Our Car Radio's

[bluenose1940]

Just wondering if any of the LOC members have done any research into the fact that we are to lose FM and AM radio frequencies, and seemingly in the not too far distant future too.

I would certainly miss my 'Talk sport' and 'Radio 5 Live' my wife would miss 'Heart'

What would you miss?

Don't suppose that there will be any cheap solutions!

Any thoughts?

[Geoffers]

A portion of the current radio spectrum of FM it will be used up by other transmissions and the rest assigned to DAB. Talksport and Heart is already in a lot of areas. You can check HERE

There will be tons of DAB devices to plug into AUX in's as many are in the pipeline for the 2015 switch off of analogue.

[bluenose1940]

A portion of the current radio spectrum of FM it will be used up by other transmissions and the rest assigned to DAB. Talksport and Heart is already in a lot of areas. You can check HERE

There will be tons of DAB devices to plug into AUX in's as many are in the pipeline for the 2015 switch off of analogue.

Hiya Geoffers, I have checked via your link and it seems that we will receive most of the stations that we enjoy. When you say that there will be tons of DAB devices available that will plug into the AUX socket, are you saying that it will be something small enough to remain in the centre armrest and will receive the DAB signal and push it out of the Mark Levinson system?

[Geoffers]

Absolutely Geoff. The market will be flooded with them. Here's a neat one already - Goodmans - should be released over the next few months. Instead of plugging in headphones, a jack-jack will plug straight into the AUX in on the 250.

These type have some clever signal amplification but until analogue is switched off, we won't get full power transmissions on the DAB side so depending on your area it may not work in the centre console - it may mean clipping to your visor on the dash or even an internal antenna for DAB. (You can get splitters for existing but means a little work connecting to original wiring).

As we have a couple of years to go, it may not be worth investing just yet unless you particularly want DAB as there are some good units on the horizon.

There are some clever internal antennas too:

[bluenose1940]

Absolutely Geoff. The market will be flooded with them. Here's a neat one already - Goodmans - should be released over the next few months. Instead of plugging in headphones, a jack-jack will plug straight into the AUX in on the 250.

These type have some clever signal amplification but until analogue is switched off, we won't get full power transmissions on the DAB side so depending on your area it may not work in the centre console - it may mean clipping to your visor on the dash or even an internal antenna for DAB. (You can get splitters for existing but means a little work connecting to original wiring).

As we have a couple of years to go, it may not be worth investing just yet unless you particularly want DAB as there are some good units on the horizon.

There are some clever internal antennas too:

Hi again Geoffers, That's great news and will put a few minds at rest knowing that there will be some worthwhile solutions available. As you say, there is a little time to go yet before the need to do anything arises. Who knows, I might have had a big win on something by the time it does become a problem and I will be able to replace the car rather than the radio! However, if i should need to buy a unit at the time, I will almost certainly seek your advice on the matter.

Thanks again for your help, you people really are worth your weight in gold to people like me. Thank you.

P.S. Are the current models equipped with DAB units and if so when were they introduced?