FM Radio

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Whippet
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Re: FM Radio

Post by Whippet »

Who’s going to break the news to poor Auntie Bridget :-(
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rjb
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Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: FM Radio

Post by rjb »

Better get one of these in case fm switch off is brought forward.

Image

Grandad Bobs Crystal Radio Set. https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/121645639761?chn=ps

Hang on a minute dont i need a cats wisker to operate this. Must look out for a few strays tonight.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
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al_yrpal
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Re: FM Radio

Post by al_yrpal »

It is a copy 30 quid, the Bluetooth model is 40 quid. Bought it for the VW Camper

Thing is the BBC may be packing in FM but loads of other stations arent, bye bye BBC

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
kwackers
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Location: Warrington

Re: FM Radio

Post by kwackers »

al_yrpal wrote:It is a copy 30 quid, the Bluetooth model is 40 quid. Bought it for the VW Camper

Thing is the BBC may be packing in FM but loads of other stations arent, bye bye BBC

Al

It's the plastic that gives it away, don't know why but modern plastics simply don't look the same as old plastics, some sort of subsurface scatter thing I think.

I suppose if the beeb are leaving FM it begs the question; is that a bad thing?
They hog a fair chunk of the band, perhaps it opens up the way for more local stations?
I probably only listen to R4 on the radio - unless The Archers is on.
My car's pretty old now and due for replacement in the next couple of years so just have to make sure the new one has DAB. At home everything is streamed.
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al_yrpal
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Re: FM Radio

Post by al_yrpal »

Provided I have Wi-Fi or a phone signal I can plug my phone into the portable radio's aux socket to get Tunein digital radio, it simply becomes an amplifier. My Van's Pioneer radio is FM too and I fitted a Bluetooth device https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 4031375623 to its aux socket to connect wirelessly to my phone but the radio hammers the Van's battery so this radio is the solution. You can get original Bush radio's on EBay but they are eyewateringly expensive with crackly potentiometers. Because it's a VW perhaps I should have retasked my 1980s Grundig Concert Boy which has a crackly volume slider?

There's an item on BBC Breakfast this morning about a Repair Cafe where old blokes repair electrical and electronic items which people bring in. Thinking about it the Beeb will make millions of radio's obsolete at a stroke..not very green is it?

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
kwackers
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Location: Warrington

Re: FM Radio

Post by kwackers »

al_yrpal wrote:Provided I have Wi-Fi or a phone signal I can plug my phone into the portable radio's aux socket to get Tunein digital radio, it simply becomes an amplifier. My Van's Pioneer radio is FM too and I fitted a Bluetooth device https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 4031375623 to its aux socket to connect wirelessly to my phone but the radio hammers the Van's battery so this radio is the solution. You can get original Bush radio's on EBay but they are eyewateringly expensive with crackly potentiometers. Because it's a VW perhaps I should have retasked my 1980s Grundig Concert Boy which has a crackly volume slider?

There's an item on BBC Breakfast this morning about a Repair Cafe where old blokes repair electrical and electronic items which people bring in. Thinking about it the Beeb will make millions of radio's obsolete at a stroke..not very green is it?

Al

A can of Servisol will fix your crackly slider. Just spray it in the gap, move the slider up and down a couple of times and the jobs a good un.

Might be millions of radios, but how many are used?
I think I alone have dozens in the attic from all eras of mine and other peoples lives.
Apart from car radios most of which get updated when the car's replaced pretty much everyone streams stuff these days.
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Mick F
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Re: FM Radio

Post by Mick F »

We still have the Sony Betamax C7 cassette recorder in the loft, in it's original box along with the instruction manual.
Bought brand new in 1982.
https://www.palsite.com/slc7ovi.html

Dunno why we still have it. Weighs a ton so it can stay there!
Mick F. Cornwall
100%JR
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Re: FM Radio

Post by 100%JR »

I haven't used anything but DAB in my car(s) since 2006.My last car had it as standard and I had it fitted to my current car when I bought it.I've been all over the UK and although there are black spots where the signal is lost generally coverage is good,The black spots tend to be in Rural/hilly areas but are small and when driving usually last a couple of minutes.According to my unit I have 92 stations tuned in :o
No good if you actually live in a black spot though :|
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al_yrpal
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Re: FM Radio

Post by al_yrpal »

Mick F wrote:We still have the Sony Betamax C7 cassette recorder in the loft, in it's original box along with the instruction manual.
Bought brand new in 1982.
https://www.palsite.com/slc7ovi.html

Dunno why we still have it. Weighs a ton so it can stay there!


I sold my best friend our Betamax, he has never forgiven me! :lol:

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
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Graham
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Re: FM Radio

Post by Graham »

Three FM radios in this house. All highly regarded ones in their day : Grundig : Sony (2) .

All in daily use. I can use more than one at once and the sound is completely synchronised ( of course ).

One of them has a one-hour "sleep button" == auto-switch-off after one hour. I use this daily and often several times during the night.

** Completely appropriate to my needs

** Probably a lower energy usage compared to DAB

** Consumer churn = Zero

** Recycling and landfill = Zero ( so far )
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mjr
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Re: FM Radio

Post by mjr »

100%JR wrote:According to my unit I have 92 stations tuned in :o

How many are available at any one time, though?

Car radios have it easier than ones used in a home but not connected to an external antenna.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: FM Radio

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Have one DAB radio, only because I was given it.
Car is FM, in the house I stream - but that's actually pretty rare. TMS mostly...

They royally stuffed the deployment of DAB, I don't expect FM to die particularly quickly, but it will. I suspect cars will be the final decider.
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al_yrpal
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Re: FM Radio

Post by al_yrpal »

Obviously I am in tune with my demographic but lots of people I know still only use FM radios. I have a little Roberts one in my shed and the Grundig Concert Boy in my office where my almost redundant PC sits whilst the little Sony music centre in the kitchen has a DAB. Then theres the Pioneer car radio in my bus and the Steepletone retro job above. I often listen to the radio in our sitting room via Freeview on the TV or if I want better sound via the HEOS feature in my Denon Home Cinema Amp. With a couple of seldom used Freesat TVs, phones and tablets that can serve as radios this makes me appreciate that there is about 14 ways to listen to radio in our dwelling which is really daft !

I saw a teenager on TV a few months ago, they showed him a wireless, he didn't know what it was! My grandkids just shout at Alexa to play so and so and it does.... they dont know that Radio 4 exists or about CDs. They will never experience the joy of listening to Dan Dare and the Mekon on Luxembourg on a home made crystal set.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
100%JR
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Location: High Green,Sheffield.

Re: FM Radio

Post by 100%JR »

mjr wrote:
100%JR wrote:According to my unit I have 92 stations tuned in :o

How many are available at any one time, though?

Car radios have it easier than ones used in a home but not connected to an external antenna.

I've never gone through them all but as they're listed I presume they're available.I'll make a point of going down the list to see if they all work.
I have 15 pre-sets that are always available.
BBC:-
Radio 1,2,6Music,5live,RadioSheffield
Absolute Radio,80s,90s,ClassicRock
PlanetRock,Heart80s,Kiss,Magic,Smooth,Hallam
8)
In truth though I generally only listen to three of the above regularly.Radio2,6Music,Absolute80s.
peetee
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Re: FM Radio

Post by peetee »

We have two DAB radios. Despite them both being decent bits of kit that are located within 6 feet of the outside world (and the aerials get within 2 feet) on the same side of the house the reception is rubbish. Both suffer from audible 'flutter' and neither provides the same choice of stations.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
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