FM DAB switch over Q

[leafspring]

The radio in my snotter only picks up AM which got me wondering... are they still going to transmit AM when we go from FM to DAB only?

[abbotsmike]

I don't think that the switchover to DAB will be happening anytime soon. Its mostly flunked, and quite a few DAB stations have gone offline AFAIK. However, the BBC experimented with switching off some AM transmissions, and I think discovered that nobody noticed!!

[HiFiHunter]

The UK Gov did pencil in an FM switch off date of 2015. However, before then can switch off they did stipulate three targets needed to be met: 50% of radio listening must be via DAB, DAB coverage has to match FM’s (97% of the country) and local digital radio has to reach 90 per cent of the UK.

We're not even close any of those three counts. That said the car industry (very important as most radio listening occurs in the car) is slowly moving to get DAB as an option on all cars by 2015. There are also plans a foot for 13 new DAB transmitters which will help address the coverage issue.

So ultimately, you can safely assume the switch over will not happen in 2015, probably a good few years later.

My advice, skip DAB. Either go for DVB through telly, an internet radio box (Squeezebox, Sonos etc) or a top end FM radio separates that can be had for pennies these days (Sony ES, Kenwood, Denon etc); any of which will give you far superior sound quality than DAB. Especially on the handful of stations that aren't overly dynamically compressed (Radio 3 & 4).

[Ranger 6]

HiFiHunter said:

...My advice, skip DAB. Either go for DVB through telly, an internet radio box...

If you were buying a car to keep for 5 years or more and didn't want extra cables/boxes etc. hanging on the dash what would you do?

[FlossyThePig]

Don't panic

[abbotsmike]

The other issue I have with DAB, is that I have a DAB stereo at home, and whilst it could be the aerial, coverage on it is terrible!