Multi-band digital radios

lorenzo63

Does anyone know any good makes of digital radio that will pick up international radio stations. Are there any drawbacks like I hear some multi band types have to be configured with your modem to receive international stations. Or would I be just better off looking for a non digital multi -band radio?

martinsvi

assuming you're talking about radio stations that broadcast to general public, I really must ask - what is the priority?

If the station has to be international (foreign), it's the internet radio you're looking for (the one that connects with your modem)! Without few exceptions (such as short-wave or summer skips), you won't get much joy out of the ordinary radio, be it analogue or digital

Digital radio itself is a concept whereby local stations compress their signal so that it can take less spectrum and provide better quality, it does not provide any advantage over the distances that the wave can travel, thus the only "international" stations you would get with these things is some British ones at east coast, that is - if you're lucky.

then - if it's the internet radio you want, do you want it in a designated device, or are you happy that it can come out of your computer?

the last option, I suppose is short-wave (analougue) radio, but the audio quality is not very good and there's not many stations left operating

lorenzo63

martinsvi wrote: »

assuming you're talking about radio stations that broadcast to general public, I really must ask - what is the priority?

If the station has to be international (foreign), it's the internet radio you're looking for (the one that connects with your modem)! Without few exceptions (such as short-wave or summer skips), you won't get much joy out of the ordinary radio, be it analogue or digital

Digital radio itself is a concept whereby local stations compress their signal so that it can take less spectrum and provide better quality, it does not provide any advantage over the distances that the wave can travel, thus the only "international" stations you would get with these things is some British ones at east coast, that is - if you're lucky.

then - if it's the internet radio you want, do you want it in a designated device, or are you happy that it can come out of your computer?

the last option, I suppose is short-wave (analougue) radio, but the audio quality is not very good and there's not many stations left operating

Preferably in the designated device, but if the device has to be configured with my modem so be it. I am looking for a radio which can pick up stations in the US or elsewhere, do you know of any I can get online?

lorenzo63

martinsvi wrote: »

assuming you're talking about radio stations that broadcast to general public, I really must ask - what is the priority?

If the station has to be international (foreign), it's the internet radio you're looking for (the one that connects with your modem)! Without few exceptions (such as short-wave or summer skips), you won't get much joy out of the ordinary radio, be it analogue or digital

Digital radio itself is a concept whereby local stations compress their signal so that it can take less spectrum and provide better quality, it does not provide any advantage over the distances that the wave can travel, thus the only "international" stations you would get with these things is some British ones at east coast, that is - if you're lucky.

then - if it's the internet radio you want, do you want it in a designated device, or are you happy that it can come out of your computer?

the last option, I suppose is short-wave (analougue) radio, but the audio quality is not very good and there's not many stations left operating

Preferably in the designated device, but if the device has to be configured with my modem so be it. I am looking for a radio which can pick up stations in the US or elsewhere, do you know of any I can get online?

martinsvi

plenty, dig around these - http://tunein.com/radio/United-States-r100436/ that should keep you busy for a while, you can listen these from a computer, as long as you have speakers or headphones

as for designated devices, there are so many of them these days, I'm using a raspberry pi myself, not the most user-friendly way, maybe someone else can advise better

watty

martinsvi wrote: »

you won't get much joy out of the ordinary radio, be it analogue or digital

There are still a lot of SW and MW. But you need a decent radio, like semi-vintage Sony ICF-2001D (ICF-2010 is USA version). Even new the multi-band sets that are actually any good are mostly an ergonomic disaster (one model shares same knob for Tuning and Volume).

A set with memories and just up/down is usually just a Traveller's alarm clock, those digital display models are no better than Tesco's Analogue scale €10 World Radio, and most are worse!

You need external aerials and perhaps an Aerial Tuning unit. My stupidly small VR500 is good as long as you remember to turn on it's attenuator.

Any decent multiband AM /SSB set needs and extra tuned RF stage (for image and noise rejection and a variable RF attenuator on input.

You can then do narrow band Digital Mode reception (Weather Fax, SSTV, DRM, PSK31 etc) with a PC /Laptop sound card and free software.

Only wider band Digital like DMB, DAB, DRM+, USA HD Audio etc needs dedicated DSP receiver.

As well as Broadcast there are Amateurs, Fax, Marine and Aeronautical.

A "digital readout" sadly means nothing anymore. Some €5 to €10 sets have those using a €1 OEM combined Clock / Frequency counter on an otherwise ordinary junk radio. Rubbish.

martinsvi

watty wrote: »

There are still a lot of SW and MW.

I did mention those, didn't I? There are some Chinese, Arabic, Spanish stations.. not quite what the OP's after thou

watty

martinsvi wrote: »

I did mention those, didn't I? There are some Chinese, Arabic, Spanish stations.. not quite what the OP's after thou

It's not clear exactly what he's after. Maybe only Internet radio (as even Cable and Fibre uses a Modem).