# DAB radio possibly Pure Highway



## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

I am fed up with the drop out of signal with the FM signal everywhere I seem to go! I have an external aerial fitted due to poor reception and have similar issues in the car.....mostly from Loch Lomond north (oh and near where I live in North Norfolk too).

I am considering a Pure Highway, but have a few questions and I know some on here have them as I did a search, but I have different questions. Hopefully someone will know!

What is the reception like on the move?
Does it depend on an FM signal (then it is no use)
If it is connected via the auxilliary socket does that do away with the need for an FM signal
I would prefer not to have it properly fitted (then i can put it the car too) so is there an internal aerial that works OK?


Thanks!
Julie

:?


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## holeshole (Mar 20, 2010)

I expect you have already found it but I found this site very good in answering questions I had before fitting a JVC dab radio in our hab area.
http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/

Alan


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

AFAIK DAB ONLY works in the UK........

only the UK, Norwegian, Swedish and Belgian Governments have gone for that system and even there differences exist.......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countries_using_DAB/DMB

many others are trialling DAB+ which is not compatible with DAB, Denmark has it, but many others tried it and switched it off ( Andorra, Croatia, Finland)

so if you plan to use your MH over the Channel you may find yourselves talking more to each other or using other sources such as an iPod.........

The UK Government has decided NOT to switch off the FM transmitters - so any overall conversion to DAB seems a long way off......

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...vernment-abandons-digital-radio-deadline.html

of course, if they did switch off the FM transmitters and rely totally on DAB only, all new cars would need modification - that would please the manufacturers........

Dave


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

I only want it for UK use. The Highway still leaves the FM radio in place so there is a choice. 

I am not sure how good the signal coverage is. We only got it a couple of years ago in N.Norfolk.....and only got Freeview after virtually everyone else ....Normal for Norfolk!


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We are in Cornwall at the moment with a friend (also an MHF subscriber of LONG standing) and she tells me there is no DAB at all here....... so coverage is sparse once away from major areas of population.......

If you have FM and DAB that is a better option IMO.

Dave


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

If you struggle to get FM you are going to get diddly squat with Dab.
Coverage on FM is much more comprehensive than Dab.


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## Chudders (Jul 5, 2008)

Penquin said:


> We are in Cornwall at the moment with a friend (also an MHF subscriber of LONG standing) and she tells me there is no DAB at all here....... so coverage is sparse once away from major areas of population.......
> 
> If you have FM and DAB that is a better option IMO.
> 
> Dave


I,m afraid what you are told is rubbish. I live in Cornwall, have DAB radio at home, in the car and a Pure Highway add on unit in the motorhome. Reception is in the main fine, there are some blackspots but I also lose some coverage on FM in the same areas when I change over to FM in the motorhome to maintain a signal.
Cornwall might be along way down at the bottom of the country but we aint that far behind the rest of the country. Heck, we have had electric now for over a year.


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

pete4x4 said:


> If you struggle to get FM you are going to get diddly squat with Dab.
> Coverage on FM is much more comprehensive than Dab.


Having just driven from one end of the country to the other listening to national radio with no drop outs whatsoever I'm going to ask a stupid question is RDS turned on on your radio and is AF enabled?

Both those will keep you tuned in to the strongest signal if it's available. Most national stations ie BBC, Heart FM Classic etc have more than one channel in any given area and your radio should be swapping between the two.


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

pete4x4 said:


> If you struggle to get FM you are going to get diddly squat with Dab.
> Coverage on FM is much more comprehensive than Dab.


I'm in an area of South Devon where FM radio indoors is impossible except for Radio 2 and on AM I receive zilch.However, DAB works fine.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Chudders said:


> Penquin said:
> 
> 
> > We are in Cornwall at the moment with a friend (also an MHF subscriber of LONG standing) and she tells me there is no DAB at all here....... so coverage is sparse once away from major areas of population.......
> ...


I stand by what I am experiencing - we are currently with friends in St Columb Major, not far from Padstow and DAB is NOT available here.

As I, and others, have said, DAB and FM can be patchy, some work in some places, some in others.

*But do not accuse me of telling rubbish* - you are not here to experience what I can currently show - the people we are with have DAB radio equipment and previously used it in Devon before moving here, but it does not function here.

I stand by what I suggested which is to have FM AND DAB to improve the chances of high quality reception in most areas of the UK, but DAB is of no value in most of Europe.

Dave


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## bigcats30 (Aug 13, 2012)

Lets put this as simply as possible

DAB is NO BETTER than FM for reception.....just because it is digital does not mean you suddenly get more range...this is NOT how digital broadcasts work.

A frequency wave whether it be for TV or Radio or analogue or digital is STILL a radio wave and is STILL affected by the same things (we haven't invented new frequencies with digital we can now just cram more into the same frequency range)

The only way you can get a better signal is either

More power at the transmitter or a better antenna for reception.....(or better sited antenna such as high ground etc).

Same reason why freeview digital TV doesn't require a 'digital antenna'....(a digital antenna doesn't exist)

(I've tried to keep this as basic as possible as many variables affect signals)


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## Lydnian (Jun 8, 2012)

I have DAB via a Snooper navigator which transmits DAB to the fitted FM radio. Reception quality is better than FM radio. However, you still get variations in signal strength which lead either to drop out or 'burbling' - like a picture losing some of its pixels - which affects listening quality. There are some areas of the UK where the terrain makes FM and DAB reception difficult on the move eg Lake District and on the M6 in the Shap area. If you're looking for perfection, you won't get it.


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## Chudders (Jul 5, 2008)

Penquin

I work in St Columb Major, right in the main street and my DAB radio in the car works fine in the area.. It does drop out in Union Hill and for part of Penkernick way.

I did not accuse you of telling rubbish as per your post, what I said was what you were told is rubbish.
I do however think you are right in that a combination of choices of FM and DAB radio is useful


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Well. DAB is OK where I live...now we have a signal but FM is pretty poor. The FM signal is dreadful along the coast a bit (nera the helcopter crash where I go most mornings with the dogs.

The area I travel to frequently is Mull so I go up past the lakes where FM hisses. Then past Loch Lomond and up across to Oban ...hissing and nothing but hissing for most of it so I play CDs. I wondered if digital would be better, but it sounds like I would not get a signal either!

Thanks folks. Does anyone know if the direct aux in connection means you do not have to beam via FM, though?


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## Chudders (Jul 5, 2008)

4maddogs.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have a Pure Highway add on unit which I got from Dabonwheels who also offered advice. It works in most places for me, there are areas where it drops out but I have also experienced FM reception problems in some of those areas. 
My Pure Highway is connected to the FM radio in the motorhome via FM transmission. I have not connected it with cable. I would however recommend that you spend a bit more money and get a decent DAB aerial. The one that comes with the radio is not a lot of use. (It sticks to the inside of the windscreen. It might be OK in strong signal areas but I invested in a better aerial. The one I have sticks to the outside of the windscreen and the inner parts sticks immediately in side the outside bit. Seems to work fine and of course no holes etc to drill.
What I do like about the DAB radio is the much increased choice of stations


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

*Resurrecting thread*

Just updating this thread.

My radio reception had just about zeroed out. It got worse and worse. I was away at the weekend and decided I was so fed up I would get it solved before I went away again.....Wednesday!

My local Halfords fitted a new Sony FM/DAB radio this morning. The fitter showed me the wiring which was tangled, the connection thingy was sp,it and mangled. The dealer had spent hours wiring and rewiring the unit, fitted an external aerial when we first bought it (3 years ago) until I just got fed up and put up with the hissing.

All they had to do was clear the wiring up....makes you wonder about their competence.

Wish I had done this 3 years ago.

Crystal clear so far....,we will see how it goes on the open road, but so far, so good!


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Bit the bullit and bought a Kenwood DAB, DAB+ and FM headset (secondhand) a couple of months ago. At the same time I fitted a powered DAB and FM stubby ariel to the roof (aerial cost over a £100 supply only 8O )

But I have not lost signal for a second and have travelled the country including this week in the remotest parts of Mid Wales. If there is no DAB it swiches automatically to the same station, if there is one, on FM. Very, very pleased.

Dick


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