With the purchase of a car a few weeks ago, that had no reception at all on AM , awkward when I enjoy Talksport , and so with the need to receive calls hands free I treated myself to a new Kenwood machine., with DAb and built in maps and cd
I've never had a DAB Radio before, so can someone answer this question
Whilst driving along, it suddenly loses all radio reception ,this has happened on the M3 to Soton, and a3 to Bognor, and A316 to Twixkenham.....is this normal.
Even thou it's a new machine, I still get poor AM reception, and have to listen on DAb.
Having bought this new toy, I'm surprised they don't do they with a screen that can pivot towards the driver, rather than remain flat , cause with sun light on them it's not easy to watch
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Dab coverage is patchy, short range and pretty much line of sight. Tall buildings or hills between you and the transmitter means burbling mud sounds. Your radio should switch between MUXs (transmitters) when on the move in theory, in practise there are large gaps.
Dab is still not yet fit for purpose, which is why we still have FM,
However, there is an underlying theme here. Your AM didn't work, new Radio your AM still doesn't work. Sounds to me like your aerial is crap/rubbish/broken.
DAB also needs a good aerial. Outside. the one that sticks on t e inside of the screen wont do, not by a million miles.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 20 Apr 17 at 08:14
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>>we still have FM
Not for much longer it seems, Zero. I read that the government want to switch it off. That will leave many thousands of cars without radio reception.
Apart from reception problems with DAB, none of the above posts mentions the lack of ambience with it. FM sounds more ear-friendly to me but maybe that is just a personal preference.
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>> >>we still have FM
>>
>> Not for much longer it seems, Zero. I read that the government want to switch
>> it off. That will leave many thousands of cars without radio reception.
Its not happening any time soon. This proposal keeps coming up, government keep getting kicked by the public, and they retreat.
Lack of Ambience? I think you mean the sound quality is dire at best, and barely audible at worse. A consequence of the shockingly low bit rates employed.
DAB radio implementation in the UK is a huge cockup, a national disgrace.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 20 Apr 17 at 15:31
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>>Apart from reception problems with DAB, none of the above posts mentions the lack of ambience with it. FM sounds more ear-friendly to me but maybe that is just a personal preference.
Use your ears ambo, zippo mentioned it upthread :)
"DAB is good for the extra stations that it offers over FM, but, and it is a very big but, listen to music on FM and switch to the DAB version of the station and to me there is a huge degradation in sound quality / dynamic range"
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Most people are not Hi-Fi buffs and just want something to listen to. They really don't know or care about bandwidth, dynamic range etc
It a bit like cars, you either know about them or they are a domestic appliance.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 20 Apr 17 at 16:49
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And most people over 60 wont be capable of noticing the difference anyway. Convenience outweighs audio quality for most people.
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>> And most people over 60 wont be capable of noticing the difference anyway. Convenience outweighs
>> audio quality for most people.
They will because its so poor. I am over 60, my hearing range is well down and it still sounds crap to me. Seriously crap.
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I have the same problem with Jeremy Corbyn.
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>> I have the same problem with Jeremy Corbyn.
My god that man has reverted to his roots damn quick. All property is theft, the rich are stealing from the poors pockets, Its all a conspiracy by a secret ruling cabal, (surprised he hasn't blamed the jews yet)
Jesus.
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I'm a few years ahead of you and hearing going down hill fast. In fact researching hearing aids at the moment. Used to be able to distinguish woodland birds by their song. Now don't even hear the the higher pitched songs. Getting old is a pain eh?
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>>Getting old is a pain eh?
The alternative isn't exactly a bundle of laughs.
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I'm aware you can't hear them in a vehicle (!), but the Freeview radio channels have always, in the case of the majority of stations, been transmitted at much superior audio quality than that of DAB.
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I've not got one in either car as they are too old and I've not got one in the house as i don't really listen to the radio. However we have got them in one of the vans at work, the reception is really poor you can't get half of the channels programmed into it. It just searches continuously. Its a better signal on FM and that's not great to start with
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I've got DAB in the Lexus -its OK most of the time, but can drop out if you go somewhere a bit more remote.
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>> I've got DAB in the Lexus -its OK most of the time, but can drop
>> out if you go somewhere a bit more remote.
>>
Outside the M25? :-)
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The Volvo V60 I test drove recently had a DAB radio, so I tried it out on the road test = complete carp!
Not all radios are the same of course. I have 5 DAB in the house because I'm getting to old to be able to carry a portable radio from room 2 room. The reception on the Sony and Panasonic is top notch, not so good on the Yamaha, borderline carp on the Philips, and total carp on the Roberts.
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The XC60 has DAB and we have it permanently on Planet Rock.
In just over a year, despite doing John O Groats and lands End we've never lost the signal yet!
Pat
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"Planet Rock, Absolute Radio 80s and Premier Christian Radio can still be heard across major conurbations of England, with the exception of East Anglia, Cornwall and coastal parts of the South-East, including parts of Kent and Sussex"
www.radio-now.co.uk/news687-lost-planet-rock-absolute-80s-dab.htm
:(
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Don't take too much notice of that Dog, Planet Rock is on the DAB radio in the house now!
Pat
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I can't get it here now at all at all Pat, which is a shame because I often used to listen to said station.
Available on-line of course.
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>> I can't get it here now at all at all Pat, which is a shame
>> because I often used to listen to said station.
>> Available on-line of course.
>>
I guess on line listening will make broadcast radio redundant in the not too distant future. I tend to listen to BBC on iPlayer now. So much more flexible and convenient.
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>>I guess on line listening will make broadcast radio redundant in the not too distant future
I listen to UK Radio on line in the car all the time. Works perfectly, I never listen to local radio.
So if it works here, then listening online in the car in the UK ought to be a doddle.
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Depends on coverage and data costs of course.
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>> Not all radios are the same of course. I have 5 DAB in the house
>> because I'm getting to old to be able to carry a portable radio from room
>> 2 room. The reception on the Sony and Panasonic is top notch, not so good
>> on the Yamaha, borderline carp on the Philips, and total carp on the Roberts.
Think own brand. The best DAB radios in The Towers are the Tesco own jobs.
I tried to do a link and it didn't work. If you Google 'Tesco DAB radios'. Their own brand clock radio at £24, I can recommend.
Last edited by: Duncan on Thu 20 Apr 17 at 08:53
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>> If you Google 'Tesco DAB radios'. Their own brand clock radio at £24, I can recommend.
Proper job! .. I'll check it out later when I've done the washing up :)
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Have had no DAB signal problems in the M135i. It's good to hear 5Live clearly rather than through MW fog.
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>> Have had no DAB signal problems in the M135i. It's good to hear 5Live clearly
>> rather than through MW fog.
>>
M140i's drops the signal frequently, as did the system in my old 320d. I think it depends whereabouts you are when driving. There are big holes in coverage.
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>> M140i's drops the signal frequently, as did the system in my old 320d. I think
>> it depends whereabouts you are when driving. There are big holes in coverage.
I don't recall probs, west country to Edinburgh via Manchester and Carlisle, also Sheffield area and Wiltshire, Hants up into Surrey.
Though it did drop for a second or so a couple of times locally the other day.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 24 Apr 17 at 12:53
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Blimey 50 minutes to do the washing up, you must have one massive house and loads of peeps.
I do the washing up before putting it in the dishwasher ....
Anyway thanks guys, didn't realise they'd be blind spots in terms of no reception , Mega annoying
Last edited by: wotspur on Thu 20 Apr 17 at 10:07
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Whenever I've been in a car with DAB as soon as you enter a built up area the buildings knock out the signal. DAB is fine when stationary, not so good on the move, IMHO.
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I rather suspect that you need a decent antenna the. Is it original kit? The DAB in my Golf works fine 99% of the time. Only area where it was a problem was North Wales - the mountains I guess.
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I have DAB in my Honda CR-V and it's brilliant. Travelling down to Portsmouth listening to Radio 5 is fine and hardly any loss of signal.
I only ever use DAB in the car and never have problem with reception be it LBC, Radio4, Radio5 or a local station. I even listened to Radio5 and Radio4 when I was in Normandy in France last year. The signal came from the Channel Isles but there was the occasional dropout.
Last edited by: Robbie34 on Thu 20 Apr 17 at 11:12
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>>Blimey 50 minutes to do the washing up, you must have one massive house and loads of peeps.
Just me ... and the missus.
I doos the ole woman's porridge with blueberries, my 2 flied eggs on holy ghost, feed the 2 dawgs, clean up the kitchen worktops, vac the tiled kitchen floor with a cheapo rechargeable Hoover I bought on eBay for little Monet
Tis all go being a woman don't cha know.
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£12 if anyone's interested:
www.hotukdeals.com/deals/tesco-dab-radio-dr1404p-12-00-ebay-tesco-outlet-2669632
Not for the car of course.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate II on Thu 20 Apr 17 at 11:35
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DAB is good for the extra stations that it offers over FM, but, and it is a very big but, listen to music on FM and switch to the DAB version of the station and to me there is a huge degradation in sound quality / dynamic range.
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DAB is good for the extra stations that it offers over FM, but, and it is a very big but, listen to music on FM and switch to the DAB version of the station and to me there is a huge degradation in sound quality / dynamic range.
I'm sure thats true but the problem sorts itself as you get older and as your hearing deteriorates and it sounds just about the same!
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There is a small DAB blind spot near here, about a mile of road. My car radio automatically switches from DAB to FM and back to DAB as I drive through this area.
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I don't do pink, knowlmean. Good price though.
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I have DAB in my current car and indeed it was in my old one. I travel widely throughout the country and it has never been a problem to get and keep a signal. Even in the FM dead spot areas like near Tebay on the M6. Love it.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Thu 20 Apr 17 at 13:52
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I thought t'bay was a Yorkshire auction site
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...and Eee by gum is what young Yorkshire people take as a recreational drug...
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Did you realise that Robert Mugabe has rooots strongly in Yorkshire?......just look at his surname, backwards
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I have a DAB radio in the kitchen. We are line of sight to the Nebo Mast around 10-15 miles away - reception is perfect with the full range of Channels.
The V40 T5 had a DAB radio and worked find. I know where the signal drops out on my usual routes, worked quite well even in Ffestiniog which is basically surrounded by mountains (not English mole hills).
The 320 has an excellent DAB radio - occasional drop outs on the A55 but apart from the Archers' cliff-hangers I don't miss much.
New home has line of sight to Moel y Parc mast around 5 miles or less - no concerns about the signal quality there one would hope.
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DAB in our cars doesn't seem to be an issue. It drops out occasionally, but not enough to be an issue, and only ever momentarily. It's more reliable than streaming via Spotify or Deezer, which uses the in-car sim on the BMW and the 'phones sim on the Audi. Can't remember the last time it switched to FM, and I'd notice because the stations I listen to aren't on FM in our area. So I suspect it's either receiver or arial quality that determine reception more than the quality of the signal? Quality is average, but then then so's streamed audio or iPhone stored music. I expect CDs would sound better, but I haven't put one of them in a car since 2005 I don't think!
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Guessing you had DAB in your Merc too Peter? Have to say it works very well in mine and indeed did in the old one. Maybe different systems are better than others.
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Thanks for All the,responses , I didn't realise there would be a,problem, I thought , and had no reason not too, that DAB was the way to go. Oh well I'll,take,it,back,to,the,fitters,to,see,if,they,can improve the AM reception too
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" DAB uses different frequencies from FM radio. We advise you check that your antenna is able to receive DAB, in majority of cases you will need a new antenna. An exception is "helically wound" FM aerials"
www.radioandtvhelp.co.uk/interference/rtis_radio/car_dabradio
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>> " DAB uses different frequencies from FM radio. We advise you check that your antenna
>> is able to receive DAB, in majority of cases you will need a new antenna.
>> An exception is "helically wound" FM aerials"
>>
>> www.radioandtvhelp.co.uk/interference/rtis_radio/car_dabradio
Quote:
A helically wound car aerial is short and stubby and is usually roof mounted. They are often fitted to newer model cars and are designed to amplify the FM signal, so may not work effectively with a DAB radio.
Any old helically wound FM aerial wont do. Only a specifically designed* FM/Dab aerial or two separate aerials will cut it.
* co linear or diplexed.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 21 Apr 17 at 10:01
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>> Guessing you had DAB in your Merc too Peter? Have to say it works very
>> well in mine and indeed did in the old one. Maybe different systems are better
>> than others.
>>
D'you know what, I can't remember. It was a 2012 one, so perhaps it did. It certainly had a better sounding stereo than the BMW, though of course the flexible nature of the convertible roof must imapact sound quality
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The factory fitted DAB radio in my VW Transporter is rubbish. Always losing its signal, so I just listen on FM. I'm sure if the radio stations knew how many listeners they would lose if FM was switched off they would object to losing it.
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Its got that stupid aerial imbedded in the windscreen I think. Radio reception in transporters has always been rubbish.
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I think it's actually within the N/S door mirror. FM is fine, so can't be bovered to fit a separate DAB aerial.
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You've just jogged a memory in my mind Dulwich!
The Pink 'Un was the local sports newspaper in Peterborough, out around 5.30 on a Saturday evening to check the football results from around the country.
When I was very small I had three brothers the youngest who was 16 years older than me so I remember them waiting avidly to see how their 'team' had done and then sitting and checking their football pools coupon...they never won!
Pat
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That's crrrazy DE 11, I bought one of those for the ole woman to use in her on suite a couple of years ago for £50. It's a very good radio with a fair ole sized speaker so I'll have another one at that price. Thanks!
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Dab radio - Zero
