Toggle sidebar

Portable DAB Radios

  • Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Stanleythecat

Stanleythecat

Settler
Jan 23, 2009
560
2
Wiltshire/South Gloucestershire
I'm looking for an affordable portable DAB radio as my 12 year old Sony FM work horse is now showing its age and also heading for obsolescence.

I know it might go against the grain to have such luxuries but sometimes when I'm working by myself I quite enjoy the company of Radio 4, be it turning a bowl in the woods or DIY at home its great company.

I'd like it to be truly portable with a speaker and batteries (not just mains)

Have you any recommendations?

Thanks

Leo
 
Do you have good DAB reception? I get better reception using a 1914 crystal set to be honest, and gave my DAB away. Make sure you can get a signal if you've not tried it before, borrow a set if needed.

Radio 4 or 2 is always on in my little shack :)
 
It's an ever-extending deadline.

Personally (and I should admit now that I work for the parent company of PURE), I think DAB is a dead-end technology. It will (IMO), be overtaken by improvements in 3G (and its replacement) and WiFi. The decent radios made by PURE all have WiFi built in, so you can stream a playlist from the web (a bit like Spotify but free).
 
Thing is, if you're in a remote area and want to listen to the radio, it's unlikely you'll have WiFi access, and probably no phone signal either...
 
mrcharly said:
It's an ever-extending deadline.

Personally (and I should admit now that I work for the parent company of PURE), I think DAB is a dead-end technology. It will (IMO), be overtaken by improvements in 3G (and its replacement) and WiFi. The decent radios made by PURE all have WiFi built in, so you can stream a playlist from the web (a bit like Spotify but free).
Click to expand...

Funnily enough i was comparing a wifi portable against the Roberts Sport. Went for the Roberts in the end, 10 hours for built in battery means it is limited to a plu socket.
 
The DAB radios my mates parents have needs to be fed batteries at a constant rate.
In fact most radios with some form of digital readout seem to need feeding a lot of batteries as well. I've had a couple of analogue radios on site that have had all the Clock, Alarm, blah blah blah gubbins on them and one's been launched into the skip after setting its self on all the time whilst in the back of my van and I just took the batteries out of the other.

I prefer the ones with just a dial and an On volume control. The batteries last far better as they don't have a constant draw on them from a digital clock.

Oh and another thing about digital radios I've heard is that a dodgy signal stops and starts the reception totally instead of it being slightly hissy.

I can still hear slightly hissy radio but bad digital signals are unintelligible.
 
Trouble is I think when FM goes we don't have a lot of options. What happens to radio? Spotify is good etc but why not just have an MP3 player in that case. If you want live news, debate etc what then without WIFI?

A lot of people like fisherman etc rely on their radios for up to date weather forecasts or just to keep their sanity on long journies.
 
I listen to alot of stuff. I have a robertson portable DBA and its ok but loses signal when you need it most. I also have a DAB radio for in the house which is great in the house and the garden but again it consumes batteries at a bit rate. The two options I usually go for are my IPOD (sorry didnt mean to swear) listening to things like podcasts and audiobooks and my run of the mill am/fm portable radio. Nothing a good bit of fivelive to pass the wee small hours
 
Sony do a nice one that is Dab and FM (important to have FM for the 90% of situations where the DAB signal drops out) - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-XDRS55DABB-Light-Compact-Portable/dp/B000UJGN20

...or here for £30 : http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/sony-x...-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istItemId=mrqarpx&istBid=t

My brothers a bit of a radio junky and has this one and likes it.

God help us if they ever actually do take away the FM signal. Myself I doubt they ever will. Dab/3G/WiFi are all running a processor, which is a big drain on batteries. There would/will be a huge kerfuffle when people realise they are going to have to replace their car stereos. Just can't see it happening.
 
Last edited:
Was wondering this my self. I too have been looking for a personal digi radio as i too cant go long without my radio4 injection, be it comedy or factual.
The problem i see the with wifi or 3g is the power usage - must be a massive ammount more as its two way for starters has to transmit aswell as receive.
 
rik_uk3 said:
On offer soon
http://aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_21773.htm
Click to expand...

I bought one of these a couple of years ago, and it was absolutely dire. I had it plugged in next to my bed and programmed it so that the radio would come on as a wake up alarm (as described in the manual). It kept switching itself on at random times during the night, but when the alarm time came round, all that came on was the display backlight. After two days I noticed something sticky on the back. It was the batteries (2 day-old Duracells) that had leaked all over the place.

It lasted only three days before I took it back for a full refund.

The only other experience I have of DAB is at a friend's house where they have a Roberts something-or-other permanently plugged in in the kitchen. The sound quality was excellent, but I wouldn't use it enough at home to justify the cost.

Graham
 
If they take away the FM signal the pirate radio station guys will have a rampage and a half.

I have a digital radio in the car, and it's great in urban areas, but out in the sticks, seriously, forget it. It has to revert back to FM.
 
ganstey said:
I bought one of these a couple of years ago, and it was absolutely dire. I had it plugged in next to my bed and programmed it so that the radio would come on as a wake up alarm (as described in the manual). It kept switching itself on at random times during the night, but when the alarm time came round, all that came on was the display backlight. After two days I noticed something sticky on the back. It was the batteries (2 day-old Duracells) that had leaked all over the place.

It lasted only three days before I took it back for a full refund.

The only other experience I have of DAB is at a friend's house where they have a Roberts something-or-other permanently plugged in in the kitchen. The sound quality was excellent, but I wouldn't use it enough at home to justify the cost.

Graham
Click to expand...

All DAB is dire for me. The radio in the other link I posted has a USB port so you can listen to music too. For me DAB is another headlong rush into nothing, bit like wind farms;)
 
I have a little Pure portable DAB/FM radio with a rechargeable battery which lasts ages per charge. Works well for me both at home and out and about.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

jacko1066
Estonia with a Bare and a Teepee
Replies
30
Views
11K
Sub Zero
Ecoman
Ecoman

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE
Top Bottom