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DAB digital radio - Frequently asked questions
What are the real benefits of digital radio?
Crystal clear sound. More choice of
stations. No interference, no re-tuning. Text
and data services.
Why should I buy a digital radio when I am
getting a good reception on my current analogue radio?
There are a number of new digital only
stations now available which you cannot receive via your
analogue (FM) radio. You will also miss out on the
benefits of text and data services and, not forgetting, the
exceptional sound quality.
Do you have to pay any subscription charges for
digital radio?
No, unlike digital television, digital
radio is entirely free.
Can you get a good reception everywhere in the
UK?
Commercial radio covers over 85% of the
population and the BBC covers 60%. The reception you get will
depend on the coverage in your area. Some listeners find that if
they are on a 'fringe' area, a roof mounted, rather than window
mounted aerial will increase their signal.
When will the UK have 100% coverage?
The commercial operator (Digital One) has
a very extensive transmitter roll-out plan and they are
continuing to build transmitters on a monthly basis.
The BBC has been developing plans for their
next phase of transmitter roll-out but no date has been given
yet when their coverage will be increased.
For information of
coverage in your area visit
Do you have to re-tune your car radio as you
drive around the country?
No, as digital radio uses the same
frequency for national services, you will not need to re-tune
your car radio as you drive around the UK.
What about reported problems with the DAB
digital radio signal strength?
There is absolutely no scientific evidence
to suggest that there are any problems with digital radio signal
strength. DAB digital radio coverage is improving as more transmitters come on
line and the broadcasters are constantly reviewing and refining
their coverage.
The important issue, as with all broadcast technologies, is that
consumers are using the right aerials. If you have the
appropriate aerial and it's fitted correctly, your reception in
most areas of the county will be crystal clear and interference
free.
Can I get my local BBC service in my area?
All BBC local radio stations are
guaranteed space on the local/regional multiplexes. For the
current situation visit .
Please note: you cannot
receive local radio stations out of it's signal area. For
example, BBC Radio Kent will not be available in Leeds and
Ministry of Sound is available in London and Scotland but not
Manchester, etc.
Can I get the national commercial stations in my
area?
Eight national commercial stations are
available: Classic FM, Virgin, talkSPORT, Core, Life, Oneword,
Planet Rock and PrimeTime Radio. Visit
for more information about what is
available in your area, by using their postcode checker.
Why has digital radio taken so long to come on
the market?
It hasn't. Compared with other new
technologies, such as the CD and colour television, the take-up
of DAB digital radio has been faster.
The product is there. The services are
available.
Is digital radio really CD quality sound?
No, it's not but it is very close - many
people refer to their listening experience as 'like listening to
a CD'.
Why are receivers still so expensive?
As volume of receivers increases it is
inevitable that prices will fall. We have seen a
decrease in price during the last 12 months with Blaupunkt
DAB digital radio receivers available at around £200.
What is radio text?
Many radio stations broadcast information
along with their audio signal, some are still developing their
radio-text service, but in the future the text could include:
Band and artist information
The title of the track
Programme information
Sports headlines (+ scores)
News headlines
Contact telephone numbers ...etc...
What aerial do I need for my car?
You can buy a combined FM/DAB aerial for
your car. However, we would recommend that you check with your
installer first. Do not throw away your FM aerial until you are
satisfied with the reception you are getting from your DAB only
aerial. Remember, that if you install a DAB aerial only you will
not be able to receive the analogue services that are not
available digitally.
What is the current state of play?
There are currently thousands of digital
radio receivers in use at the moment. The take-up rate
will accelerate because more receivers
are being launched, more retailers are stocking DAB and new
services are starting up across the country.
When will analogue radio be switched off?
The authorities do not anticipate the
analogue switch over to be before 2015. However, no firm
date has been given by the Government yet.
Research shows that people are prepared to upgrade to digital
radio because their favourite stations sound better, the choice
is greater and reception a vast improvement on FM signals.
Why is there a delay between listening to a
programme on FM and the same programme via digital radio on some
stations?
There is a delay of 1-2 seconds between
analogue and digital broadcasts because of the encoding process
that is required prior to the transmission of digital
broadcasts. Time signals can be inaccurate on digital broadcast
systems because of the discrepancies in the different receiver
decoding times. This applies to digital television, digital
satellite and internet radio.
To overcome this problem
some stations, such as Classic FM, delay the transmission of
their FM signal by a similar period so that both FM and DAB
transmission routes arrive simultaneously with the listener.
What bit rate does digital radio use?
It depends on the station. Some speech and
mono programmes will be transmitted at 48kbits/sec - some
speech/music at 96kbits/sec and stereo music from 128 to
192kbits/sec.
What frequency is digital radio carried on?
Digital radio is carried in a frequency
range of between 215 - 230 MHz. Also known as Band III.
What is a multiplex?
It's a block of frequencies containing
different radio and data services. More services can be carried
on just one frequency enabling the radio spectrum to be used
more efficiently. The UK has been allocated seven multiplexes in
total.
Who owns the multiplexes?
There are two national multiplexes - one
for the BBC network and the other for Digital One (the national
commercial operator). For information on the local digital radio
multiplexes visit -
What is happening in the rest of the world?
Much of Europe is working with DAB as
well. Visit
for country updates, etc.
Why has the US adopted a different standard
(IBOC)?
It's probably a case of 'not invented
here' syndrome. There are other examples of America not adopting
a common global standard. Video is one of them. The fact that
they have not adopted the DAB standard has not affected
development in other areas of the world in tandem with the
UK.
courtesy www.drdb.org
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