problem with DAB radio

Katykat

I've bought a new Hitachi CD, Ipod player, DAB, FM radio. CD & Ipod working OK but I've auto tuned the DAB radio & can only get a couple of stations, one being Smooth & one "Amazing" which I've never heard of. There is an aerial, much like a thin shoelace and when I hold this through an open window, I then get the BBC stations, but no others. My son says that digital stations dont need an aerial anyway, but is he right, and if so, why cant I get the stations?. We are in a digital zone & dont have any problems with freeview or Sky. Could it be the machine thats faulty?

kwikbreaks

Check to see what your coverage is classed as..

http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/

All radio needs some sort of antenna. How big it needs to be is what varies and that depends on the field strength at your location and the sensitivity of your receiver.

Hammyman

Digital radios do need an aerial. Most aerials that come with kit tend to be borderline useless for indoors unless you are next to the transmitter.

googler

Whether you get Freeview or not is of no relevance to DAB, since Freeview is transmitted from Television transmitters, and DAB from Radio Transmitters.

Can you connect any other kind of aerial to it? What kind of aerial socket does the shoelace plug in to?

AHAR

If it isn't already, try positioning the aerial so that it runs vertically.

Katykat

Thanks folks. I've checked my postcode reception & should get most stations. The shoelace just comes out the back of the radio, nowhere to connect an indoor aerial to. Think I'll have to have a goos sit down & fiddle around with it.

Exemplar

Most DAB radios allow for a specific DAB aerial (I've pottered round our house and the Roberts in the utility allows for 2 and the Hitachi living system in the kitchen does as well). However Hitachi living systems did have a penchance for having faulty DAB radios. Check the model number via google. Also if it is working correctly DAB aerials can be a bit funny about where they are placed!

nomobel

Katykat wrote: »

Thanks folks. I've checked my postcode reception & should get most stations. The shoelace just comes out the back of the radio, nowhere to connect an indoor aerial to. Think I'll have to have a goos sit down & fiddle around with it.

I have a under-cupboard DAB / FM / Internet kitchen radio. It is great, except that occasionally the DAB signal vanishes for a couple of seconds (usually when Radio 4 discussions get interesting:().

Isn't the DAB signal running at part capacity? I thought they were going to increase signal strength at a later stage? Which could explain the problems...

Katykat

I've had a good fiddle around with it and can get more stations now, but not the BBC stations. Its annoying me now.

spakkker

DAB radio has been very badly introduced in the UK and is pretty flawed.
Maybe connect a higher external aerial via coax to the existing aerial ??