I suppose it is the spread of DAB replacing VHF repeaters, but these days VHF radio 4 only seems to be reliable in towns, not in many of the gaps inbetween. My car doesn't have a replaceable "head unit", but it has a USB power supply and a "line in" socket. Any advice on good DAB add-ons? Or will I still find significant gaps in coverage?
Pure Highway 600. Also gives you a decent quality Bluetooth streaming setup and handsfree for your phone.
We use one in the Toyota Alphard camper, to save swapping out the JDM head unit.
DAB very poor in West Sussex. Downstairs is bubbling mud, upstairs very variable. Outdoors very patchy too.
It sounds like a weather report.
I've read in the past that DAB is generally very poor, mainly because the design was inappropriate - it tried to get too many channels in the available spectrum so the signal to noise ratio is not good enough for listening to quality radio. It may be accepatable for telephone quality comms.
VHF is more variable because it needs local repeaters to fill "holes". For example the service on the main roads around Cambridge is very patchy, and the service is non-existant in the Scottish highlands.
However a good antenna makes a world of difference. For example, some years ago I had an Avensis with a very small antenna - maybe about 5 inches long. I extended it with the traditional coat-hanger wire strapped to it to achieve about 25 inches length - it made a world of difference.
Car designers clearly don't understand the requirements of radio antennae.
Thats just the bitrates which affect the audio quality. From s**te mono to pretty good stereo, but in practice thats just radio 3.
Don't have a problem around Cambridge where exactly?.
Yes indeed it does!
Can't possibly comment;!..
Odd. I drove to Bognor from London recently with R4 DAB on the car radio. Rock solid. Doing the same journey in another car with only FM, it was so bad I switched it off.
I'd suggest you get some better reading material. Due to a reduced data rate DAB audio quality isn't as good as it used to be (and should be) but to compare it to a telephone is nonsense.
The vast majority would be hard pushed to tell the difference between DAB and FM.
Wonder what happened to that bloke who had an obsession with DAB being worse than FM?
That brings back memories. ;-)
Thing is it's not a black and white argument as regards mobile reception (portable radio or car etc). Where reception may be the main factor rather than the very best audio performance.
Different matter making your choice if using good external aerials for both in your house.
I actually mainly use Freeview for radio these days. ;-)
Dodgy topography once you get into the South Downs?
Then you drove through the part where I live (A29), and all BBC FM channels are fine, either in the car or the house.
You must have been driving your 40-year old SD1 with its equally ancient radio.
Where DAB definately does not work.
I'd suggest you try the back roads from Billinghurst to the A217.
The Rover has the DAB radio. The other car a factory Bose installation. Which is an expensive option.
I use streaming radio most of the time - I have unlimited data on my phone and it interfaces with the audio system in my BMW - Tunein has a BMW app, as does Spotify for streaming music.
At home, I'll more often than not use my Amazon Echo for music, so relying on streaming again.
Best thing about streaming is that you can choose the stream according to the bandwidth available - when we're camping and relying on camp-site WiFi, I can knock the bitrate down.
Will do, once I get my car back from the MOT station.
DAB is variable or hopeless south of Billingshurst.
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