DAB Radio

[golfnomad]

Will I be able to get LW/MW on a DAB radio.

[joules99]

Technically the answer is no, however it depends whether the radio you buy has a long wave or medium wave reciever built in, I beleive that some do have AM recievers and also FM analogue, however as far as I know the only stations that transmit on AM in the UK are Five Live, Radio 4, Talksport, Virgin and I think something like Capital Gold (I think some of the local BBC stations still do as well as FM, although I can't really understand why they do this anymore), but they all transmit in digital anyway, so maybe you don't actually need this option, as the quality is far superior in digital, as you probably know.

[Buenchico]

(2-part post):

To qualify as a DAB radio, a receiver only has to be able to decode the digital signals which are broadcast with the snappily titled 'Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing' system of modulation.

Most, but not all, DAB radios have a separate tuner circuit to enable them to receive 'Frequency Modulation' (FM) signals on VHF.

Hardly any DAB receivers incorporate an 'Amplitude Modulation' (AM) circuit to enable them to receive signals transmitted on Medium Wave and/or Long Wave. For example, the Argos catalogue lists many DAB receivers but, for AM reception, you're limited to a retro-styled model (with mono DAB output) from Bush:
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servl et/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500000701&l angId=-1&searchTerms=5004623&x=685&y=57
or a 'boom box' from Goodmans (with stereo DAB output but no LW):
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servl et/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500000701&l angId=-1&searchTerms=5130638&x=687&y=58

[Buenchico]

(Argos also sell a few DAB micro-systems which list 'AM' in their specifications but these probably only offer MW).

Joules99 seems to be unaware that there are plenty of people who like to listen to BBC local stations from neighbouring counties (which is possible on MW but not on VHF) or to regional (rather than local) commercial broadcasters (who use MW to cover a wider area than is possible with a single VHF transmitter). Additionally, some of us enjoy listening to RTE, from Dublin, on 567KHz (MW) or 252KHz (LW) or to some of the excellent commercial stations in the Netherlands.

Chris

[golfnomad]

Thanks to both of you for your comprehensive answers.
Having read them I think I need to lie down in a dark room!
Thanks again.