# DAB Radio



## StreetSleeper (Nov 13, 2016)

Decided it's time to upgrade the radio in the van so I wondered should I go for a DAB radio or just upgrade and use a Pure Highway car DAB instead and use the existing radio? I'm not sure how well a DAB radio would work in some of the locations in Scotland. If anybody has any thoughts on this matter it would be appreciated.

Rae & Ann


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## hextal (Nov 14, 2016)

Personally I wouldn't bother with DAB in a vehicle - got 3 DAB radios in the house and barely listen to those any more.

The sound quality seems to be lower than analogue signal, I think most are 64kb mono signals.  It used to sound much better I'm sure. 

There used to be quite a few good stations (very subjective as tastes differ), whereas most of those now seem to be streaming service only. What's left seems to be the stock BBC stations and a bunch of advert channels that occasionally play a song.

I've fitted a few new head units in the last couple of years and just opted for standard radio. Pretty sure you need a different aerial too.


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## oldish hippy (Nov 14, 2016)

get one that takes a usb stick then load them up change the music as often as you want andcan take all your favourites and get one with built in screen for reverse camera with a bus your size you need one


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## campervanannie (Nov 14, 2016)

Bit of a waste of money I have 2 collecting dust somewhere.


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## oldish hippy (Nov 14, 2016)

well igot a six cd change unit and old radio from pug 406 and stainless plate where it was under seat think it still got cd loaded probably very dusty lol as it was the works shed


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## RichardHelen262 (Nov 14, 2016)

We recently bought a new Merc car that now comes with dab as standard, and I hate it, it is always losing signal


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## sasquatch (Nov 14, 2016)

I had a Pure Highway,it went when the van was nicked! It was very it and miss when moving,consequently I only used it when on site.Additional station are 4 extra and World service.other stations are just dross.


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## harrow (Nov 14, 2016)

StreetSleeper said:


> Decided it's time to upgrade the radio in the van so I wondered should I go for a DAB radio or just upgrade and use a Pure Highway car DAB instead and use the existing radio? I'm not sure how well a DAB radio would work in some of the locations in Scotland. If anybody has any thoughts on this matter it would be appreciated.
> 
> Rae & Ann



Signal quality and signal coverage.

If you will only be using the radio in urban areas, then yes go ahead.

If you want to go camping in the countryside, miles for anywhere then I think you will find it a very expensive disappointment.

A am/fm radio will cope with weaker radio signals much better, DAB is all or nothing and in rural environments it might well be nothing.

Experiment with a portable DAB radio and see if you like it. :idea-007:


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## kenjones (Nov 14, 2016)

*Dab*

My VW car has a DAB radio as OE. It works very well and automatically switches to fm and back in poor signal area. Very good sound quality.
I changed the van radio to a pure dab with hands free phone about three years ago. No problems but it's worth getting the aerial as high as possible.
My son is not sold on the system as he thinks it will have a limited life due to admin cost.


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## Deleted member 52918 (Nov 14, 2016)

I have installed a Sony dab in my VW Sharan, I have tested it's reception in a wide area of mid Scotland, it rarely loses signal.
Had to drive over 70 miles northwest of Dundee before it lost signal in a couple of very remote places.

It does have fm/medium & long wave, an aux input, cd player, a usb & I think an mp3 input.

I fitted an aerial signal booster for about £30.


I mostly listen to LBC, Planet Rock, Gold, Classic, BBC Scotland & radio 4. I'd get one!

Phill


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## yeoblade (Nov 14, 2016)

My Solar panel controller interferes with the FM on my van so I have a portable DAB I sometimes hook up to the head unit that overcomes the interference fine. But not such good coverage as FM. We use 3 DABs at home without problem.I think all DABs have Fm so always a back up there.


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## Ed on Toast (Nov 14, 2016)

I upgraded my dashboard CD Radio to a DAB model, as the previous did not have Bluetooth,so as it had to change, might as well, i thought.

While attending a reunion in August and enjoying an invite to some friends camper for breakfast, I noticed they had both a DAB on their dashboard and a small freestanding DAB radio. I asked why and the answer was flexibility and battery like. An Amazon order was duly placed


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## mid4did (Nov 14, 2016)

I,ve got a dab radio in the home.Listen to absolute 70's 80's also smooth and bbc radio2.
I took it with me on a trip to france and spain and never got a signal,anywhere.
This put me off getting a dab radio for the m-home
The last trip out we listened to the radio using the sat box through the satellite dish.
Or mp3's on the van radio.


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## Pauljenny (Nov 14, 2016)

We were early adopters of the Pure , but found it useless if we were away from urban centres.  

The MH  cab radio turns off after 20 minutes ,which was a nuisance , so we tried this as an alternative.

We now use the FM radio on the smartphone, BBC iplayer radio and Jango internet radio. Connected to a Sony Bluetooth speaker, it's the bees B0ll0x..
Not having TV means radio is very important to us , especially when we are abroad.
The Pure kit went to a charity shop .


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## trevskoda (Nov 14, 2016)

Dont bother with dab,if you must change get a £15 all sing dance sd usb of ebay,cd radios are old hat now.


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## Minisorella (Nov 14, 2016)

StreetSleeper said:


> Decided it's time to upgrade the radio in the van so I wondered should I go for a DAB radio or just upgrade and use a Pure Highway car DAB instead and use the existing radio? I'm not sure how well a DAB radio would work in some of the locations in Scotland. If anybody has any thoughts on this matter it would be appreciated.
> 
> Rae & Ann


Rae I'm in the same boat at the moment, so I'm really interested in any advice you get.  The radio in my van is rubbish... I didn't get a signal at all on the last Glasson Dock, Falkirk, Skye trip. I've sorted out a little standalone DAB radio and heaps of music on iPod etc with Bluetooth speakers but I really miss Chris Evans, Ken Bruce and Steve Wright... even Jeremy!!
  :dance:

Like kenjones, I've got a VW car with a built in do-it-all radio/CD/computer etc with both DAB and FM. I've never been without a good signal from one or other radio, no matter how remote the area, so it's obviously do-able and not too big an ask. Don't want to hijack your thread Rae but.... help!!


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## molly 2 (Nov 14, 2016)

My cab am. FM radio is crap  ,I think the problem is the antenna on the donor vehicle, it comes with a cab roof antenna, the van is a coach built with a Luton top ,I presume it is pushed flat to the roof  and covered with the grp top , hence poor signal .I asked at halfords about a dab they said a dab would be worse .


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## Beemer (Nov 14, 2016)

My motorhome radio is crap... down to the crap aerial and/or aerial location I think, so we carry a portable DAB radio which works for us, especially as 'er indoors loves the 80s music/channel.


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## StreetSleeper (Nov 14, 2016)

Thank you very much for all your input, it is very much appreciated. Normally I would reply to you all individually but, as you can appreciate, the response has been greater than I expected. I've read all the posts and there's a lot of food for thought and, although I haven't given up with the idea of purchasing some sort of DAB receiver, my first option, as mentioned by a couple of members, is an aerial upgrade: a cheap and simple upgrade I'm sure can be achieved. The system I have in the van works quite well when used as a CD player so if it's a matter of finding a better aerial I must chose this option first and if that doesn't work I will proceed on upgrading the radio.

Rae & Ann


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## Beemer (Nov 14, 2016)

StreetSleeper said:


> Thank you very much for all your input, it is very much appreciated. Normally I would reply to you all individually but, as you can appreciate, the response has been greater than I expected. I've read all the posts and there's a lot of food for thought and, although I haven't given up with the idea of purchasing some sort of DAB receiver, my first option, as mentioned by a couple of members, is an aerial upgrade: a cheap and simple upgrade I'm sure can be achieved. The system I have in the van works quite well when used as a CD player so if it's a matter of finding a better aerial I must chose this option first and if that doesn't work I will proceed on upgrading the radio.
> 
> Rae & Ann



I have recently bought an in line aerial booster for the motorhome radio, not fitted it yet, but hope it may improve reception.

Car Inline Antenna Aerial Radio AM & FM Signal Booster Amp Amplifier【UK】 | eBay


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## Canalsman (Nov 14, 2016)

mid4did said:


> I,ve got a dab radio in the home.Listen to absolute 70's 80's also smooth and bbc radio2.
> I took it with me on a trip to france and spain and never got a signal,anywhere.



Regrettably the DAB system in use in Europe is different from the UK, and incompatible ...

Shades of VHS vs Beta (for the older members of the site) ...


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## Canalsman (Nov 14, 2016)

I have recommended this before:

Blaupunkt FunLine AM/FM Disc internal windscreen antenna

(Other suppliers can be found, but this may be your best bet.)

This is a stick-on windscreen aerial that really works!

Definitely the first thing to try if you have poor radio reception. A bit fiddly to fit ... read the instructions several times, take your time, and do it when the windscreen is warm and dry. Sometime next year then! Or when you're in Spain ...


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## jmd100 (Nov 14, 2016)

We chAnged to dab radio as our radio wasn't very good was the worst thing we did sound quality was good if you could pick up a signal long enough before it disappeared even bought a live Ariel you stick on the windscreen just play cds now lot less bover.


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## Deleted user 48797 (Nov 14, 2016)

Dab is good for one thing only...... Planet Rock  !
Rock on
Bd..


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## flyinghigh (Nov 14, 2016)

time4t said:


> I have installed a Sony dab in my VW Sharan, I have tested it's reception in a wide area of mid Scotland, it rarely loses signal.
> Had to drive over 70 miles northwest of Dundee before it lost signal in a couple of very remote places.
> 
> It does have fm/medium & long wave, an aux input, cd player, a usb & I think an mp3 input.
> ...



exactly the same as mine with a top quality roof aerial i can get all the stations i normally listen too with no problems, you usually get drop out because of the aerial,
my sony head unit also take an ipod that has 3 days of music so even off the beaten track can still get my music fix,
I live in London and travel regularly to the west country and Scotland, i am able to listen to LBC/heart/Magic/radio2/3/4/5/smooth practically anywhere i travel and can always revert to FM/AM or DVD if i want to, 
as a bonus i use the AUX in to boost the sound from the Avtec TV to get surround sound as opposed the little speakers on the set,
If you go for  DAB unit make sure it's a DAB+ so you can receive a DAB signal in Europe,  France and germany at the moment and more to follow at a later date,


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## yeoblade (Nov 14, 2016)

Minisorella said:


> Rae I'm in the same boat at the moment, so I'm really interested in any advice you get.  The radio in my van is rubbish... I didn't get a signal at all on the last Glasson Dock, Falkirk, Skye trip. I've sorted out a little standalone DAB radio and heaps of music on iPod etc with Bluetooth speakers but I really miss Chris Evans, Ken Bruce and Steve Wright... even Jeremy!!
> :dance:
> 
> Like kenjones, I've got a VW car with a built in do-it-all radio/CD/computer etc with both DAB and FM. I've never been without a good signal from one or other radio, no matter how remote the area, so it's obviously do-able and not too big an ask. Don't want to hijack your thread Rae but.... help!!



Really   :lol-053::lol-053::wave:


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## Canalsman (Nov 14, 2016)

hairydog said:


> Not really, The UK system is an earlier version, but most good DAB receivers work perfectly well on both systems.



I quote from Wikipedia:

_As DAB is not forward compatible with DAB+, older DAB receivers can not receive DAB+ broadcasts. _

_Compatibility - In 2006 tests began using the much improved HE-AAC codec for DAB+. Virtually none of the receivers made before 2008 support the new codec, however, thus making them partially obsolete once DAB+ broadcasts begin and completely obsolete once the old MPEG-1 Layer 2 stations are switched off. Most new receivers are both DAB and DAB+ compatible; however, the issue is exacerbated by some manufacturers disabling the DAB+ features on otherwise compatible radios to save on licensing fees when sold in countries without current DAB+ broadcasts._

The UK uses DAB so if you have an older DAB set, which I do, it won't work where DAB+ is used, such as in France. Furthermore, even if you have a recent set it may have the DAB+ capability disabled (see the second paragraph).

Spain does use DAB but coverage is poor, and they are going to transition to DAB+ apparently. The UK is remaining on the poorer and less resilient DAB.

I remain unconvinced by DAB. I suspect strongly that streamed radio services will be the way forward given the vast expenditure in mobile networks and forthcoming developments. 5G is on the horizon with vast speed capability, but 3G/4G is more than capable of delivering high quality audio on the move.


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## Minisorella (Nov 14, 2016)

yeoblade said:


> Really   :lol-053::lol-053::wave:



Aw why not... he's a happy morning person at least and he gets some great stuff out of his guests. Couldn't live with him though... too chirpy! 
:lol-049:


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## flyinghigh (Nov 14, 2016)

hairydog said:


> Yes, of course there were some old DAB radios made before DAB+ was launched. That doesn't mean the ones you buy this decade can't do both.




my Sony head unit that i brought in 2013 is a DAB+ unit and it works well in the U.K. plus France and Germany, there are not many stations in europe at the moment but no doubt many more to follow when the old analog transmissions are turned off,


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## StreetSleeper (Nov 14, 2016)

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for contributing to this post, I've taken into consideration what everyone has said. After buying a signal booster I still felt the urge to go one step further and my option, as I didn't see anything wrong with my existing system, was to go for a Pure Highway 400 in-car DAB and Bluetooth music adaptor; brand new, in the box, delivered to the door for £107.90. I should have the best of both worlds.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Nov 18, 2016)

This little beauty hit the shag pile this morning, doesn't seem a lot there for the money; in fact I'd go as far as to say I was quite disappointed so my first plan of action will be read the instructions and try and make some sense of them then have a go at putting it all together. As we're going down to Rog's meet it doesn't leave me a lot of time but the only tricky bit seems to be sticking the aerial on and with the gritters being out tonight I may have to warm the windscreen up but I will post pictures as and when.





Rae & Ann


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## colinm (Nov 18, 2016)

Can't comment on car dab units, but where I live dab is king, fm reception is crap. Also last week when heading for home the TT was showing 2hrs holdup on the route, couldn't get r2 on fm to get traffic report so gf used my MoS dab 'walkman' and got a perfect signal to hear r2. Most dab radios I've seen have fm as back up, seems like best of both worlds to me.


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## colinm (Nov 19, 2016)

Mid Bedfordshire, in the middle between two FM transmitters.


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## colinm (Nov 19, 2016)

If I where to look at back of house at the moment with the leaves dropping I should be able to see TV transmitter, but FM for our area comes from either MK or Peterborough.


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## Doddy6 (Nov 19, 2016)

*DAB radio*

My Berlingo XTR came with DAB and find it clear and OK.


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## delicagirl (Nov 19, 2016)

i have a £20  Goodmans DAB radio for the van....  it worked wonderfully in Ireland  but cant get much reception  in Somerset


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## StreetSleeper (Nov 20, 2016)

Spent the best part of yesterday and today trying to get this damn thing to work, fitting it, not a problem; had to use a heat gun to warm up the windscreen so the aerial would stick to the glass better, read the manual about three times, went on to YouTube and even Googled it. The end result is no music and on the screen the message comes up Not Paired With Antenna.......and belief me I've tried everything......even moving the aerial.

Rae & Ann


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## trevskoda (Nov 21, 2016)

StreetSleeper said:


> Spent the best part of yesterday and today trying to get this damn thing to work, fitting it, not a problem; had to use a heat gun to warm up the windscreen so the aerial would stick to the glass better, read the manual about three times, went on to YouTube and even Googled it. The end result is no music and on the screen the message comes up Not Paired With Antenna.......and belief me I've tried everything......even moving the aerial.
> 
> Rae & Ann



Windsheild ant are useless as it will be sheilded ,a loaded vertical stick on roof is best and if roof is g/f then a alloy or some wire sprayed across under it will make the ground plane.
The spreading wires require to be same electrical length as ant.
Its all about gain which can be sorted with a coil which will give two quarter waves,of hand i think the electrical length of ant should be around 560mm .


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## wildebus (Nov 21, 2016)

StreetSleeper said:


> Spent the best part of yesterday and today trying to get this damn thing to work, fitting it, not a problem; had to use a heat gun to warm up the windscreen so the aerial would stick to the glass better, read the manual about three times, went on to YouTube and even Googled it. The end result is no music and on the screen the message comes up Not Paired With Antenna.......and belief me I've tried everything......even moving the aerial.
> 
> Rae & Ann



The "not paired with antenna" bit is something I am not familiar with. No physical connection between antenna and receiver? (I'll look into that bit I think)

As far as stick-on aerials/antennas go, something that is usually essential is a good ground to the chassis, without which they won't work at all.
As it happens, I fitted one of the stick-on windscreen antennas on Saturday for someone while I was installing their new Sat-Nav/Radio head unit. They supplied it and I did pre-warn them not to expect much at all from it (past experience from the general reception area) but it worked great in fact and picked up loads of DAB stations clearly. But as I said, I made sure of a good ground by scraping away paint on the A Pillar to ensure a good bare metal grounding.

PS. You mention moving the aerial.... these stick-on aerials are usually pretty flimsy and once stuck on will not come off agan without breaking.


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## flyinghigh (Nov 21, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> Windsheild ant are useless as it will be sheilded ,a loaded vertical stick on roof is best and if roof is g/f then a alloy or some wire sprayed across under it will make the ground plane.
> The spreading wires require to be same electrical length as ant.
> Its all about gain which can be sorted with a coil which will give two quarter waves,of hand i think the electrical length of ant should be around 560mm .



their is NO  subitute for a quality roof aerial or a body fitted one as long as you have a good ground plane,
the cheapest radio will work well with one, the best radio will NOT if it cannot receive a signal,
It's not rocket science!
My A class is composite with fibre glass outer skin and over a period of two years i tried 3 different types of screen aerial, all with promises of great performance all were crap, I tried using the TV aerial on the roof slightly better but still no cigar, then fitted an aerial to the chassis under the bonnet, It worked but was very directional, so fitted a second one on the other side with a splitter, this worked reasonable ok so left it alone for a year,
decided i wanted to upgrade to a DAB+ and put a Dedicated DAB/FM/AM aerial on the roof,
yes quite a bit of work running the aerial leads to the radio, putting in a good ground plane, ( copper tape adhesive) stuck to the inside of the roof in the wardrobe and terminating through a wire to my chassis,
A good days work but the radio reception is nothing short of a revelation! all the station i listen too locally i can also receive around90% of the country,
I used a Kinetic aerial and extension leads brought from Dabonwheels, I would recommend them as a company that sell quality equipment that is fit for purpose,


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## wildebus (Nov 21, 2016)

StreetSleeper said:


> This little beauty hit the shag pile this morning, doesn't seem a lot there for the money; in fact I'd go as far as to say I was quite disappointed so my first plan of action will be read the instructions and try and make some sense of them then have a go at putting it all together. As we're going down to Rog's meet it doesn't leave me a lot of time but the only tricky bit seems to be sticking the aerial on and with the gritters being out tonight I may have to warm the windscreen up but I will post pictures as and when.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I saw (and made a reply) to you aerial woes post.

Just a note on this unit itself ... It is worth perservering with it as it is a nice little system.  I had one of these, labelled up as the "Alpine EZi-DAB" pre-installed in my Citroen DS4 and I thought the functionallity very good (It can also work as an iPhone/MP3 conduit if your head unit doesn't support that already)
(UPDATE: My Alpine Ezi-DAB was an older unit by PURE, but my general "worth perservering" comment I think is still valid)

The only downside I found with the Ezi-DAB/Pure was reception as mine also used the standard stick-on antenna and where I live you usually need a "proper" aeriel to get reasonable reception on FM let alone DAB, so the _best_ solution would be a good roof-mounted aerial connected to that Highway 400.

FWIW, the Antenna I fitted to my T5 for my Pioneer DAB/FM unit totally out-performs any factory car system I have had while living in this area, and where before I have always had drop-outs in certain areas in reception (FM and DAB) my current setup never looses it. But good antennas are not cheap - mine was over £80 to purchase.

I did mention in that other post that the stick-on aerial I fitted at the weekend gave remarkably (and very surprisingly) good reception, but I would still recommend a roof-mounted antenna.


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## flyinghigh (Nov 21, 2016)

I would agree with everything Widebus has said,
this gives you some idea of the many different aerial that are out there and if they are suitable for your head unit,
http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/uploaded_files/DAB aerial compatibility chart.gif


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## wildebus (Nov 21, 2016)

Saw this video ... Pure Highway 400/600 Car Adapter Installation Guide - YouTube
Shows the grounding tail - no mention on going onto unpainted metal. I would say even if not specified, that should be ensured.
Looks like antenna is powered via a specific 12V accessory plug, and the Controller via the AAA batteries, and the two are paird with bluetooth, so I guess your first problem is that pairing has not happened? Definiately got power to the aerial control box?


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## wildebus (Nov 21, 2016)

flyinghigh said:


> I would agree with everything Widebus has said,
> this gives you some idea of the many different aerial that are out there and if they are suitable for your head unit,
> http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/uploaded_files/DAB aerial compatibility chart.gif



Looking at that chart, there is a clear heirarchy of reception quality ...

#1: roof-mounted (presumably permentantly fixed?) aerials
#2: magnetic aerials (presumably external?) aerials
#3: stick-on glass aerials.

The mag ones don't seem to be too far behind the roof ones - so if you want to avoid drilling holes (and you have a metal roof!) then a mag mount aerial could be worth a go (buy on sale or return, or on-line from a seller who respects the distance selling regulations!)


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## Grimola (Nov 21, 2016)

*Alipne  CDE196DAB*

Hi There

I have had DAB in my vehicles for past 6-7 years and never use FM anymore much better reception  than FM you do get the odd dead spot but in those areas FM is pretty poor also - can comment on Scotland for reception  but Cornwall is pretty good.   When I 1st went to in car DAB I used an in  windscreen mount aerial for a year and it was useless - I nearly gave up on dab thinking it was a waste of time - until I invested in a roof mounted aerial!  for in car dab you MUST invest in a decent roof mounted . I currently use a magnetic aerial and its very good - early as good as a permanent version.

I also own an alpine dab head unit shown in link below  - not the cheapest but in my experience its the best and has loads of features with a reliable bluetooth connection. Follow this link for the best price:

Alpine CDE196DAB - CD/DAB Receiver with Advanced Bluetooth

Whatever model you go for, without a roof mounted aerial you will be disappointed.


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## Grimola (Nov 21, 2016)

By the way - I have  2 of these (one on car and one on van) : Kinetic DMA-1004 Magnetic DAB aerial.  It comes with 5m cable but check if you require an additional extension . As mentioned in last post,  no problems with reception  and is  better than FM.  I live near Bristol but travel to Devon , Cornwall, Norfolk and Wales, only time I have no reception was in the black mountain's and deep in Cornwall the coast (in the middle of nowhere) but you have FM as backup. I only listen to BBC 6/BBC 4  music so FM is not an option for me anyway.





Grimola said:


> Hi There
> 
> I have had DAB in my vehicles for past 6-7 years and never use FM anymore much better reception  than FM you do get the odd dead spot but in those areas FM is pretty poor also - can comment on Scotland for reception  but Cornwall is pretty good.   When I 1st went to in car DAB I used an in  windscreen mount aerial for a year and it was useless - I nearly gave up on dab thinking it was a waste of time - until I invested in a roof mounted aerial!  for in car dab you MUST invest in a decent roof mounted . I currently use a magnetic aerial and its very good - early as good as a permanent version.
> 
> ...


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## mid4did (Nov 21, 2016)

Minisorella said:


> Aw why not... he's a happy morning person at least and he gets some great stuff out of his guests. Couldn't live with him though... too chirpy!
> :lol-049:



But he's always talking over the songs.
Mind you he was handy for getting me awake in the mornings,just to turn him off.


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## trevskoda (Nov 21, 2016)

flyinghigh said:


> their is NO  subitute for a quality roof aerial or a body fitted one as long as you have a good ground plane,
> the cheapest radio will work well with one, the best radio will NOT if it cannot receive a signal,
> It's not rocket science!
> My A class is composite with fibre glass outer skin and over a period of two years i tried 3 different types of screen aerial, all with promises of great performance all were crap, I tried using the TV aerial on the roof slightly better but still no cigar, then fitted an aerial to the chassis under the bonnet, It worked but was very directional, so fitted a second one on the other side with a splitter, this worked reasonable ok so left it alone for a year,
> ...



You are 100% correct and all the others are no more than a compromise with gain bosters,as for the windsheild type which are balanced capasanence with no physical connection some times,useless.


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## MartinFa (Nov 21, 2016)

StreetSleeper said:


> Decided it's time to upgrade the radio in the van so I wondered should I go for a DAB radio or just upgrade and use a Pure Highway car DAB instead and use the existing radio? I'm not sure how well a DAB radio would work in some of the locations in Scotland. If anybody has any thoughts on this matter it would be appreciated.
> 
> Rae & Ann


I upgraded to a Pioneer DAB radio earlier this year when the hole left in the dashboard by removing the automatic gearbox shift buttons (when we had the van converted to manual gearbox - it's a long story...) needed filling and the original fitted Ford radio/CD player was deemed to be unfit for purpose.

The main thing for me was the ability to plug-in a USB stick so I can take my own music with me, and to have an Aux input so I can connect my phone's (or any other) MP3 player. It also needed to be loud enough to be heard above the din of our agricultural-grade Ford 2.4 L / 125bhp diesel engine whilst on the move!

What other people have said about DAB being pretty useless out in the sticks is accurate. Though the ability to have loads of stations to potentially listen to is great. Most of them, of course, aren't worth listening to, but that's by-the-bye. The biggest problem for me - and I AM tech-savvy (honest), is figuring how to use the damn thing. Difficulty of use is compounded by the instruction book / user guide which has failed the translation test - probably from some rare dialect of Chinese. One day, I'll figure it out well enough to be able to remember how to find a station the *next *time I use the moho!


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## StreetSleeper (Nov 21, 2016)

All sorted. I cheated a little bit, I removed the magnetised aerial earth and made a new one that screws into the bodywork; as you can see from the picture below.





After doing this small mod. everything seemed to come together and, to say I'm delighted with the sound quality, would be a vast understatement. Thanks to everybody for your advice, I did read it all and it made a huge difference to the success of this project.

Rae & Ann


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## wildebus (Nov 21, 2016)

Good stuff.
Sounds like it was down to the original grounding tail not grounding (and if the install instructions are as good as the PURE video, they won't have made it clear ground really does mean ground!)


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## 4maddogs (Nov 21, 2016)

Someone posted:
Most people's experience of DAB radios is not good for two main reasons:

Doubt this is true at all!! Most new cars have them fitted. I have DAB in my car and in the MH....works perfectly even when i find FM hissing.


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## trevskoda (Nov 21, 2016)

It will be fine for fm as its hor/polorised & 5 wavelengths long ie 500mhz and tv is about 460/550 mhz tv band but useless for dab as its vertical pol.
 Radio is cut to aprox 100mhz about 550mm long so 5 times wavelength is as above so will give you a good gain.
Though you will require a splitter box.


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## mid4did (Nov 22, 2016)

Aldi have one on offer if this is what you're after:
Mini DAB Radio - ALDI UK


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## trevskoda (Nov 22, 2016)

The best station with the worst reception here is u 105 with frank mitchell chat show in mornings and caroline later on,i listen on net and some of the nutters here that ph in is unbelevable at times but i love a good chuckle,do tune in .


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## StreetSleeper (Nov 25, 2016)

*The Findings*

Left the house in Fife on our trip down to Botany Bay listening to DAB Heart radio, a little blip as we crossed the Forth Road bridge and then heading our way to Glasgow, got on to the 74, and that's when things started to misbehave. Round about Moffat everything went dead so we had to resort to DAB Radio 2. Reception returned round about Carlisle; now this is very normal for us to not have good reception in our van at this particular area. Anyway, on the way back up, as soon as we hit the M6 no signal so yet again we resorted to DAB Radio 2; now whether this is because the aerial is on the windscreen and the van is shielding the signal I couldn't say. We continued north, turning off at the 702 and even DAB Radio 2 became a bit iffy, kept switching itself on and off. By the time we got to the bright lights of Edinburgh everything had sorted itself out as music had been restored. 
I definitely think an aerial upgrade would be a good investment. I'm quite happy with the system and it works very well with my existing radio but it all seems down to location or how good your aerial is.

Rae & Ann


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## Camper Bob (Nov 27, 2016)

its all been said , but my pennies worth. I just took the DAB out of my van , and replaced the original FM radio. I bought a cheapy Bluetooth to FM transmitter and just use my phone to stream staions via bluetooth to the FM transmitter trhen on the cab radio. Works a treat , sound quality is fine , good enough for the van's speakers anyway. When not driving I invested in a Denon bluetooth speaker , it's lovely.
I travel a lot in Scotland , and found the mobile signal better and more available than the DAB one ,and I don't think DAB will exist in 10 years anyway, no company nor government will pay for more coverage now every thing is online, any investment at all will be on mobile signals.


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## StreetSleeper (Nov 27, 2016)

Camper Bob said:


> I just took the DAB out of my van , and replaced the original FM radio



I fully understand where you're coming from and that's why I retained the original FM radio and went for the add on DAB system. I don't have a modern phone so I can't comment about the Bluetooth but I'm sure it works very well.

Rae & Ann


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