Ready for digital radio

Internationally, hard work is being done on the digital radio path. In a country like Norway, for example, the switch has already largely been made from analogue to digital radio. National FM can no longer be received there. Only regional broadcasters are allowed to broadcast on the FM band. There is a good chance that this will also happen in the Netherlands in the future.

In addition to very good sound quality, digital radio offers even more advantages. An important one is that DAB+, the digital successor to FM, can be heard almost everywhere in the Netherlands. The coverage of around 97 percent ensures that more people can receive digital radio well than traditional FM and AM.

An advantage of DAB+ in the car is that you no longer have to switch to a better wavelength while driving if the signal is lost. Wherever you drive, your station’s signal will always be good with digital radio without you having to do anything. On FM radio, stations always have to fight for a spot due to the limited bandwidth.

In digital radio, the broadcasts from different stations are bundled together in a packet. As a result, there is more space and in practice that means that many more channels are available on DAB+. Think of the public broadcaster, but also all available regional and commercial stations in the Netherlands.

There is also room for all kinds of themed channels, such as stations that only play Christmas music at a certain time of the year. DAB+ also offers extra space for sending useful information, for example about artists and music tracks, or traffic information. You no longer have to remember and/or look up the wavelength of a station. With digital radio you simply search by the name of the station.

What do you need?

DAB+ uses its own technology for sending and receiving information. This means that you also need a special radio to listen to DAB+. This is not possible with an FM or a DAB radio (DAB+ is the improved version of DAB, which was already developed in 1981). Fortunately, there are now hundreds of DAB+ devices for sale from various manufacturers. You can find them in all shapes and sizes and different price ranges. From a small portable radio to a complete home set with which you can play radio throughout the house.

All DAB+ radios are equipped with an autoscan function. This allows you to automatically search for all available channels in one go, just like you do with modern digital TVs. Some DAB+ radios even have the option to pause and record a radio broadcast so that you can continue listening to the program later. Do you want to receive FM in addition to digital radio? For example, because you take your radio to a country where DAB+ has not yet been developed that far? Then look for an FM indication on the DAB+ radio you buy.

Podcasts

One disadvantage of listening to radio is that you are usually stuck with the times when the programs are broadcast. If there’s an informational broadcast late at night and you have to get up early again, you’re out of luck.

Fortunately, there are podcasts. The word ‘podcast’ is a contraction of the words ‘broadcast’ and ‘iPod’. Broadcast is English for broadcast and an iPod is Apple’s small digital music player.

A podcast is really just a radio broadcast, but in the form of an audio file that is made available. That means, just like a video on YouTube, you can play the podcast whenever and wherever you want.

It is also useful that you can subscribe to a podcast channel: for example, a series about mindfulness. You will be notified automatically every time a new podcast appears in the series. To listen to the podcasts, you use an app or website that is specifically aimed at playing podcasts.

A good reception

Although DAB+ was originally made for reception outdoors, such as in the car, the transmitters are now so powerful that the reception is also good in most places in the house. However, temporary disruptions can sometimes still occur due to certain weather conditions (for example, a dense fog). Unfortunately there is not much that can be done about this.

Other disturbances are caused by thick walls in the house or car due to an incorrectly placed antenna. DAB+ radios for the home have a built-in antenna. Usually it receives well enough, but sometimes there are problems. In such a case, it is wise to perform an autoscan first, so that the channels are searched and set again.

There is sometimes some shifting and tinkering with the channels, so that a preset station suddenly no longer gives a signal. If the autoscan doesn’t work, try out your radio in a few different places around the house and possibly outdoors. You will soon hear whether the location or the radio is the problem. If the location causes problems, you can possibly solve that with a separate DAB+ antenna for indoor or outdoor use. You have to pay attention to whether your radio has a connection for a separate antenna.

In the car, it is usually a poor quality antenna in the wrong place that causes interference. Consider, for example, a cheap foil antenna against the inside of the window. The best choice is a whip or shark fin antenna on the outside of your car. By the way, don’t forget that, just like with FM, digital stations can only be received up to a limited distance outside the Dutch border. That is and remains the main reason for poor reception on holiday.

Internet radio

Another form of digital radio is internet or web radio. Where DAB+ goes over the air, you receive web radio via your internet connection. That can be your home network, but also WiFi or 3G/4G. Internet radio has some great advantages: the reception is always good and you can listen to tens of thousands of radio stations from all over the world. It doesn’t matter where you are, as long as you have internet.

Where you have to use a special radio for DAB+, you can already access internet radio with a PC, tablet or smartphone. You still need an internet radio app. These types of apps are often (with some limitations) free. For full access without advertising, you pay a small amount. Another option: websites that offer Internet radio.

There are also radios that allow you to receive internet radio. They have a better speaker than your smartphone and/or tablet and offer functions that are specifically aimed at listening to web radio. The best choice if you want to listen to digital radio as widely as possible are the so-called hybrid radios. Handy: with this you receive DAB+ and internet radio.

Popular DAB+ radios

• Sangean: www.sangean.eu
• Technician: www.technisat.com/en_XX/
• sound master: www.woerlein.com
• QQ: www.myvq.co.uk/audio/