DIGITAL RADIO

otherwise known as DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting)

The first major improvement in radio broadcasting in the UK since FM and stereo!

DAB gives clean digital sound quality and lots of channels. Coverage is about 80% of the population now. In London and the SE there are around 40channels broadcast, many only available on DAB. All the usual ones, both BBC and commercial are available. The number of channels available will depend on local reception conditions.

Using the right aerial is important. DAB is transmitted on roughly double the frequency as ordinary FM radio, so using some physics that works out at half the wavelength which means aerials are half the size. So theoretically ordinary FM aerials are not 'tuned' so there is no gain and hence a lowish signal strength. Although in some areas a wire room aerial or an existing FM/VHF aerial will be satisfactory, we recommend using a roof/loft bandIII aerial. We stock both single element ones for high signal strength situations and 3 and 5-element ones for med to low strength areas. Being smaller than FM/VHF ones and easy to put up. Polorization is vertical, ie the rods are upright. Use digital-satellite double-screened coax cable if possible.

The range of portables is growing, particularly with personal-audio portables, including combination MP3 players.

HiFi tuners such as the Pure Digital 701 give very high quality results on a good system.

The range of DAB car radios is also growing, its perfect technology for radio on the move as there is no retuning needed between areas because all the transmitters work on the same frequency.

We aim to give accurate impartial advice about the products we supply, but as manufacturers sometimes change specifications without warning and new products appear overnight, it is not possible to guarantee our advice is always up-to-date. Always phone us or call in to our shop to get the latest info.