http://www.techradar.com/news/audio/hi- ... 15--637583

I couldn't give a stuff really, it's not like I'd miss the rubbish songs, annoying ads and chatter

I like radio 1.

How are they going to justify the switch off to all the car owners?

"Oh, sorry, you'll have to buy a brand new DAB radio because your integrated console FM radio no longer works".

A switch off will not affect me at all. I only have DAB radios. Though I am much more aware that I am not special and so I do not want it cut off because there are many who rely on FM and AM radio. Cars still do not have decent DAB service everywhere. Though over time that will improve. I would prefer that they state that there is an intention to disconnect FM at some point in the future, and only do so once DAB radios are approaching saturation of the market.

The stupidest thing is there's nothing they can use the FM spectrum for anyway, so why switch if off?

All the other switch-offs have been because the Government could sell the spectrum at vast expense to other users. The VHF FM bands aren't worth using for anything except radio.

If it means that DAB gets perfected for cars, I'm in.

Maybe they think that there is a market for such bands. If there are no interested parties then they should not bother with a switch off.

+1 to most of the points and queries above, I don't know much about it, but it seems like a faff for everyone with little benefit

If that means they stop playing those stupid annoying 'who would listen to an old, hard-to-tune analogue radio when you could have a new DAB digital radio?' ads, then I'm all for it.

Otherwise, I can see no benefit at all over FM. It sounds pretty much the same. Tuning isn't any easier (despite what they claim). The DJs are still annoying.

Maybe I'm being cynical here, but maybe the reason for the FM switchoff is because after all the investment in DAB, nobody is bothering with it and it's looking to be a bit of an embarrassment?

I think that the cynic is right. I have DAB radios and the benefit of CD quality sound is not quite true because they have crammed so many stations on the same frequency. If they had fewer stations then it would be worthwhile for more people. Plus the initial cost of the radios was excessive. More than £190 for each of mine. The reason that DAB has not taken off is probably down to this plus the fact that the stations have found little extra benefit in running a DAB service.

Er.. isn't the FM spectrum used for the 'Traffic Announcement' systems many car radios have? I know mine doesn't work I'm tuned to AM.

Having said that I have to admit I don't listen to FM radio in my car any more - it's LW (TMS), AM (radio 5) or my iPod.

Jon

Well that is one very good reason to keep FM until DAB has resolved these issues.

It also is used for the TMC (or something like that) in satnav's that lets you know when there's traffic on your route.

The more we discuss this it is clearer and clearer that there is no real reason for shutting it off.

BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4 take up half the VHF band by themselves. Because of the way FM VHF radio propogates, it's hideously ineficcient for a national radio station. I dread to think how much the electric bill alone might be for the BBC radio, because some of their transmitters are massive.

FM is far better suited to low-powered local stations. The article highlights this as the probable direction, and supports the continued use of local traffic information.


Did anyone else actually read the article?

SatNavs use the TMC, which car radios have used for a couple of decades.