Took a radio in to a relative who's in hospital but reception was virtually non-existent. Tuned right up and down on FM & AM with the aerial fully extended, but nothing. It worked fine when I tested it at home.

If I bought a digital radio and took that in for her instead, would that be likely to work much better or just be the same? I've no idea how the technology works! I don't have one already which I could test with.

Thanks, all.

DAB is unlikely to be better, probably much worse unless you have a very strong DAB signal in your area. I have two DAB portables and FM/AM is much more reliable than DAB.

They used to have a radio service last time I was in hospital, though it didn't have the stations I wanted.

There's usually a lot of interference in hospitals, from all the equipment.

You might get a DAB signal if your relative is near a window though.

It might be better to try internet radio on a mobile, via mobile data or wifi if available.

Thanks, good information & ideas there.

The analogue FM and AM bands are generally more resilient than DAB in poor signal conditions so if they aren't receiveable neither would DAB be - on an equivalent quality set. As mentioned above, you'll have a better chance of getting a listenable signal with AM/FM, Wifi or mobile data. Or if you have an old Long Wave portable, try that!

I took my FM radio into Colchester hospital when I was there and was in a room with no windows so there was not any stations to be heard.
Lucky I was only there for a few hours so did not really need it when by a window there was some signal just.
but its very bad in hospitals.

Many modern buildings such as hospitals are of ferro concrete construction, they may well also have energy saving double glazing which has a fine metallic coating. I remember having that fitted at my last house and it caused lots of problems with FM reception which was then better through the walls than the windows. I had normal double glazing fitted at my current house instead.

You can't expect too much from any radio in a hospital - unless the ambient signal is very strong.
Also remember, if you move a DAB radio from one location to another (eg home to hospital) that's most likely several miles at least (20 miles in my case for a fully equipped hospital). The signal strength will be different, maybe weaker, and the service may be different - different stations etc as location 2 might be served by different mast altogether (as in my case).
And if the service is different (different mast used at the other location) you will need to do a full re-scan each time u move the radio between locations.
...even on FM/am different masts serve different areas. My home location has a small(ish) relay mast for tv+FM (BBC) radio. If I travel around 8-10miles in any direction that signal can't be picked up anymore - you have to retune to a different BBC radio FM frequency.

Where I live the DAB reception is appalling, even though the terrain is flat and the transmitter less than 20 miles away. I used to be able to receive the local station in an upstairs room, but now even that isn't possible. I sometimes go for a walk with my radio, listening to the football commentary on away games, but even at 10 miles away, it can cut out every few yards; if it gets to an exciting bit I daren't even take a step from a point at which I can hear it. I really can't think how it's possible to receive it in a car.

Ok, I just remembered that in the main hospital, the one I mentioned before......firstly, mobile phone coverage is also a bit dodgy.....some service providers are stronger than others (EE/orange especially weak or non existent). I have been there many times in recent years and to different parts the complex and this is an accurate representation (O2 is much stronger).

Also, the hospital has a bed side integral infotainment system, providing telephone, satellite tv + radio services. But the whole thing is a pay service - u buy a card with a fixed amount of money on it (eg £10, £20, £30). When it's used up, you buy another.....can work out expensive! You do at least get the option of speaker or headphone outlet.

I think it's dependent on where u live. I only get around 20 dab stations (a lot less than some people on this forum), but this is on a pocket DAB radio and dab home hifi with indoor wire aerial. Reception is more or less rock solid though on both, and 20 varied stations is better than 5 BBC + 1 commercial FM option (which is all similar am/FM radios get unless you have an outdoor roof aerial - in this part the uk). Well, unless you constantly use the Internet for radio (or sky/freesat/freeview).

Dab power from masts is lower than for FM I think. Dab works on SFN relying on more masts with small signal footprints.....I think this is correct. Certainly in my experience, in the past I was able to pick up distant FM signals with a omnidirectional roof aerial, but the dab variation was not even detectable....again with a roof aerial and dab tuner. But times have moved on and I no longer have that setup to check the current situation.

If you previously had better dab signal than now, it might be a fault in the tuner I guess....I don't know if this is possible.
Maybe also signal footprint has a null in it,maybe to prevent interference with a another service in your direction???
That's assuming the mast you refer to is def a dab enabled mast.

All digital tv/radio reception is inherently much worse than analogue, because of the ''cliff effect'', so you need a good strong signal ......best digital recepton is probably DRM radio ........