DAB Radios

[Mike_5040866]

Are there any decent DAB portable radios about that can be used in the caravan and on the riverbank?

Trying to listen to MW football and LW cricket in the van last few days was not good.

Local dealer says DAB portables poor in many areas especially Norfolk.

Thanks

 

[cokey1970]

We attempted to use a portable DAB radio in Suffolk a couple of years ago and couldn't pick any stations up.

 

[SteveW77]

DAB radio.It dosn't work,just like everything else this government has forced upon us.Half the country can't get digital tv, ID cards that the machines can't read, twice the council tax and half the services, the list is endless. It's such a joy to be British, any other nation would have ditched this shower long ago.

Steve W

 

[VIP2006]

Steve W - DAB does work, and for me who is profoundly deaf its a great step forward in allowing me to here speech and sound very clearly again. It cannot replace the human ear in the frequency range area but it does seriously help,My son bought me a Roberts DAB portable (for Fathers day last year.) and I use it constantly next to my bed. I can't speak for the strength of service over the country, ( there may be a net site which tells you) but it worked for me at Cambridge last July, and here in the NE of England. signals from a digital transmitter cannot bend around corners just like digital TV, but in time and investment it will be the next best thing that the modern world has to offer society. (and thank goodness me!)

Regards

 

[VIP2006]

have a look at this site http://www.digitalradionow.com/home.php

and if you do a search on Digital Radio it gives loads of sites.

 

[rob_jax]

Mike,

We have a Pure Oasis DAB (waterproof - so good for caravanning and outside use).

Sound quality is good for DAB - which isn't saying much - the old compression software and limited broadcast bandwidth means that it's never going to be HiFi.

I judge DAB broadcasts to be midway between FM and MW, so if you like listening to talk, sport and similar programs it's fine, but if you like Radio 3 live music broadcasts - then you will find it wanting. The JVC micro HiFi (FM radio / CD) fitted in our Eriba easily outperforms DAB on music.

Like Digital TV (FreeView or satellite equivalent) you need a good signal to get the best performance - and inside a caravan (metal box) running off the radio aerial is not the best start - an external aerial is significantly better (try the caravan FM aerial or fit a car FM aerial and only pull it out half-way (DAB broadcasts on 200 MHz, FM on 100 MHz - so a shorter aerial is needed).

Reception is some parts of the country is patchy, but generally OK - but take a look at the coverage maps already referenced.

Robert