Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)

Subject: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Ed.
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 03:19 PM

I'm moving house soon, something that will mean a 40-50 minute train journey, each way.

Whilst portable mp3 players seem to be the fashion, I'd much prefer to listen to the radio on these journeys. I've come across a few devices, but I want to be able to listen to Radio 4 LW (cricket, you know) and Radio 5 on MW.

Any ideas?

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Ed.
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 03:26 PM

Correction:

something that will mean a 40-50 minute train journey, to work, every day each way.

Apologies for the typo

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 03:28 PM

A bunch of the back-lit remotes for Sony Mini-disk players have an on board FM reciever...

Search Ebay for portable FM... you'll find ALL kinds of small options!

Like this one...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39993&item=5709552959&rd=1

happy hunting!

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Ed.
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 03:34 PM

Thanks Clinton,

As I said, I'm not after FM, rather AM (medium wave)and LW (long wave.)

Maybe it's just an anarchic British thing with our radio frequencies.

Thanks anyway

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Ed.
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 03:38 PM

anarchic should have read archaic. I'm more tired than I realised...

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Les from Hull
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 03:42 PM

Long wave doesn't happen much on the little portable radios. If you've got plenty of money you could consider Digital. Test Match special goes onto Radio 5 Sports Extra. Also you'll get the excellent BBC7 - Goon Shows, Round the Horne etc - depending of course on what time you travel.

Portables are not much under £100 and are quite heavy on batteries, although you'll be fine by recharging a set for each day. Check out the digital reception in your area though, in fact try to borrow a digital portable for a day before shelling out serious money. My machine is a Grundig GRD300 and it's fine.

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 03:45 PM

Consider a DAB personal radio if you are in an area that is covered by a Digital signal, Pure do a "DAB 1000" it is list price of £150, but I'm sure you'll find it much cheaper if you shop around online.

Alternatavley, try the SONY SRF-M37L personal radio, it has Long Wave coverage, 24 presets, a clock, and only uses 1 AAA battery, its £40 in Argos, but probably cheaper online.

Both Pure and SONY make good radios, I have 7 radios here, including 1 Pure, and 3 SONYs.

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 03:56 PM

Cross posted with Les there!, we seem to agree that Digital is the way to go, I like Les's idea of borrowing one for a day or so, if your in a good reception area, the quality of DAB compared to long wave is amazing, [like comparing a wax cylinder to CD!].

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Les from Hull
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 04:14 PM

Portable digital radios

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Ed.
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 04:19 PM

Thanks a lot, Les and John.

The journey will be from Sheffield to Stockport (across the start of the Pennines) so I doubt that there will be DAB coverage.

The Sony SRF-M37L sounds like a good option. If I buy it from Argos, I'll get two weeks to try it out too.

Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: C-flat
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 06:37 PM

My old Nokia mobile phone had a great built-in radio feature. When I up-graded my phone I didn't realise my new "improved" phone wouldn't have the same facility!
It was the best quality portable radio I've heard.

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Les from Hull
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 06:50 PM

Just in case anybody else is wondering. Digital radio is really excellent (where available!), the extra stations and the extra quality make radio listening a real pleasure. And no, I don't work for the BBC (or anybody else for that matter)!

digital radio coverage

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 08:39 PM

Your'e welcome Ed,
Full details of the SONY personal radio are on page 933 of the current Argos catalogue, probably on their website as well [www.argos.co.uk?]

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: John J
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 06:19 AM

Whilst agreeing with comments re: DAB radio, it would be nice to have a DAB radio that also has the standard AM (long wave and medium wave) plus normal FM.
For a recent backpacking trip across Scotland I bought meself a Roberts portable radio which covers medium & long wave, plus FM. It has built-in headphones (retractable leads), loudspeaker output, very good performance, but it costs £50 from Dixon's. It's quite selective and sensitive which makes a very pleasant change, most small portable radios are deaf as a post and their selctivity is just about as wide as a barn door. I'm delighted with this radio.
I can't remember the model number, but if you're interested I'll get it for you.
John

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Sooz
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 07:09 AM

You can buy a personal LW radio specially made for listening to cricket - it has the ECB logo on and is available from cricket grounds and probably on the web although I haven't looked.

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: GUEST,Vic at work
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 08:04 AM

Hi Ed,You need the RobertsR984 which was produced for Test Match Special. I purchased mine from a Currys store about 2 years ago, cost about £30. I dont think they are available from the BBC anymore but it would be worth checking because they also did a hat that the radio attached to that had the TMS logo on it. I would love one.

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 08:53 AM

Decided not to move to Salford after all then Ed! Never mind I'm sure that the journey through the Vale of Edale every day will more than make up for it:-) Don't get lost in the Cowwburn tunnel though!

I don't know much about radios but whenever I am in Edale I loose my phone signal altogether:(

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: John J
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 11:53 AM

Hello Dave!

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 01:57 PM

L.O. JJ (Not hijacking your fred Ed, honest!)

:D

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: GUEST,NH Dave
Date: 24 Jul 04 - 12:58 AM

Grundig has a nice digitally tuned small radio that includes AM, FM, & 13 Shortwave Bands. I bought it to replace a small analog - twist the dial - tuned radio that went missing in a move. The model number is
YB 300PE, and since it has outside markings in French I believe it is either an international model, or made for sale in both the US and Canada. Looking at the instructions manual - yes I do read them occasionally - which are also in German and Spanish, and include directions for changing the "channel" spacing from 10 KHz the American standard to 9 KHz, the European standard, it would seem to be an international model, with perhaps a different mains transformer unit for European use. Since it is tuned digitally, you can set it up to tune to as many as 24 preset frequencies as well as manually setting in a frequency. This means that when you place it in your coat pocket, the friction won't affect the tuning as it would in one with analog tuning. You can also automatically tune it up or down a band to stop at the next strong station, and it has an auxilliary plug-in long wire antenna to help pull in the short wave frequencies.

Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jul 04 - 02:22 AM

For Mudcatters from the U.S., some translation is necessary to follow this interesting discussion. It took a bit of searching to learn that the acronym DAB stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting. But it isn't just audio. This comes from a page I found while following the link posted by Les:

Until now, analogue radio signals have been subject to numerous kinds of interference on their way from the transmitter to your radio. These problems were caused by mountains, high-rise buildings and weather conditions.

DAB, however, uses these effects as reflectors creating multipath reception conditions to optimise receiver sensitivity. Since DAB always selects the strongest regional transmitter automatically, you'll always be at the focal point of incoming radio signals.

DAB is broadcast on terrestrial networks, and you are able to receive it using solely a tiny non-directional stub antenna. You receive CD-like quality radio programmes even in the car without any annoying interference and signal distortion.

Aside from distortion-free reception and CD Quality sound, DAB offers further advantages as it has been designed for the multimedia age. DAB can carry not only audio, but also text, pictures, data and even videos - all on your radio!

You are able to listen to your favourite music programme and sing along with your idols, since the lyrics can be shown on your radio display, or you can contemplate the handsome face of the latest movie star, while a report is given on his current box-office hit.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Dave Roberts
Date: 24 Jul 04 - 01:00 PM

I'd certainly recommend the Roberts R984. The reception on R4 LW is exceptional, and it has a nice traditional tuning scale - you turn a large knurled knob to tune it in the time-honoured way. None of your nasty digital displays which just eat up battery power.It's what the cricketing man about town is wearing this season.

Dave Roberts (no relation)

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Ed.
Date: 24 Jul 04 - 02:13 PM

Thanks for the input, everyone. I'm leaning towards the Roberts R9988 (which I presume is the one John J mentioned). It's bigger that the Sony, but the speaker might make a it a good 'pillow radio' for camping etc.

Thanks again for all your suggestions.

Ed

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: John J
Date: 25 Jul 04 - 04:06 AM

I've just checked mine, it's the Roberts Sports 947. It weighs 263gms with 2 x AA cells which makes it a rather heavy for backpacking, but the advantage of decent performance and having Long Wave coverage outweighs the weight problem. Funny that, eh? It's too heavy / outweighs the problem....oh never mind.

The 947 has digital tuning (9khz channel spacing on medium wave which is suited to European zone transmissions), the display is LCD which is very efficient in the current consumption stakes. A timed (LED) backlight is fitted. One rather dinky facility is a 90minute timer....great for going to sleep to; the radio just turns itself off after 90 minutes, automatically.

The only things I don't like: weight ('cos I'm a bacpacker and every gram counts), and a s a VERY minor gripe, synthesizer noise (a very faint buzz) is sometimes just audible on Long Wave but it's certainly not a problem.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: mcgrathof altcar
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 05:05 PM

I have a roberts 9924 - its had a hard life - all the paint work has come off it but has kept going longer than most of my radios.

It's got long wave and the batteries last for ages its a bit bigger than my nokia phone. I use it when backpacking or when im hunting.

The aerial broke off so I soldered on a new one (a rather attractive piece of yellow and green earth wire) and it works fine on fm + mw but the long wave is knackered.

Radios tend not to work in buses or trains - you get a loud clicking noise from (I think) the engine.

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: Ed.
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 05:12 PM

Radios tend not to work in buses or trains - you get a loud clicking noise from (I think) the engine.

You must have been on different trains/buses to me, or have a rubbish radio...

Subject: RE: Tech: Personal Radios (for UK use)
From: John J
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 12:25 PM

Unless you have an external aerial, any radio is not going to perform well in a bus or a train, the metal body of the vehicle will act as a very effective screen. Just try listening to BBC R4 on 198khz whilst sat in a car with the engine running, it's the same sort of thing.

The various bits of electronics / switching used on these vehicles will generate all manner of nasty transients (received as clicks / crackles / whistles etc) that will be picked up by any radio, no matter how good.

As far as portable domestic radios go, the Roberts range is amongst the best. To go for a receiver that is significantly better for portable use is just not practical as you will be into the realm of Communications Receivers which will pick up just as many clicks etc. And you'll still need an external aerial.

Cheers,

John