DAB Radios - What to Choose for Best Reception

martindow

I have just bought a Pure One Classic radio but find that the reception is terrible compared with the cheap Asda radio it is replacing which worked fine (until it died). I'm going to return it to John Lewis but was wanting suggestions on what model to choose that might be more sensitive and have better reception.

It makes a noise like a chirrupping bird with the stations just audible in the background. There is no problem with the Pure radio as this is the second one they have given me and they are equally bad.

Sput2001

I've got a Roberts. Can't fault it.

Robin_T_Cox

Bear in mind that, during the switch-over to digital TV, many DAB transmitters are being affected by planned interruptions. See:

http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/coverage/plannedinterruptions/

mumoftwins

My sister bought me a Roberts DAB radio last year and I tried it whilst I was at her house in Rutland, the reception was dreadful! When I got home to Hertfordshire it was a lot better but the choice of preprogrammed stations wasn't good enough for me, so I swopped it for a Pure One which is excellent! I also have a Pure CD radio alarm clock too which is fantastic. So I guess what Robin says definatley has an effect.

Guess we must be patient

martindow

Thank you all. According to Robin's link there is no planned maintenance around here.

I am going to borrow friends' radios to see what happens and will update later.

John_Gray

How far are you from the transmitter*? Chirruping is the usual symptom of poor signal. Some radios do a better job with poor signals than others, but both Pure and Roberts ought to be pretty good...

* Try here, fill in postcode and house number in grey box at lower right, and say "Yes, you are in the aerial trade" to get distances from transmitters in km.

Pssst

Digital smigital....get yourself a proper wireless with some snap crackel and pop.

Listen to the world not local sanitised balderdash...

vervin

MY DAB radio on the stereo has very bad reception ,[ sometimes i can get the channels other times not] can i get a indoor aerial to boost it ??

Quasar

I have a Sony DAB Radio HiFi and I must say that the reception is fantastic once the right orientation of the antenna cable is found.

Blackjack_Davy

I'm thinking of buying one of these. Can anyone tell me if they have a VHF aerial socket in the back (looks like one you find in the back of the TV)

FM reception around here is almost useless even on analogue, but I plug the TV aerial into the back of my FM tuner and the reception is great!

It's nice to have a use for it again, I'm on satellite TV here and theres no Freeview available (analogue TV reception is terrible too.) :rolleyes:

Robin_T_Cox

Re: aerial boosters - I'm using one of these:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5349388/c_1/1%7Ccat_14419512%7CTelevision+aerials+and+boosters%7C14419536/Trail/searchtext%3ETV.htm

It's a bit fiddly to assemble the various parts, and you do need to be careful to thread the thin central wire of the coax through the tiny holes in the sockets. But once you've done that, it works well.