Problem with DAB radio

gloucester · Post by **gloucester** » Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:14 am

... or a dicey/corroded connection on the aerial circuit?

Chrisefs · Post by **Chrisefs** » Sun Feb 17, 2019 1:18 pm

Mine started the cutting out recently too. Anyone find out what the issue is ?

gloucester · Post by **gloucester** » Sun Feb 17, 2019 2:19 pm

I rarely had a problem with my Qashqai but my Suzuki about once a week or sometimes more often switches band which I'm thinking might be loss of DAB signal. And transmissions aren't always at full strength - a friend of mine has twice rung me this morning complaining her DAB radio is cutting out momentarily - and that's in her kitchen! Perhaps something has changed as Timbo8 is suggesting.

MikeGC · Post by **MikeGC** » Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:14 pm

My partner has a 17-reg Micra.
Her DAB has been iffy for most of the time she’s owned the car.
Turns out the ariel is a non-DAB ariel - now this could be dealer BS but worth checking

calnorth · Post by **calnorth** » Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:33 pm

This likely won't be helpful: ( I saw DAB+ failure on a 3 year old Mercedes AMG C63 last year..until Merc upgraded the DAB radio software to DAB+)

We had DAB in UK from 2013.

DAB+ is relatively new to the UK and some of the UK’s national digital and local radio stations use this new technology. Although there are benefits to DAB+ some older radios can't process the new standard and you may not be able to receive DAB+ stations.

Some digital radios can be upgraded to receive DAB+ stations, but unfortunately many cannot and you may have to buy a replacement radio to receive Jazz FM, Fun Kids and Magic Chilled and others across the UK. The BBC at least should widely announce such changes...

DAB+ regular services were launched in 2016 in UK.

Why DAB station loss occurs...suddenly: The digital cliff and stuff.

This is apart from electronic/cable/antenna/antenna amp problems which would need testing for.

Its possible nationally that like DTV channels the DAB radio channels are being shifted about the DAB frequency spectrum and transmitted (grouping) in such a way that DAB receivers can no longer process them. DAB+ receivers it is said will fall off the digital cliff earlier (signal quality as opposed to strength) than DAB receivers. Similar to DTVs pixil-lating and a DTV will blank out sound and video. So the upgrade to DAB+ has its set backs and effectively does what a DTV does when it falls over the said cliff!

In respect of signal strength I was surprised to find a signal strength measure (AM/FM/DAB) on my 2017 QQ but no sig quality measure. Is buried in the maintainers test menus. Not that that overcomes the DAB/DAB+ issue above...helps a bit as regards self test though.

A factory software update could be the answer....or a change of receiver. Drive to another region ?

Deleted User 3871 · Post by **Deleted User 3871** » Sun Feb 17, 2019 11:02 pm

I recently watched a youtube video on DAB & DAB+ .. the UK DAB uses MP2 audio codec (CD's, you know, those shiny disks), DAB+ uses the HE-AAC v2 audio codec (MP4).

Well, with the better codec DAB+ was meant to offer better sound quality, but instead, all the broadcasters did, was offer more channels with the same bit rate. So essentially any DAB system offers poorer sound quality compared to FM.

Lots of reading here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_a ... oadcasting

calnorth wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:33 pm This likely won't be helpful: ( I saw DAB+ failure on a 3 year old Mercedes AMG C63 last year..until Merc upgraded the DAB radio software to DAB+)

We had DAB in UK from 2013.

DAB+ is relatively new to the UK and some of the UK’s national digital and local radio stations use this new technology. Although there are benefits to DAB+ some older radios can't process the new standard and you may not be able to receive DAB+ stations.

Some digital radios can be upgraded to receive DAB+ stations, but unfortunately many cannot and you may have to buy a replacement radio to receive Jazz FM, Fun Kids and Magic Chilled and others across the UK. The BBC at least should widely announce such changes...

DAB+ regular services were launched in 2016 in UK.

Why DAB station loss occurs...suddenly: The digital cliff and stuff.

This is apart from electronic/cable/antenna/antenna amp problems which would need testing for.

Its possible nationally that like DTV channels the DAB radio channels are being shifted about the DAB frequency spectrum and transmitted (grouping) in such a way that DAB receivers can no longer process them. DAB+ receivers it is said will fall off the digital cliff earlier (signal quality as opposed to strength) than DAB receivers. Similar to DTVs pixil-lating and a DTV will blank out sound and video. So the upgrade to DAB+ has its set backs and effectively does what a DTV does when it falls over the said cliff!

In respect of signal strength I was surprised to find a signal strength measure (AM/FM/DAB) on my 2017 QQ but no sig quality measure. Is buried in the maintainers test menus. Not that that overcomes the DAB/DAB+ issue above...helps a bit as regards self test though.

A factory software update could be the answer....or a change of receiver. Drive to another region ?

suzie_que100 · Post by **suzie_que100** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 11:12 am

Chrisefs wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 1:18 pm Mine started the cutting out recently too. Anyone find out what the issue is ?

I have found that changing my radio to FM has fixed the problem! Keep the radio option on FM, and regardless of what function I'm using (blue tooth, radio or CD) it hasn't cut out once and I changed this a few days ago. My car is booked into Nissan for a diagnostic (£140!!!) in a few weeks, so I'll see how it goes until then.

calnorth · Post by **calnorth** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 12:32 pm

It will be interesting to know what they reveal.

If the FM part is working the antenna and radio cabling is good because the antenna and related parts are common for FM and DAB.

However, FM and DAB are two different receivers within the car entertainment box on the dash. Let us know please

Cheers

Colin

MikeGC · Post by **MikeGC** » Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:39 pm

Can I suggest that you check your antenna ?

My partner has a new Micra, she's had terrible problems with her DAB.
Boils down to the wrong antenna.
My QQ antenna has a dab of red paint on the end of the threaded section. Hers doesn’t and the dealer are supplying a replacement.

Pandjh · Post by **Pandjh** » Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:57 pm

This morning, tuned to DAB, 100 mile drive saw 2 system shutdowns and so many cut outs i lost count.

This afternoon, read Suzie Que100s post and tuned to FM. One hour of driving all round town and I had no issues at all.

Problem with DAB radio

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