Very very poor DAB radio reception

5C0TT

5C0TT

Registered User
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Messages
28
Reaction score
13
Points
3
Location
Midlands
Hi all,

I have a brand new S3 and the DAB radio is absolutely useless. No matter what channel I select it's completely unplayable.

It does occasionally work, I mean literally for 5-10 seconds and then nothing.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any ideas what the problem could be?
 
If you are in a poor DAB reception area you will have problems.
I gave up and use FM now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rob2k68
Yeah, I'm afraid DAB is another classic example of a half-***** attempt to advance technology. It's not great in my area either so FM for me too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rob2k68
Is there a web based DAB signal strength map so you can check your region ?

If not you need to try it next to another S3 to establish if it's the car at fault or poor signal strength.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Simon L
Yeah I noticed it was rubbish as well, keep it on R1 if I want DAB, otherwise FM.
 
You can try a re-tune (top of the list of stations) I find it awesome 99% of the time and spend all week in various corners of the UK. Annoys me that it doesn't autoseek like the old RDS.
 
DAB works great for me, never use FM in the car now. It's great to get a decent selection of stations now as FM in Aberdeen is severely lacking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rob2k68 and Simon L
Martinbanshee said:
DAB works great for me, never use FM in the car now. It's great to get a decent selection of stations now as FM in Aberdeen is severely lacking.
Click to expand...

Good to hear Martin.......had to work well somewhere!!

To be fair it's as clear as a bell in my home town but go a few miles in certain directions and it starts cutting out so rather than fanny around I just leave it on FM now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rob2k68
Ironically it works surprisingly well up here, we normally get short end of the stick when it comes to radio.
Tbtj28.gif
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rob2k68
DAB reception for me is excellent down here in sunny Southampton, and I never bother with FM anymore.
 
Car is booked in to get it checked out.

I have a solution, we'll sort of. TuneIn radio app, streamed over Bluetooth it works a treat and it gives Radio Text such as song playing etc
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rob2k68
If the MMI is set to a DAB station, don't get fooled by it appearing to be on DAB but showing "(FM)" after the station name as that is the MMI rolling over to the same station on FM even though you selected DAB. Took me a while work this out a few years ago and it turned out to be an issue with the loom in the headlining stopping DAB working properly.
 
I gave up on DAB too, often silence as no signal. One time I'd hiked up the volume in DAB and when I switched to FM the noise was deafening!

TX.
 
DAB in mine is perfect, although the reception when I drove to Scotland and crossed the border was severely lacking!!
 
Solved,

The car has been with the dealer most of the day and they managed to work out what was causing the problem.

I have a Road Angel (GPS speed camera detector) with this switched on it completely destroys the DAB signal, unplug it and ta-da DAB works perfectly!!
 
5C0TT said:
Solved,

The car has been with the dealer most of the day and they managed to work out what was causing the problem.

I have a Road Angel (GPS speed camera detector) with this switched on it completely destroys the DAB signal, unplug it and ta-da DAB works perfectly!!
Click to expand...
My DAB works well most of the time,but when you loose signal i though it seemlessly goes to FM,mine doesn't.
 
froggy said:
My DAB works well most of the time,but when you loose signal i though it seemlessly goes to FM,mine doesn't.
Click to expand...
Mine doesn't either. I got fed up in the end and use just FM. Can't really tell the difference (except FM doesn't keep cutting out) :yahoo:
 
It goes to FM if the station has an FM equivalent. So on radio 2 it's fine but planet rock just goes off.
 
5C0TT said:
I have a Road Angel (GPS speed camera detector) with this switched on it completely destroys the DAB signal, unplug it and ta-da DAB works perfectly!!
Click to expand...
Erm, this was suggested by a couple of people on this thread already, it's very common. If you use a decent, branded power adaptor you should be OK.
 
  • Like
Reactions: veeeight
froggy said:
My DAB works well most of the time,but when you loose signal i though it seemlessly goes to FM,mine doesn't.
Click to expand...
Have you got the option for it to do that ticked in the MMI? Think it's called 'alternative frequency'....mine was switched off. DAB doesn't work in mine as I used the front power plug for the dash cam.
 
S32B said:
Have you got the option for it to do that ticked in the MMI? Think it's called 'alternative frequency'....mine was switched off. DAB doesn't work in mine as I used the front power plug for the dash cam.
Click to expand...
Yeah,done that from day of collection.I only listen to Absolute radio,so it might be their FM is crap too.
 
Most annoying thing about DAB for me is that as I live on Herts/Essex/London borders it keeps changing stations depending on what side of the road I am driving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
steverobertsbbc said:
Erm, this was suggested by a couple of people on this thread already, it's very common. If you use a decent, branded power adaptor you should be OK.
Click to expand...

Yes, I did notice those replies and it was the first thing I tried.

However, as mentioned. It's not the USB adator that's the problem it is the actual Road Angel. If I unplug the Road Angle and have it running off it's internal battery it kills the DAB signal, as soon as I switch it off, DAB reception returns
 
5C0TT said:
Yes, I did notice those replies and it was the first thing I tried.

However, as mentioned. It's not the USB adator that's the problem it is the actual Road Angel. If I unplug the Road Angle and have it running off it's internal battery it kills the DAB signal, as soon as I switch it off, DAB reception returns
Click to expand...
Oh, weird! I have a Gem+ and it doesn't give any problem for me.
 
I'm going to double check this again tomorrow, I'm doubting myself now :blink:
 
Slightly off-topic... But that fitting / installation looks well done @5C0TT! Out of interest what do you have in the cupholder that you've presumably stuck a suction cup to? Good idea for a reasonably nice looking suction cup phone mount solution

Thanks! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5C0TT
azibux1 said:
Slightly off-topic... But that fitting / installation looks well done @5C0TT! Out of interest what do you have in the cupholder that you've presumably stuck a suction cup to? Good idea for a reasonably nice looking suction cup phone mount solution

Thanks! :)
Click to expand...
Thanks, it's (get ready for this) a lid off a large cardboard tube! It fits perfectly. The road angel is sitting on its own mount which is stuck to this lid
 
5C0TT said:
Thanks, it's (get ready for this) a lid off a large cardboard tube! It fits perfectly. The road angel is sitting on its own mount which is stuck to this lid
Click to expand...
Hahaha nice! Unfortunately was hoping for it to be something more easier to buy as a one off, but cardboard tubes come in so many sizes haha
 
azibux1 said:
Hahaha nice! Unfortunately was hoping for it to be something more easier to buy as a one off, but cardboard tubes come in so many sizes haha
Click to expand...

Get one of the Audi cup things with the metal hinged lid.
 
5C0TT said:
I'm going to double check this again tomorrow, I'm doubting myself now :blink:
Click to expand...
It could be the placement of it, it's very close to the entertainment electronics in the glovebox. I must say I'm surprised that you get a good enough GPS signal down there. I have mine on the dash, just above the air vent on the right side. If you do find that it's the USB adaptor, I can link you to a Griffin one that I can personally vouch far (in use in my car as well as bench-tested!), with the caveat that you have to buy it directly from Griffin to ensure that you get a genuine one!

Going off-topic, how are you finding the accuracy of the Gem+ database? I went up the M1 from London to Leeds a few weeks ago and most of the average speed camera sections went undetected and the ones it did detect where generally not quite correct. I previously had a Pogo Alert and that was perfect - and ironically in the last couple of years it was Road Angel that was updating their camera database!
 
You were right, I was wrong :)

As mentioned I tried a few USB chargers and it didn't fix the problem. However, after trying my wife Griffin adator the problem is FIXED!!

The Gem+ works fine where it is placed, I was surprised how good it did work. It does however give (not very often) false speed readings but it never misses and alert for a camera.

I was so tempted to go for a Pogo but having been a Road Angel subscriber for a few years I decided to stick with wheat I know. Database wise, I have nothing to compare it too but I have noticed a few fixed camera on the M6 south Birmingham are missing
 
  • Like
Reactions: steverobertsbbc
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Richyboyp
Headlights very low and poor
Replies
50
Views
18K
sbarker
S
HawkeyeS3
So very very miffed!!!
Replies
13
Views
2K
HawkeyeS3
HawkeyeS3
Antjos1
Very tempting
Replies
13
Views
1K
Swanny356
Swanny356
Ja5on
Very Surprised
Replies
10
Views
2K
Ja5on
Ja5on
Abrown
DAB radio..
Replies
6
Views
1K
MartinDov
MartinDov
Top
Back