Digital Radio

[AndrewSchofield]

Hi guys,

Does anyone know what the future plan for digital radio is? As far as I can tell, coverage is pretty limited outside urban areas at the moment - certainly we can only get the BBC channels on digital radio at home and i've seen radio station websites list a number of cities where you can pick up their digital signal only if you live in or near them.

So is this pretty much how things are going to stay for the forseeable future, or is the digital radio network going to be upgraded and rolled out across more areas?

I've got a digital radio at home, and was thinking of getting a portable one so that I can use it all over the house - but if i'm not going to be able to pick up anything but the beeb channels for the next few years at least, then there seems little point in bothering?

 

[Barnsbury]

Not sure how urban where i am is classed. 25 odd miles outside london (as crow flies)

I can pick up plenty of DAB stations on the small portable radio i use around the site here.

Generally keep to Absolute 70s or 80s but there are plenty others.

 

[trollmaster2000]

Aside from BBC 6 music, I've found that there's very little worth listening to accross the digital radio spectrum.
However, I've also found that BBC 6 music is worth the price of the radio alone.

 

[Belle427]

ive got a small portable sony which picks up lots of channels but a larger phillips one i have on my computer desk struggles.
the sony has the old fashioned metal extendable aerial and the phillips has the wire type, which may be something to do with it
give planet rock a try

 

[^woody^]

DAB has lost its way somewhat since first mooted, and the planned switch-over from FM in 2015 may not happen now unless the parties get their act together - which seems unlikely by 2015

If there is a switch-over like with TV, then perhaps the signal and coverage will be boosted to truly national coverage

But the way things are looking, FM is still going strong and our access to the digital channels is changing with many options available .... via cable, via satellite, via freeview, via the internet

So to access the numerous digital channels it may well be better to get an Internet radio or rig something up with a laptop and speaker and connect to a wifi router - then you get DAB stations and all the other internet only stations

But it could be that you by a DAB portable from the likes of Argos, give it a go at home, and if no good take it back

 

[AndrewSchofield]

Think you've said what I thought was the case Woody - at the moment I can't see the point in investing in a portable DAB when most of the stations i'll be able to pick up on it are available on FM anyway. And if that situation isn't likely to change in the next few years then i'll probably not bother...

 

[Barnsbury]

I suppose it depends on what you want to listen to. My favoured station for the morning, is the local station which is not available on DAB. During the day, as previously mentioned i like the staions dedicated to the 70s and 80s.

As for the switchover, the problem i personally would have is in the car. I do not listen to tapes or CDs. If the FM signal was switched off, i would need to replace the radio in the car.

Another expense i could do without.