[BlueCooperR56]

I've just added DAB radio to my spec. When I went to BBCs website that tells you what stations you can pick up in your area and it didn't show one that I listen to a lot on normal FM radio. I can't believe that I can pick up a station on normal FM but not on DAB...but anyway, the point of my question. If, say, I can't pick that station up using DAB, can DAB be turned off and normal FM radio used in the usual way?
Thanks in advance!

[mikeythemini]

Yes FM can still be used
p.s. this needs to be in the R56 section

[BlueCooperR56]

Yes sorry, I realised that after I'd posted it! Thanks for the info! I've posted another question regarding armrests in what I think is the correct section! Would you mind having a look please? You seem to be very knowledgable!

[MINIMAT]

What station? Anyway you still get FM.

These might help:

DAB Ensembles WorldWide: Latest

Frequency Finder UK - Digital multiplexes in frequency order

[Harpo]

Quote: Originally Posted by BlueCooperR56 (original)

...You seem to be very knowledgable!

Very knowledgeable!!!???

You're talking to Mikeythemini here!

A 400 mile round trip that's worth every penny.

***there you go Mikey, you've got my bank account details***

[mikeythemini]

Cheers

[BlueCooperR56]

Thanks mikeythemini! I've had a look at the two links you put on your post. Neither of them show the station either, it's MAGIC 105.4. But if I can receive it quite well on FM then I would've thought that it would be OK with DAB. But if not, I can always use normal FM for that one! Thanks again!

[MINIMAT]

Magic is on DAB. It's just called 'Magic' as the frequency isn't really relevant on DAB radios. In Birmingham it's on the 'CE Birmingham' multiplex. I know as Mrs Minimat keeps sticking it on. It's a general pop music station without too much chat right?

ukdigitalradio: Local Roll-out

ukdigitalradio: Our coverage area

There are post code searches in the links above that might help.

DAB is a little different to traditional radio. On various frequencies digital information is sent to be decoded by a digital receiver. The information sent is put in a bundle called an 'ensemble' or 'multiplex'. Each multiplex carries the information for several radio stations at once. With a DAB radio, it picks up the multiplex and from within that multiplex delivers the particular radio station you want to listen to. The information for the other radio stations within that multiplex is still there but is ignored.

If you change to a different multiplex you get another fresh set of radio stations and so on.

Now a static DAB radio station, does an ‘autotune’ picks up all the multiplex’s at once and then puts all the radio stations from all the multiplex’s in alphabetical order. This might give you 40 radio stations perhaps. On a static DAB radio the info button or similar will tell you the radio station you are listening to and what multiplex it is on.

With a car DAB it’s different. As the car moves it will pick up fresh multiplexs but at the same time also be losing others as they are too far away.

For instance where I am sitting now I can pick up the multiplex 'CE Birmingham':

On 'CE Birmingham' is the radio stations: BRMB, Sunrise Radio, XFM, Magic Birmingham, Capitol Gold, Radio XL, BBC WM, Kiss, Century and Chill.

If I move out of Birmingham altogether I will no longer be able to pick up that multiplex.

If I move across to Wolverhampton there is a multiplex there called 'NOW Wolverhampton'.

On that multiplex is the stations, BBC Shropshire, BBC WM, Beacon, Chill, Classic Gold, Day One Radio, Kiss Wolves, Punjabi Radio, Sunrise Radio, and XFM.

Now if you have a good aerial and you are in the Birmingham area then you can pick up both multiplexs at the same time. At home the aerial picks up both, takes ALL the radio stations found and puts them in alphabetical order. The result is you actually get BBC WM twice. Once on the Birmingham multiplex and once on the Wolverhampton multiplex. In a car you may also be able to pick up both but depending on where you are driving you may also lose them too. On a Tuesday night I drive from my home in Birmingham to work in Wolverhampton. I start off the journey listening to WM on the Birmingham multiplex (CE Birmingham). As I get near to Wolverhampton to keep a good signal I need to change the multiplex to NOW Wolverhampton and then find WM again within that.

Now it may be that a Multiplex broadcasting Magic isn’t in your area at all anyway but what I thought might be happening is that you might not know that unlike a home DAB, in a car you need to change the multiplex and then find the stations within it. I don’t have a DAB head unit from Mini but on my head unit I have two vertical buttons that change the multiplex and two horizontal buttons that select from side to side within the multiplex.

The BBC’s DAB service is consistent throughout the country. You can start off in London listening to BBC7 and drive North and the multiplex’s change as you drive. To the person in the car you should hear BBC7 constantly without having to change anything.

It’s if you are listening to the local multiplexs that require you to change sometimes.

Finally you can’t test it all out sitting in your car either. Where I live is in low ground. I can pick up a few different multiplex’s sitting in my car outside my house but not 'NOW Wolverhampton'. Once I get moving I can pick it up even though I’m still in the Birmingham area. One of the important things with DAB is get a good aerial. The better the aerial the longer it will hold onto stations and the less you will have to change. Unfortunately many people have the sort that sticks to the window and isn’t as good.

I hope this is useful to you or anyone else who has recently got an in car DAB radio. Apologies if you knew this already. You may find that if you drive to a major city you can get Magic.

[MINIMAT]

For Reading the official multiplex for that area is Now-Digital.

ukdigitalradio: Reading and Basingstoke

Magic isn't listed. However, I'd be suprised if that's the only Multiplex you can recieve. I can get about six! Note with the websites they can't give a complete answer. In low, enclosed ground you can get signal dead spots. In high open ground you can get a better signal. Also what you receive depends on the receiving equipment, the weather and how good the aerial is. At home I have a DAB aerial in the loft that on a clear day can pick up Coventry's muliplex. From Birmingham that's pretty good going.

Anyway there is always FM!

[BlueCooperR56]

Thanks MiniMat! That's some really useful information! At least I now understand how it works! Much appreciated!
BlueCooperR56