DAB aerial upgrade?

[vx220]

Hi, I have a Denon micro system in the garage and I can receive exactly one good, strong, consistent DAB channel with the supplied wire. Fortunately (for me at least) it's Absolute Radio, but I'd like a bit of choice occasionally!

Especially as Absolute seem determined to force various combinations od Gallagher Brothers down my ears!

Any experience of upgrading a DAB aerial?

Thanks in advance

[smn159]

Only in the car where I changed the supplied internal aerial with a roof mounted one - night and day difference.

Stick something appropriate on the roof and all will be well I would think.

[Mr Pointy]

There's information here but it might be more than you are thinking of:
https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/fm-and-dab-...

[vx220]

Thank you both

Mr Pointy, not as expensive as I thought

[Lucid_AV]

I put up an FM dipole on the same mast as the TV aerial. (Note: this isn't the FM omni halo-type which are flipping useless.) Bearing in mind that it's not a proper DAB antenna I still get an tonne of DAB/DAB+ stations via it. You could kill two birds with one stone.

FM works from 88 to 108 MHz. DAB/DAB+ comes in around 174MHz and goes up to 240MHz in round figures. The DAB/DAB+ frequencies are at shorter wavelengths, and so the FM aerial still picks them up. It wouldn't work so well in reverse. The receiving element of a DAB aerial is physically smaller so it's far less sensitive to frequencies below its operating range. This is also the reason why TV aerials make terrible FM and DAB aerials unless in a massively strong signal area.

The sound quality difference between FM and DAB isn't so noticeable in the car, but when at home and listening via the AV receiver and standmount speakers ten I have to say the FM does sound better. YMMV though.

[megaphone]

I have one of the Denon systems, DM-41DAB, I bought it because it is DAB+. Very disappointing, even with a proper external DAB antenna the reception is poor, won't pick up some stations. My older Panasonic system on the same antenna is really good, unfortunately it's not DAB+.

[OutInTheShed]

The only digital radio worth bothering with here is via Freesat.