FAQs

We’ve put together a collection of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about DAB radio. We hope we’ve covered most issues. However, if you can’t find the information that you’re looking for, please do get in touch via the contact page.

Topics

Q: Can I receive stations from America or other countries on my DAB receiver?: A: No. Unlike satellite radio or Internet radio, DAB radio is land-based and operates only within its transmission range.
Q: Can I take my DAB digital radio abroad and still listen to the same stations?: A: No. DAB digital radio is a terrestrial technology using land-based transmitters. You can only listen to stations when you are within their transmission range.
Q: If I take my DAB digital radio abroad, will I be able to pick up foreign DAB services?: A: Yes. In the UK, DAB services are broadcast on a band of spectrum called Band III. Many European countries also use Band III, although some use a different band of spectrum called L Band. And, just to be awkward, some countries, such as Germany, use Band III in one part of the country and L Band in another.

If the receiver you are using is designed only to pick up Band III, then it will work in other countries using Band III and you will be able to listen to local DAB services. If it is a dual-band receiver (that is, designed to work on either Band III or L Band) then it will pick up any DAB stations being broadcast on either Band III or L Band abroad. If you specifically want a receiver that will work both in the UK and Europe, then make sure before you buy that it is a dual band receiver.

Q: Can I use my existing FM or TV aerial?: A: Probably not, but give it a try. Some DAB stations can be received by plugging a standard FM or TV aerial into a DAB radio, but the best reception will always be via a DAB aerial. There’s no guarantee your existing aerial will work.
Q: Do I need a new aerial for my car?: A: Yes. Many existing FM aerials are ‘helically wound’. A helically wound aerial is short and stubby and is usually roof-mounted. It is most often fitted to newer models and is designed to amplify the FM signal, so it may not work effectively with a DAB radio.

You can either buy a combined FM/DAB roof mounted aerial for your car and replace your existing aerial with it, or you can buy a separate DAB aerial to sit alongside your existing FM aerial. There are two types of DAB aerials available for the car, either a magnetic mount for steel panels, or an active glass strip aerial, which is an adhesive amplified antenna for glass mount.

View our guide to DAB car aerials.
Q: What sort of aerial do I need?: A: Your digital radio hi-fi tuner will come with an indoor aerial, either a ‘ribbon dipole’ or a ‘monopole’ (‘half dipole’). Portable radios usually feature either a standard telescopic aerial, or with handheld models, the aerial is usually built in to the headphones.

The aerial supplied should work well if you’re within a DAB coverage area. However, if you’re listening in a basement, or your building is steel-framed or made of reinforced concrete, you might need an external aerial. As a rule of thumb, if you already have poor FM or mobile phone reception, chances are you’ll need an external aerial. First, though, see if placing the radio near to a window improves reception.

The Yaggi aerial must be pointed at the transmitters. All DAB aerials must be vertically polarised. The higher the aerial is mounted, the better reception you will receive.

To obtain the best results from an external aerial, either use a dipole (omnidirectional aerial – should work well for moderate to strong signal levels provided it is vertically polarised) or, in exceptional circumstances, a Yaggi (which has a much higher gain than a dipole, but is directional – best suited where reception is poor and all transmitters are in the same direction).

Q: Will analogue radio be switched off?: A: Eventually, analogue radio will be switched off and everybody will listen digitally, whether it’s through a DAB digital radio, via a digital TV system or via a DAB/wi-fi radio.

But this is not likely to happen for many years. DAB and analogue radio will sit side by side until the government decides DAB coverage, products and programming has matured enough to be accessible to the vast majority of the population.

Q: Can I get DAB digital radio anywhere in the UK?: A: National commercial digital radio is available to 90% of the Great Britain population. For more information on national commercial digital radio go to www.ukdigitalradio.com.

BBC services are available to 86% of the UK population. For more information on BBC national digital radio coverage go to www.bbc.co.uk/digitalradio.

Or call the BBC Help Line on 03700 10 10 10.
Q: Can I get local stations from other parts of the country?: A: No. Because it’s a terrestrial transmission system, you can only receive local stations within their transmitter range. So, for example, you can’t get BBC Radio Wales if you live in Scotland.
Q: Is the reception the same all over the UK?: A: No, the reception you get depends on the coverage in your area. If you’re in a ‘fringe’ area, you will probably benefit from a roof-mounted aerial to boost reception. Stations also vary from region to region, so if you take your DAB radio from one part of the country to another, you’ll need to ‘auto-tune’ it to pick up the stations that are available locally.

Q: I’ve read that my DAB radio will become obsolete when DAB+ comes in. Is that true?: A: No. You will still be able to use your DAB radio to receive all the stations currently broadcasting and any new stations that launch on DAB.

DAB+ is an upgraded version of the technology used to bring you DAB radio. It allows more stations to be broadcast by using the existing spectrum even more efficiently. DAB+ is not currently used in the UK but is suitable for countries that are newly launching DAB services, such as Australia.

Existing DAB radios will continue to receive all the stations currently broadcasting. It is currently against Ofcom regulations to transmit in DAB+, so there are no DAB+ stations planned by broadcasters. There are also very few DAB+ radios available to buy in the UK. But with millions of DAB radios already sold, it is going to be some time before the balance swings in favour of DAB+ as an installed base in the UK. DAB+ receivers will be considerably more expensive than DAB receivers due to the added costs of the incremental technologies.

Ofcom will monitor the situation and, at some point when there is a substantial number of DAB+ units in homes, they will consider allowing DAB+ broadcasts. At that point DAB and DAB+ broadcasts will run concurrently, so those using existing technology will continue to receive all the same services, and those that are DAB+ enabled will receive those services plus anything new broadcasting in DAB+.
Q: What is DAB+: A: DAB+ is an upgraded version of the technology used to bring you DAB radio. It allows more stations to be broadcast by using the existing spectrum even more efficiently. DAB+ is not currently used in the UK.

Q: What are data services?: A: DAB has the potential to deliver all sorts of data to your radio. For now services are mostly audio, but several of the latest DAB radios are EPG-ready. An EPG is an Electronic Programme Guide, similar to that available on Sky TV. It lets you scroll through all the programmes available on the various stations and select the ones you wish to access or store for future listening. (See What is an EPG?)

Q: Why’s there a delay between analogue & DAB radio?: A: If you have the same station playing on two radios, one analogue and one DAB, you will notice there is a delay of a few seconds between the two. In fact you will hear the DAB broadcast slightly after the analogue version.

There’s nothing wrong with your radio. If you have digital TV, you’ll find the same thing happens when you switch between analogue and digital transmissions of the same channel.

The techy answer is when the station originates as an analogue broadcast, the signal must be transformed into a digital transmission using Mpeg2 encoding and COFDM modulation. This takes a couple of seconds, hence the delay when you hear it come out the other end.

So, when you hear the nine o’clock news, it’s actually about 9:00:02!

Q: What is an EPG?: A: An EPG is an Electronic Programme Guide, similar to that available on Sky TV. An EPG lets you see what’s on now and next, to search programmes and to set an advance timer record.

It lets you scroll through all the programmes available on the various stations up to a week in advance, and to select the ones you wish to access or store for future listening.

EPG data is available from a wide selection of broadcasters, including BBC services, Capital Radio, Heart, Virgin Radio, Galaxy, Choice, The Arrow, Century, Gold, Xfm and some local stations.

Q: I can already get FM radio on my mobile phone, why can’t I get DAB?: A: Manufacturers, broadcasters and telecoms operators have been talking for a while about putting DAB into mobile phones, and prototypes already exist. We expect to see mobiles with DAB soon.

Q: There is no DAB coverage in my area, will this change?: A: Ofcom has recently licensed additional spectrum to DAB to allow many areas currently without coverage to receive DAB services.

Areas to be targeted include (in no particular order):

Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire & Buckinghamshire
Derbyshire
Wrexham & Chester
Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Northamptonshire
Oxfordshire
North Yorkshire
Gloucestershire
Mid & West Wales
Surrey & Sussex
Lincolnshire

Q: What is a multiplex?: A: A multiplex is a block of frequencies containing radio and data services. Using digital technology, more services can be carried within these blocks than can fit into a similar FM spectrum. So, there’s more room for more stations.
Q: Who owns the multiplexes?: A: You need a licence to own a multiplex. Ofcom advertises licences for which interested parties can bid. Once the multiplex licence has been awarded by Ofcom, the new owner will seek out services to broadcast on the multiplex.

There is one national commercial multiplex owner (Digital One). The BBC has a separate national multiplex for its services. There are local multiplexes around the country, each broadcasting an average of seven services, plus the local BBC station. And there are several regional multiplexes covering a wider area and broadcasting up to 11 services each.

For more information on who owns what multiplex visit http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/digital/dm-main.html

Q: How much do DAB digital radios cost?: A: Hi-fi tuners and micro systems start at around £50. Hand-held products are priced from £35, while kitchen radios start at £29. CD/cassette radios start at £35. DAB clock radios start at £25. Wi-fi radios start at £50. In-car radios vary in price depending on if you buy an all-in-one unit, or go for the separates option (a boot box and head unit). Integrated DAB radios start at £125. DAB digital radio is a relatively new technology, so prices will continue to fall as the market matures, Check our Buyer’s Guide regularly.

Q: Where can I find out about programme listings for digital radio stations?: A: There is little printed information on DAB programmes currently available. However, many DAB stations list their programme details on their websites. You can find URL addresses for most DAB stations via our station finder.

The Radio Times now carries listings for BBC digital stations and some national commercial DAB stations.

And more and more newspapers are beginning to feature DAB programmes in their ‘Radio Choice’ sections.

You can also check out the What’s On page on this website for highlights of some unique DAB-only programmes.

Q: Where can I buy a DAB radio?: A: DAB digital radio receivers are stocked by more than 8,500 retailers around the country. They are available from most multiple high street electrical retailers and department stores such as John Lewis, Argos, Allders, Maplins, Dixons, Currys, Comet, Miller Brothers, Power House, Littlewoods etc. as well as from more than 1,600 independent hi-fi dealers around the country. You can also find DAB radios at most leading supermarkets. And you can also buy online from hundreds of etailers. For a complete list of retailers stocking DAB digital radios, visit our Where to Buy pages page.

Q: What is the difference between DAB and satellite rado?: A: DAB digital radio is a terrestrial-based system, which means the services are broadcast on a number of multiplexes across the country with capacity for a certain number of services. These multiplexes are broadcast in different areas/regions via many transmitters across the UK. For DAB, the selection of stations you receive will depend on where you live. DAB radio is free to listen to.

Satellite radio is a digital radio signal that is broadcast by a communications satellite, which tends to cover a wider geographical range than terrestrial radio signals. However this service is often subscription based and consumers have to pay to listen to it. In areas with a relatively high population density, it is easier and less expensive to reach the bulk of the population with terrestrial broadcasts. Thus in the UK and elsewhere in the world, we have focused on DAB rather than satellite radio.

Q: What is a Secondary Service and how do I tune in?: A: (The following answer comes from the BBC’s digital radio website.)

Flexibility within the DAB system means that secondary services can be brought onto the multiplex to allow broadcasters to create ‘part-time’ channels. Radio 4’s LW output is transmitted as a secondary service to Radio 4’s main output. Yesterday In Parliament and The Daily Service are broadcast on DAB in this way.

Similarly, Five Live Sports Extra allows Five Live to double its live sports coverage at certain times and is the digital radio home of Test Match Special.

To find out when Five Live Sports Extra is next scheduled to broadcast, visit: www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/sportsextra

To access a secondary service you need to tune in when the service is actually broadcasting. That way your DAB set will store the station in its memory. If you try tuning in when the station is not broadcasting the display screen will state: ‘Station Off Air’ or ‘Station Unavailable’.

Many DAB tuners (hi-fi separates) utilise an LED display, which will illuminate when a secondary service is about to commence a transmission, and some tuners are programmable so that the radio will automatically switch to the secondary service of your choice.

Q: What stations can I listen to with a digital radio?: A: On average, a DAB radio doubles the number of stations you can receive (compared with licensed AM/FM UK sations).

For a complete list of stations available in your area, both national and local, BBC and commercial, please visit our station finder page.

Q: How much does it cost to subscribe to DAB digital radio channels?: A: Nothing. Once you’ve bought your radio receiver, listening is absolutely free.

Q: Can I listen to digital radio stations through my TV?: A: If you’ve got Sky satellite digital television, Freeview terrestrial digital television, or digital cable television, you can listen to some of the digital radio stations that are also available on DAB.

Of the more than 170 different formats available on DAB digital radio, you can listen to around 30 of them via Sky satellite TV, and about 20 are also on Freeview.

Q: What is Text?: A: All DAB digital radio receivers come with a small screen. This screen serves two purposes: first it lets you scroll through a list of stations to find the one you want, and then, once you’ve settled on a station, it displays a line of scrolling text generated by that radio station.

Most stations already use scrolling text to broadcast their name and music format. Some also identify the track and artist you’re listening to, tell you what songs are coming up next, deliver news headlines, sports results, contact web addresses and telephone numbers.

Q: I’m in coverage area but I can’t get anything on my DAB Digital Radio. Why?: A: The first time you switch on your DAB Digital Radio you need to hit the Auto Tune button so it can pull in all the stations available in your area, otherwise it remains on factory settings. When you do this you’ll see a number appear on the right of the screen which will rise as the scan continues. This tells you the number of stations you can receive. Once you’ve auto-tuned the radio you don’t need to do it again unless you take the radio to another part of the country with different coverage.