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Will my DAB radio work in Italy?

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,890
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in Radio and Podcasts #1
I am going to Italy (South West) and just wondered if my Pure PocketDAB 1500 radio will work there. There is a thread about this but it is a few years old now so I wanted some more recent advice.

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    JELLIES0JELLIES0 Posts: 6,709
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    #2
    No it will not work. The DAB system used in the UK is exclusive to this country and unless you encounter seriously rare reception conditions the signal will not travel as far as Italy. Sorry! :cry:
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,890
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    #3
    I thought they used DAB Band III in Italy though. Isn't that what we use?
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    technologisttechnologist Posts: 13,383
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    #4
    Dab in the UK is NOT unique - and Italy has DAB to some level or another - see http://www.worlddab.org/country_information and select the version of the world update
    or www.dab.it

    From World DAB
    Around 75% of Italy's population can currently receive digital radio broadcasts via several trial multiplexes currently on air. A joint project between the commercial and public radio stations Club DAB Italia, EuroDAB and Raiway plans the launch of pilot services covering Rome, Torino, Naples and Cagliari in late 2010. The project will be extended to cover 50% of the population by 2012 following the switch off of analogue TV and focus on major urban areas and motorways.
    There are currently 13 multiplexes on air in Italy with a mix of national and regional coverage. Between them, they deliver more than 100 services, with around half being digital only.
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    chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #5
    Looks like they use DAB+ in Italy

    http://www.worlddab.org/country_information/italy
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    Mark CMark C Posts: 20,920
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    #6
    chrisjr wrote: »
    Looks like they use DAB+ in Italy

    http://www.worlddab.org/country_information/italy


    Some info here too :-

    http://www.wohnort.org/DAB/italy.html
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,890
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    #7
    I can't make sense of any of those websites. It appears to me that DAB+ can be used but in the majority of cases standard DAB is being used. Have I understood the sites correctly?
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    Rupert RigsbyRupert Rigsby Posts: 279
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    #8
    I was staying on Lake Garda (Peschiera) recently and yes my DAB radio did work, I could only recieve the one national multiplex, It is also duplicated in DAB+ too.

    Enjoy your trip!
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    smorrissmorris Posts: 2,084
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    #9
    You'll get more on FM though - DAB is still a niche product in Italy. The FM band is extremely chaotic in Italy, but very full in general, except in the most rural areas.
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    mgbstagmgbstag Posts: 928
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    #10
    Take it and find out! Next.
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    MSBMSB Posts: 1,408
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    #11
    Since no-one's mentioned it...

    There are national and regional multiplexes present, but you'll only be able to get the Rai channels (Radios 1-3, Filodiffusione 4 & 5 etc) and a few commercial networks (Kiss Kiss, Deejay, RTL 102.5) on your Pure PocketDAB.

    The country seems to be switching to DAB+, which unless you bought another radio recently you won't be able to hear those channels.
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    stuart2010stuart2010 Posts: 84
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    #12
    smorris wrote: »
    You'll get more on FM though - DAB is still a niche product in Italy. The FM band is extremely chaotic in Italy, but very full in general, except in the most rural areas.

    If the FM band is chatoic that must be lots of different stations? How do they make money? I thought we are told towns with less than 2 million people are not big enough to support local radio.........;)
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    hanssolohanssolo Posts: 22,674
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    #13
    MSB wrote: »
    The country seems to be switching to DAB+, which unless you bought another radio recently you won't be able to hear those channels.
    Plus with some DAB+ compatable sets brought in the UK, a further firmware update is needed to get DAB+ working!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 130
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    #14
    MSB wrote: »
    Since no-one's mentioned it...

    There are national and regional multiplexes present, but you'll only be able to get the Rai channels (Radios 1-3, Filodiffusione 4 & 5 etc) and a few commercial networks (Kiss Kiss, Deejay, RTL 102.5) on your Pure PocketDAB.

    The country seems to be switching to DAB+, which unless you bought another radio recently you won't be able to hear those channels.

    My DAB1500 worked fine in Italy this August and there is a decent range of basic channels. Also the Cinque classical station is now on DAB whereas it used to be only FM...
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    LeeBoy19LeeBoy19 Posts: 1,149
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    #15
    *MikeB* wrote: »
    I am going to Italy (South West) and just wondered if my Pure PocketDAB 1500 radio will work there. There is a thread about this but it is a few years old now so I wanted some more recent advice.
    Rather depends on your Radio. Italy has/had DAB just like ours but are in the throes of moving to DAB+, I'm not sure if they have changed completely yet, I suspect not, but that should be relatively easy for you to check via the net. So if your DAB is a DAB+ compatible one you should not have any problems and even if not you may still get some stations with a pretty standard DAB radio of the UK kind.
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    LeeBoy19LeeBoy19 Posts: 1,149
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    #16
    stuart2010 wrote: »
    If the FM band is chatoic that must be lots of different stations? How do they make money? I thought we are told towns with less than 2 million people are not big enough to support local radio.........;)
    Lot's probably not actually making money or making use of laxer laws in Italy.
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