Norway is the first country to shut down the FM radio band as part of a transition to digital radio. The country will have FM signals completely shut down by December of 2017.
The country says the move will offer “more diverse and pluralistic” content and “better sound quality and new functionality.” Norway was the first country to launch a DAB (Digital Audio Band ) channel back in 1995. Around 50% of Norwegian households have at least one radio with access to the digital audio band.
Like HDTV, the sound quality is better, but you have the same issues with the signal strength degrading, making reception in rural areas more difficult. DAB signals can carry additional information such as song titles or even scroll traffic updates without interrupting the music.
DAB broadcasts are not available in the US. Canada dabbled in DAB radio for a few years, but broadcasters began shutting those signals down in 2010.
~ Cynthia
FM in the car definitely and a variety in the house. I often listen to music from Direct TV but a combination of FM and the net for non music radio.
LISTEN TO A LITTLE BIT OF ALL AS A LOT OF VARIES TYPES OF BROADCASTS DO NOT PLAY EVERYTHING. LIKE HARD TO GET 50’S AND 60’S.
This sucks just bought a new car and now the radio won’t work. They got rid of turntables and found out that they screwed up now digital radio guess they just love clipping of signals to mess up good sound to .
Ken, this won’t have any effect on you unless you live in Norway. The U.S. has yet to make any moves towards switching to DAB.
I have enjoyed the music and its quality for many years on iTunes and on Direct TV, and have enjoyed music from the FM Stations, 88 to 108 MHz
I’m talking of the music I enjoy from the 40s through 70s.
After that the music was trash as far as I’m concerned.
Not into rap crap.
I love the music and listen whenever I can, but (BUT) I don’t want to have to pay for this pleasure. I’m coming up on the big 80 this month and don’t want to sign up for some new program that will cost me a dime!
In my lifetime, have never had to pay for any music or anything else broadcast from a radio station or TV because it was paid for by their sponsors. The sponsors benefited from their expense, if successfully put forth, from the purchase of their products as a result of their advertising.
Okay? This is capitalism at it’s best.
So not in favor of any change in the broadcasting rules that would deprive the consumer of the benefits of free enterprise, Radio & TV broadcasting for profit!
Thanks for listening!
Doniphan
here in the UK the dab signal when I tried it a few years ago was not very good and plans to drop FM were delayed indefinitely.
another way of govenment distorying something good the US will follow
you should have a choice but not any
more. We have satilite radio as a choice but soon you will have none.
DAB is great – we do still have FM over here but DAB is by far the better of the two.
I haven’t listened to the radio since I was a teenager – I have all the music I love on all my devices,pc,tablet,phone – I don’t understand why anyone would listen to the radio instead of their own personal music,and only the worst music is played on radio anyway
I’m rural, so I would sure like to find a fm station when I want it—EveryDay!
Here in southern. England most broadcast stations use dab. Fm is gradually disappearing. Dab reception around London is fair but does go to garbled for a few seconds-(just when we lose a wicket!)
Dean
I absolutely depend on my FM radio while driving! Would be totally lost without it, since out here in rural America, AM is so full of static that it is intolerable. Definitely DO NOT pull the plug on FM – IMO!!!
DAB not been operating in New Zealand as far as I know and haven’t heard anything about it here.
I listen to talk radio on AM all day and night. I call it my MP1 player.
At this point I think it’s a non-issue in the US. I knew one person who owned a digital radio and quickly gave it away because of lack of stations. I listen to classical musical on the internet and on Receivers as part of my sound system. Because of my location(halfway between two towers apparently I can only get decent reception in certain areas of my house and am compelled to listen on line.
Some are much better than others. My local Classical station on streaming is muddy and sounds terrible.
hi i use both at home, no smart phone, just a tab and ipod and pc, I like listening to news in different states, CRIME IS EVERYWHERE
YES I WISH THE HDTV SIGNAL WAS MUCH STRONGER. LETS GET AFTER THE FCC TO MAKE THE TV STATIONS SEND OUT A STRONGER SIGNAL
The strength of the broadcast signal is limited by the FCC as well as by the equipment used by stations. Sending out stronger signals might not help with digital TV, as it is very sensitive to any type of obstructions in the path of the signal. Stronger signals might also step on the signals of other stations and interfere with their broadcasts.
i still like my over-the-air radio in my car. it deals with local news and events. i have a friend that had satellite radio and didn’t like it for that reason. i wouldn’t have money for it anyway. i don’t mind adjusting the radio for whatever region i am in. that is what search/seek is for.
I am AGAINST digital radio; I LIKE radios and I like spinning the dials to find what I want to listen to. I am TOTALLY against PAYING for digital radio.
If I am in the local area, then I will listen to the local news. But most of the time, I am on the road. I just upgraded my stereo system in my vehicle and now can record my favorite albums / songs that are MP3’s onto DVD’s and play them on my new stereo system so I hardly listen to radio stations. If I want to know local traffic or weather, my friendly, high powered citizen band radio is always within reach to talk to other truck drivers and the radio has a button for NOAA weather updates.
As an engineer I like all things digital EXCEPT radio and telecom. Digital signals are line-of-sight. Losing FM to DAB means all the same connection and range problems we have had with analog vs digital cell phones, the switch to digital over the air TV, emergency radios, etc.
I am a big AM talk radio fan. Rarely listen to FM.
I got XM radio when it first came out–2001? 2002? Haven’t listened to FM or AM since. Have the app on my phone so I can listen anywhere, anytime, without worrying about losing the signal. Monthly fee cheap for the variety and the service.
I had satellite for a couple of years and was unhappy with the flucuation of the signal, It always seemed like I was behind a hill or trees(it was particularly bad when the leaves were wet. So I’m back to fm
Since I have had a home in rural Missouri, I discovered that most things in this digital world is totally geared to those who live in or around the big city. I spent many years in the suburbs of a major midwest city. We never had serious problems as technology developed. However, when I moved to rural Missouri, I learned that rural America is not important to developers and the communications/technology industries. Thanks to satellite TV. At least we can now watch TV with the same clarity and choices that those surrounding the big cities enjoy.
I still have 4 radios around the house none of them Dabs. I listen on FM, a friend has a Dabs radio but it suffers badly with signal loss so he listens mostly to FM. I just hope the good old BBC do not switch of the FM signal until something is done about the Dabs.
But I do listen a lot to radio on the net especially to Canada and the USA.
What going to digital transmission really means is two-way transmission. That means they can monitor precisely what you listen to. Good for the corporations, BAD for the individual. Loss of privacy. How much more are people willing to give up?
Digital radio if it carries over to AM broadcasts will silence all the restored antique radios that us ‘old radio’ fans have restored and enjoy listening to ! Also many radios from the 50’s have FM also. It is a shame…but it is called progress.
-Bill B.
I listen almost exclusively to AM radio, both for talk and for music. I can not find, in my area, music I like, other than Siris or on AM. You know, songs that you can sing along with, whistle, or hum, maybe dance to. Miller, Goodman,Dorseys and such.
ciao
I still listen to FM.
I use both AM & FM radio – leave it alone.
We use over the air radio only.
To me, this is just another link in the corporate chain. Buy more equipment in the anticipation of better service and more choices, only to realize later the limitations of digital transmission. I believe that both AM and FM still have a lot to offer the average citizen at no cost for upgrading or programming. Sadly, the average taxpaying citizen is the last person the governments will ask before they pull the plug. I listen to FM every day at work. We still have a couple of good stations that haven’t been gobbled up by “Clear channel”. Thank God for the mom and pop’s that haven’t sold out to corporate America. If the FCC would allow low output transmission on FM with little or no licensing fee, mom and pop could rule the airwaves again, broadcasting solely for the love of the music. Funny, but I thought that’s what the airwaves were for in the first place.
agree with your comments
150% AGREEMENT
I gave up TV when it went digital. I got what was rated as the best converter but it only worked in one spot-over a radiator and under a window 4″ from a wall in a spot totally uncomfortable to sit in. I’ve been downloading audio books from the library and LISTENING TO MOSTLY FM BUT ALSO SOME AM RADIO. I would be really upset to lose that ability.
I always listen to an FM station while in my car.
It’s over-the-air-radio for me. Can’t be without it; no subscription, no fancy phone, new car or TV required.
I listen to FM and over-the-air-radio in both my car and my home.
I currently listen to PANDORA as it is the only way I can find music I like!
1930s to mid 1960s plus Classical Music
IF FM/AM were to start broadcasting something besides SPORTS, TALK, RAP, and other TRASH
inlive in the city had satellite & would regularly loose the signal due to wind, rain or snow. I think it’s a mistake for any country to go totally digital right now. Maybe at some point in the future as they work the “bugs” out?
Like AM and FM
Can use any radio anywhere.
Wait to change until the babyboomers are no more!
FM is FREE. Works many more areas than digital.
I am still listening to my radio the good old fashioned way. I am afraid if they change things I (along with other senior citizens) will be left out in the cold because we will not be able to afford it.