (incompatible) DAB+, as used in Australia and elsewhere.

The first BBC DAB broadcast was in 1995. Labour didn't get in until 1997.

 

[elton]

The first BBC DAB broadcast was in 1995. Labour didn't get in until 1997.

They were pilot broadcasts and test transmissions. DAB radios weren't even on sale in Britain until 1999.

 

[nimbusgb]

Please excuse my ignorance but will I still get the shipping forecast on a DAB radio or is the DAB Radio 4 transmission the same as the FM Radio 4?

Previous posts re multiple music channels and good volume on DAB make me despair. Probably the same boat owners who ruin my evenings in a "quiet" anchorages.

Yes R4 on DAB is the same as R4 Fm.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

One thing about DAB that IS important to mariners is that it is NOT a reliable time source. The "Pips" so on are delayed by a significant and variable time. So, anyone needing an accurate time source for navigation can't rely on setting a watch by a DAB signal.

GPS isn't either (unless you have a set optimized for time rather than navigation).

 

[awol]

One thing about DAB that IS important to mariners is that it is NOT a reliable time source. The "Pips" so on are delayed by a significant and variable time. So, anyone needing an accurate time source for navigation can't rely on setting a watch by a DAB signal.

And the sets don't work after you boil them!

 

[ffiill]

Lets get this straight-digital broadcasting is totally restricted to areas of high population so whilst you may well be able to use it line of sight on the south coast forget it anywhere where there are hills or low pop. density-even VHF is restricted up here in Scotland.
Oh yes your wonderful iphone-again useless-my daughter was shocked to find that on the south east tip of Oz her phone didnt work-suprise suprise!-never mind the Highlands of Scotland

 

[vikinglish]

Worth thinking about cruising range and future sailing plans..As far as I know the whole of the med area is without DAB, certainly spain and greece have no transmitters and no plans to introduce.

 

[nimbusgb]

Worth thinking about cruising range and future sailing plans..As far as I know the whole of the med area is without DAB, certainly spain and greece have no transmitters and no plans to introduce.

There is a single station in Athens but for practical purposes no, there's no DAB in Greece

Spain in 'interested' http://www.worlddab.org/country_information_/spain There are stations in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia and there have been some trials in the Basque country and Catalunya.

 

[elton]

Worth thinking about cruising range and future sailing plans..As far as I know the whole of the med area is without DAB, certainly spain and greece have no transmitters and no plans to introduce.

Any country that hasn't got DAB already will use DAB+ if they ever do, so a UK DAB radio would be useless there.

 

[jbweston]

One thing about DAB that IS important to mariners is that it is NOT a reliable time source. The "Pips" so on are delayed by a significant and variable time. So, anyone needing an accurate time source for navigation can't rely on setting a watch by a DAB signal.

GPS isn't either (unless you have a set optimized for time rather than navigation).

I use the time signal and Big Ben chimes only occasionally, but they are broadcast a lot. A false time signal is a totally useless and irritating waste of airtime.

What I can't comprehend is why the BBC (who claim DAB is the way of the future) persist in broadcasting a useless time signal several times every day. Either they need to cut it out, find a way to broadcast it accurately or blank it out on DAB while transmitting it on proper FM only. We wouldn't accept their reporting known false traffic information or last week's football results as though they were this week's on one transmitter and the real ones on another.

The timing problem must be a pain in the neck for those who like to watch cricket on telly and listen to the radio commentary.

 

[alan_d]

The timing problem must be a pain in the neck for those who like to watch cricket on telly and listen to the radio commentary.

Digital TV is similarly delayed, so it might be better on DAB than not. At least now that analogue TV has gone we don't have the problem of TVs tuned to the same programme in adjacent rooms being out of sync.

 

[pappaecho]

John, I have got a DAB digital radio in my car - Jaguar XF, fitted as original.It is hopeless, and a complete waste of money. I use it on normal FM.

If you can remember Radio Luxembourg in the 1960's, that is what DAB is like on land. God knows what it would be like on water!