Aerial for DAB car radio

[Xaccers]

I'm thinking of getting a DAB radio for my car, as I can get an adaptor so my steering wheel controls will work with it.
Does anyone have any experience of recieving DAB using just their FM aerial?
Someone on another forum mentioned they were able to do it using a longer FM aerial.
The other thing would be how well can FM be recieved on a DAB aerial, or for that matter if you've gone DAB do you still use FM?

[altis]

If anything, you'll need a shorter aerial. 1/4 wavelength of UK DAB signals is around 333mm so, ideally, you'll have something just a little shorter than that.

That said, you'll probably get a half descent signal from an FM aerial anyway.

[Xaccers]

Great, I'll save up my pennies and get the radio and adaptor lead, and see how the reception is on my current aerial.

Having said that, this page states that most countries have cancelled or are no longer expanding DAB!
http://www.radiojackie.co.uk/stuff/receptionadvice.html

[keithwalton]

What radio are you looking at that can hook upto xantia electronics ?
Is it full height or does it need the adapter that most radio's do ?

[Xaccers]

http://www.bluespot.co.uk/stock/woodstock_dab54.asp

I fancy being able to get BBC7 etc, and also interested in it's ability to take a 1GB SD card full of MP3's so no need to have my iPod in the car (got iPod and ipaq stuck to middle of the window just off the dash, phone holder over by the A pillar on my side, and sometimes radar detector by the A pillar on the other side, so that's 4 power leads, on top of that there's also my bluetooth earpiece charger, so my 4 way socket splitter needs to be 5 way!)
It can also record from the radio, and can timer record 2 programs of up to 90 min.

As a blaupunkt head it can take an adaptor cable to link it to the wheel controls.
It can also take a bluetooth device which plays phone calls through the speakers so I could get rid of my earpiece, along with mp3's that are on your mobile, but that's just under £100 more.

It's a standard sized head, so would need the facia adaptor.
I'm trying to track one down that used to be available.
Remember the 405's radio facia? Had a panel that would swing down and hide the radio? There was one for the Xantia for use with standard heads.


Hmm, having said that, if I ditch the idea of DAB (after reading several articles we have the worst sound quality DAB in the world) I could go for this:
http://www.bluespot.co.uk/offers/casablanca.asp

Doesn't look as nice, can't change the screen colour, but, with the bluetooth phone adaptor, I could plug in a spare 20GB usb hard drive I've got under the dash and play my mp3's from there, and have bluetooth hands free.
All for £250.97

[altis]

Don't spend too much money. They're going to change the DAB codec in the near future so it will probably be obsolete soon:

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/ar...years-time.php

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

Originally Posted by altis

Don't spend too much money. They're going to change the DAB codec in the near future so it will probably be obsolete soon:

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/ar...years-time.php

most likely not to happen this decade

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by altis

Don't spend too much money. They're going to change the DAB codec in the near future so it will probably be obsolete soon:

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/ar...years-time.php

Yeah I noticed that, DAB+ using the ACC codec.

Think when I get the money I'll go for the non-DAB one with the bluetooth phone adaptor as it meas I can ditch my earpiece and ipod and hide a 20GB usb drive in the dash.