DAB Radio
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DAB Radio
05-01-2017 10:05 AM - edited 05-01-2017 12:00 PM
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Bought one of these a couple of years ago only to find that here is my area of west Wales there is coverage and I know, I should have checked first.
However, a quick postcode check on the internet earlier tells me it is now available..... only it seems not, as when tuning all I get in return is "Not Available"
Reminds me of years ago when we had those radio pagers which would not work in so many areas around here - with BT telling my company "it ain't cheap to bleep sheep"
Truth is like a threshing machine; tender sensibilities must keep out of the way.
Herman Melville
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 11:53 AM
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Up here I get a few stations, in N. Yorks I get loads.
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 11:59 AM
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I did, it has an auto scan facility on it.
Truth is like a threshing machine; tender sensibilities must keep out of the way.
Herman Melville
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 12:12 PM
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Try outside.
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 12:14 PM
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Will do.
Truth is like a threshing machine; tender sensibilities must keep out of the way.
Herman Melville
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 12:26 PM
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However, a quick postcode check on the internet earlier tells me it is now available..... only it seems not, as when tuning all I get in return is "Not Available"
Doesn't surprise me!. I've got a Dab radio in my car and it loses signal when in some out-of-the-way places. I've had problems in Devon and parts of North Wales in the last year. Just checked the postcode for where I definitely had problems in Devon and it shows good coverage!
Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 12:37 PM
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Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 1:22 PM - edited 05-01-2017 1:22 PM
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Plenty DAB round here, we're between two main transmitters of national and local radio so it comes in quite easily, however, the low bitrates make the service sound worse than an early GSM mobile phone, with some music so garbled (even with excellent signal) that it's better just to hum the tune yourself, that and most of the stations are in Mono which makes it pointless for music listening anyway...
There are some tests with DAB+ which uses a different codec, but the bitrates are still low and the monaural thing is still there, so, stream from t'internet I say, far better quality available over the web than DAB...
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 2:00 PM
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@Minivanman not a fan of DAB radio... however, most "portable" radios tend to skimp on the antenna/aerial design, due to the space limitations inside the box... Hopefully, your box has got an external aerial socket... and if so, then you could invest in a "proper" antenna/aerial designed to work with the DAB Frequencies. You should mount this antenna as high as possible, preferably in "free space" as on the chimney stack, or a strong pole attached to the house... second best would be in the loft space across some roof timbers.. ( or screwed to on with a fixing bracket).
You will need to know the compass bearing from your house to your nearest transmitter, your local radio/tv shop or antenna fixing guy, will know where that is.. and you point your antenna towards it.
if you have a scroll down this page, it shows the kind of antenna suitable for "fringe" areas, such as you seem to be in...
http://www.stevelarkins.freeuk.com/dab-reception.htm
OR......If you are able to solder some wires together... you could make your own 1/4 wave ground plane antenna.
http://www.hamuniverse.com/2metergp.html
you will need to work out the maths for the mid frequency range of DAB is at 225 mhz...
I built one of these in about an hour... and hoisted it up to the rain gutter on our house, and it improved vhf reception over the normal internal antenna.
since then I have invested in one of these, now mounted on my chimney stack, and it is a big improvement on the home made version..
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/scanking-discone-antenna-qt28f
I did add my own "vertical element" to it as can be seen in the pic
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 2:50 PM
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@MisterW wrote:
I've got a Dab radio in my car and it loses signal when in some out-of-the-way places.
Obscure like driving on the M1 which is why my Pure DAB car device sits in a drawer. And on a regular commute I did, the signal would stop about 1 mile out of town and always at the best part of the program
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 3:00 PM
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Not a fan of DAB radio either, number of stations I can get is limited and VHS sounds much better.
A number of websites seem to be in general agreement that the government have not fully supported DAB radio as there are much better options out there, why mess about with DAB radio when you can get thousands of radio stations via the internet, I use a Cobra internet radio which stores my favourite stations but there are plenty of other makes out there.
For good quality sound get a soundbar or speakers and access a lot of radio stations via you TV.
Years ago I would have gone down the route of making a aeriel as it's quite an interesing subject but for DAB radio with it's poor bitrate is it worth it ?
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 3:37 PM - edited 05-01-2017 3:37 PM
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@gleneagles wrote:
but for DAB radio with it's poor bitrate is it worth it ?
Nope, as far as I care DAB is a dead format, like 8-track and Video2000, except there are no collectors and enthusiasts of DAB products, the currently used MP2 codec is over 20 years old and hideously outdated, and even on the internet where is used to be common (in the 90s I must add), is a dead format, the only thing DAB offers over the likes of FM is a little screen that has information on it that nobody really looks at, and compared to internet streaming, well, DAB's a lost cause...
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 4:03 PM
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Well I must say, after reading all these comments it does seem like a lost cause and what a pity eh? It was sold as the best thing since sliced bread when at the end of the day it's no better that the usual FM radio - actually it's worse, as at least that works.
I've been dabbed, dubbed, and dusted!
Truth is like a threshing machine; tender sensibilities must keep out of the way.
Herman Melville
Re: DAB Radio
05-01-2017 4:15 PM
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As mentioned in my other post... you can seriously improve your FM reception by using an external antenna... so , put your DAB box on Ebay... ( start off at £5.00 to cover your fees ! ! ..) and then invest what you get in a "proper" antenna.
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