Radio in the car – a better experience
13 November 2018 · News · Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
About 50% of all radio listening happens in the car (the figure’s lower in countries like the UK, but higher in places like the US).
In many ways, radio�...
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This article is largely irrelevant in Australia.
DAB is the original version of Digital Audio Broadcasting and is now only used in the UK. Australia was the first country (which was in 2009) to commence high powered DAB+ broadcasting. DAB+ has improved error correction which provides perfect reception when under the same conditions DAB sounds like bubbling mud. In addition we transmit digital radio at much greater power (The same as for digital TV). We also have on channel repeaters in black spots. In addition nearly all programs in Australia nearly all DAB+ programs are in stereo where as in the UK most are mono, because of inefficient compression.
HD radio is only used in the USA, where all the digital signals are between 1/10th and a 1/25th of the FM signal power. The HD Radio in the AM band interference makes the digital signal even weaker.
As a result HD2 - HD4 fails much more often in vehicles than does DAB+. In addition HD1 is a simulcast with the FM or AM signal. In poor signal conditions the radio automatically blends back to FM or AM.
In Australia listeners select programs by name and not frequency making logos less necessary, even so, some stations already transmit station logos without Radioplayer using of using mobile broadband to deliver logos.
The adoption of using Radio player which will switch to mobile broadband when digital radio signals is a poor solution to poor radio technology. It would not be necessary if they converted all programs to DAB+ instead of the 3 they have now.
A better option is to use Digital Radio Mondiale who's signal processing is very similar to DAB+ but it can operate in any frequency band from the Medium Frequency band (which is used by AM radio), through HF (Short Wave) through the vacated TV band 1 and on into the FM band. Its narrow transmission bandwidth compared to DAB+ enables many more transmission channels, so broadcasters can install transmitter in the centre of the audience through to worldwide coverage depending on the frequency and power used. DRM is capable of transmitting station logos and station selection by name and not frequency.
It is genuinely interesting, in having kicked around in the background of radio as nobody since the first AM two way i bought and a spectrum scanner in the mid 1980's i largely have no objection to DAB and SDR systems coming to existence since recently listening to news only channels.
Only last week i found that the market (retail) finally has 3 good model of DAB available at least
1. An AM/FM/DAB with external antenna and bluetooth wireless (around 200),
2. a world band SW ssb/FM/AM/DAB radio (around 200)
3. A very cheap priced 'mono" large portable shelf sized good reception (around 25 bucks) from a major cheap department store franchise
The last i have been listening to and using.
It has long been known that if the signal is there then UHF frequencies deliver some form of information in the signal with it.
However, both VHF and UHF have their problems but it is no surprise DAB because of the building of file segments of binary for temporary operation unlike the only moment the actual information is present is the moment the carrier has it and gone forever if it is missed !
However, the antenna remains the most subtle link in the chain.
It seems the sun is going down on FM stereo stations, but they have never had a proper omni-directional antenna.
https://www.scribd.com/document/400632904/FM-AM-long-range-30-cm-housing-1-16th-wave-Antenna-unit-setup
https://www.scribd.com/document/396824710/FM-AM-Antenna-Setup-Standard-50-cm-1-8th-wave-Unit
But it does not mean you do not need a good one for DAB in the rain too.