DAB Radio and Autocom

[Whiteliner]

DAB radio is the way ahead when it comes to long distance riding. The station frequencies are the same for the whole of the UK so there is no need to retune when riding. I did a test ride using a Bush personal DAB radio connected to the music input on my Autocom Pro-7 (R1200GS) and it worked well. The downside is that the radio uses 2 x AA batteries which only last for about 12 hours and the antenna is normally the headset lead so the options for a bigger attenna are limited. Signal strength can be a problem is some remote areas with a bit of a "burble" occuring with a marginal signal but if the station is lost completely, the radio just goes quiet rather than producing a loud "hiss".

Has anybody else experimented with DAB?

Bush PSDAB2003

Details: Handheld personal DAB radio with a rubberised finish. 4-way joystick navigation, automatically compiles list of favourite stations, 10 preset memories, station hold and a backlit display. Supplied with stereo earphones

Manufacturers page: Click here

Available for £49.99 from Dixons
Available for £49.99 from Argos (Cat no: 500/3277)
Available for £64.91 from Tribal UK

 

[Bigtwin]

Yup - I have a Perstel PRB on my bike. It has a seperate antenna, which I have linked to one fixed on the bike, which improves things. Also has FM for when things drop out on DAB.

Has a sony before, which was rubbish, with earbud lead antenna, which didn't work nearly so well.

I power mine from a step-down wired onto the battery - ebay for £6ish.

 

[El Thermidor]

Yup - A Ferguson unit I picked up at Gatwick Dixons for about 60 notes. Works fine up and down the M3, poor along the south downs. Need to find a way of mounting an aerial - it currently uses the headphone lead, though I haven't found any benefit to using the supplied headphones, even though it insists that you do.