Closure of FM Radio

[wimorrison]

I was driving up the M40 yesterday listening to Radio 4 when I heard a discussion about the FM radio spectrum and it was stated that the FM stations will all close by 31 Dec 2015.

This concerns me greatly as my nice, new XC60 does not have DAB, and I cannot imagine how this could be achieved - neither on it or on the other cars in my household.

Has anyone else heard this - and how will car radios be modified to get DAB?

[tc]

Not heard anything about this, don't know how they're going to work it as without grants and the like a lot of cars would loose the use of their radio's....

[charlotte001]

There are plans in the pipe line to do the same as with TV turning off the analogue and going to digital. I know the BBC is planning on closing some of it's DAB Stations currently

DAB in car stereos have dropped big time you can get one now for under £100 if you want a really bog standard cheapy for under £60 so by 2015 DAB will be a bit like cars with tape players old hat and already CD Auto changers have gone into history as I tried to buy one yesterday.

To get DAB you need the DAB unit like getting digital tv you need one of those little boxes if your tv isn't equipped

[Ross9]

seriously, you are worying about a single report of an event not due for 6 or 7 years. It's ridiculous, where's Arnie and The Terminator?????!!!!!???!!!??!!

[wimorrison]

Originally Posted by Ross9

seriously, you are worying about a single report of an event not due for 6 or 7 years. It's ridiculous, where's Arnie and The Terminator?????!!!!!???!!!??!!

Firstly it is not a single report, secondly it is not 6 or 7 years, it is 5 until they close the service completely and thirdly I tend to keep cars for a few years and the resale will be affected by this.

It will not affect people who have replaceable radios as I am certain that the DAB will become cheaper and that you will be able to slide a new unit in to replace the existing unit, but what about those of us who have an integrated system which cannot be replaced easily, or by a home mechanic?

I think it is being slid in with little warning - the television upgrade, which is simpler and there are less of them, had 10 years warning - there are 150m FM radios in UK - rather a lot

Perhaps not so ridiculous when you actually think about it.

[sixaparrat]

there are several DAB re-broadcasters on the market, such as the Pure "Highway" which receive DAB and then re-broadcast on the FM band. All you have to do is tune your FM radio to the DAB unit

[tt82]

Simple, listen to CD/ipod/memory card instead.

Im sure that in 5 years time there will be plenty of different solutions to deal with the problem so im not worried, i'll cross this bridge when i get to it.

[K6dude]

Don't worry, it is already bad form if you use mobiles, eat apples, talk to passengers, scratch your head, break wind or sneeze at the wheel ....maybe this is a sign that the bubble wrap government want to ban car stereos.
You heard it here first.

No, I am not Jeremy Clarkson, although some say that I have ball bearings as toe nails...and that magnets can turn me off.

[gillberry]

I'm sure by the time the changeover happens those of us with older cars and built in stereos will be able to buy an adapter that will plug in to our systems in the same way we can with ipods or memory sticks and with a bit of luck they will take both .

[John_C]

Yep don't worry, there will be plenty of solutions for cars with integrated FM-only systems.

FM radio has to go IMO, it's enormously inefficient compared to digital signals and the space it takes up in the airwaves (known as the "spectrum") could carry so much more than it does at the moment if taken up with digital signals instead.

Cheers,
John