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Dab radio inside narrowboat


b0atman

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I have two DAB radios, a Roberts and a Bush. They do work inside the boat, but I do extend the aerials with a bit of wire. If not, the signal can break up.

The one we took was a Matsui, a foreign make but sold exclusively by Curry's. Although its aerial is quite long when extended it would not perform I the boat. Your solution interests me: do you tie the other end of the bit of wire to the outside of the boat in some way?

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We have a Roberts DAB radio connected to an external aerial, which works very well. The telescopic aerial unscrews leaving a standard aerial socket which connects to a radio aerial on the roof. The radio also has a 12 volt input, allowing it to be run from the boat domestic batteries.

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We have both a Bush and a Roberts in the boat. I ran a co-axe in the boat from the rear bedroom where the Roberts is, to the front where the Bush is. Here I put a splitter. The incomer is from a mag mounted taxi aerial (Maplins) on the roof. Works wonderfully.

Bob

edit for clarity

Edited by lyraboat
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We have a Pure Evoke 3 which generally works very well inside the boat. Large window though, where the radio is located.

It's 240v but also runs off 12v which saves a fortune in batteries.

Did have an issue with cheapo LED lights within a couple of metres completely cutting out radio reception when they were on. Also had that issue with a Roberts DAB radio as well though. Cured that by using LEDs from Bedazzled.

 

Ken

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The one we took was a Matsui, a foreign make but sold exclusively by Curry's. Although its aerial is quite long when extended it would not perform I the boat. Your solution interests me: do you tie the other end of the bit of wire to the outside of the boat in some way?

 

 

No, the wire is not outside at all. I generally twist it to the end of the telescopic aerial, but try and keep the wire straight and attached to something handy like a curtain rail. It's only about eighteen inches of extension wire.

Edited by Higgs
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We have a Pure One Mini on the boat for beside the bed at the back. Portholes not windows. Extend its own little telescopic aerial and move that to pick up clear reception. Never have any problem wherever it is on the boat and wherever we are on our travels.

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i bought a cheap Bush DAB radio from Argos and it is mostly great on the boat providing it is close to the window. I converted it to 12V with a little piece of kit off Ebay (fiver) and am very pleased with it. On occasions the reception is poor, but it has FM too so I just change over to that.

 

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1414798.htm

 

Interesting that an extension on the aerial is mentioned, must try that smile.png


You make a good point here - large windows probably aid reception.

Definitely my finding.

Edited by Guest
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i bought a cheap Bush DAB radio from Argos and it is mostly great on the boat providing it is close to the window. I converted it to 12V with a little piece of kit off Ebay (fiver) and am very pleased with it. On occasions the reception is poor, but it has FM too so I just change over to that.

 

Interesting that an extension on the aerial is mentioned, must try that smile.png

Definitely my finding.

 

 

Always start with the bit of wire, then, if that doesn't work, you advance to the saucepan lid, the frying pan, coat hangers, bed frame or Fourth Bridge.

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Always start with the bit of wire, then, if that doesn't work, you advance to the saucepan lid, the frying pan, coat hangers, bed frame or Fourth Bridge.

Sounds like when I messed around with CB's :)

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I have a Pure DAB radio, and it works very well in the boat. FM though, doesn't work as the solar controller outputs interference. (it works when its dark, not when light).

 

So, DAB is the way to go IMO :)

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Asda Dab radio on the floor by the bed, portholes only in that part of the boat, ok 90% of the time.

Mind you the display is broken so only recieves radio 4 as I can't retune it.

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I have had DAB radios on the boat for years never had a problem what some forget is that when you move from one area to another it is best like Freeview to re tune them depending on how old they are the modern ones do retune themselves this is one of the reasons they were so slow to take off for cars until the automatic retuning had been sorted

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We have used a Pure DAB radio on the boat with its own aeriel OK and have a DAB/FM car radio unit that works on an external aeriel. The external is popped up on the roof using a magnetic base and is easily removed when not needed.

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What's wrong with the first three bridges?

 

One's trains only, one is a bit far upstream, and the third one's got corrosion in the main cables ....

 

On Copperkins, I found DAB works OK with the aerial next to a window. FM needed an external one. I suspect DAB performance would be improved with a cheapco DAB antenna, rather than the telescopic one fitted at present.

 

Iain

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