Sorry @crankymedia I disagree. My first digital radio was a PURE Evoke 2 still going strong after 9 years. As I’m addicted to radios lots more followed 
including more PURE, Sangean, Roberts, Blaupunkt and a Sony. All of them are better than the Sony. I rate Sangean 1st and PURE 2nd followed by Roberts.
Most Roberts brand radios are actually Sangeans under the skin.
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@Vidiot Where did you get that information from? Roberts is an old English company dating back to the 30’s. As far as I know they have nothing to do with Sangean who only came into being in the 70’s.
My cheap radio is at home now just delivered for 30 odd dollars. Let see how rubbish it is. Was not local stock it came from China.
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Well got it.
First impressions, fm is only mono, on dab the ws fm and iheartradios are in mono or close to. 2gb, 2ch sound good and in stereo.
No presets, the stations are divided up by multiplex. I dont mind the build it self. Very simple radio.
Yet to try Bluetooth. Probably dont buy. But at least it works.
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That’s very odd for some DAB stations to be heard only in mono (when it should be stereo) and others in stereo.
I’ve never heard of that happen before.
It can’t be a signal strength issue as DAB is (like digital TV) “all or nothing” in terms of reception.
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Not all stations use the same variables. I think the iheartradio mob use parametric stereo. One of the radio gurus might correct me. This cheap radio cant decode it properly. First mono fm Walkman i have owned. Might be a hidden setting though…
Obviously I didn’t mean Roberts from a zillion years ago. I meant now.
Many of their recent DAB models are basically rebadged Sangeans. Look at their handhelds. Exactly the same. And I have a large stereo DAB portable that’s branded Roberts but is a Sangean.
EDIT: Okay, after looking at their current range, none of them have the appearance of a Sangean! Wonder if it was just a phase they went through about five years ago. It’s back to the leather and chrome look that was traditionally Roberts. And who knows what circuitry is inside them. My apologies!
As an example of rebadged Sangeans, here’s the Roberts that’s exactly the same as a Sangean DPR-67
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It may look different but have the same internals perhaps?
I have a Blaunpunkt that has the same software and menu operation as a Pure radio, but different buttons and exterior.
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@Vidiot, no need for apologies. 
who knows what circuitry is inside any brand. I was just pointing out they are different companies. I know Sangean did do the circuitry for Roberts short wave radios some time ago but didn’t think they did for DAB.
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Well “ZIG” is now playing "Light Christmas"but is still showing all the old "Joy FM"program info.
Sydney radio is now well catered for Christmas music with 3 channels(Christmas Hope,Elf Radio and light Christmas).
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IIRC, Light Christmas was running under “ZED” here in Sydney for a few days in the lead-up to the festive season - so technically the station has returned for another year! 
Haha!
One wonders why “ZIG” (formerly Zed) has mostly been running content from Melbourne community radio stations. Is this some co-operative attempt to try and get Sydneysiders down to the Victorian capital or something? Surely there’s got to be an interesting backstory behind this. 
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They’ve aired just about every station from down there bar the one I actually would listen to: 3PBS. But then again, they probably wouldn’t lower themselves by broadcasting into Sydney 
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Has ACMA uploaded submissions to the Canberra power increase or is my browser not displaying them?
https://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/proposal-to-increase-digital-radio-power-in-canberra
Thanks in advance.
I had to change my mobile browser to desktop view to see them. They are here:
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Thanks @littlegezzybear
Submissions also display for me now.
So submissions were uploaded in the 9 hr gap between our posts.
Submission by Rob Hurle of the Burra community assoc is very interesting. It appears that the increase to output has already taken place, he writes that as of Nov 2018, digital radio became available.
This is a great result, it appears to be a remote area with bad terrain and the increase is achieving just what it should be.
CBAA submission spends much of it on asking for a minimum ERP limit to be added to the plan as well as expediting infill within Canberra such as Tuggeranong.
Kev Blyton for 2CC/CA writes a simple submission agreeing with increase highlighting the trial output of 3.1kW as insufficient.
SBS highlights the quick utilisation of their allocation away from the trial allocation in Dec 17.
Most interestingly, notes the national broadcasters began an SFN on Tuggeranong Hill in Mar 18. Says it covers more than 50 000 residents in that southern edge of Canberra’s urban area.
Continues with “near immediate” enhanced coverage. So it appears the ACMA used common sense that the proposal would be well received and allowed that increase in Nov 2018 as per Burra Community Assoc submission above.
SBS were ready for the increase, knowing 20kW was more reasonable for Canberra:
From the outset, the national broadcaster transmitter was selected to have the headroom to
closely match an anticipated future increase in ERP. Such futureproofing of the
transmission infrastructure is incremental and efficient compared to complete swap-out
of low-powered equipment.
More detail comes in the final pars, thanks SBS. We know exactly what the ERP is and why:
SBS (and ABC) have the infrastructure in place to be able to increase ERP to 18.5kW—
against a proposed maximum licensed ERP of 20kW 2—without delay.2
The limit of 18.5 kW ERP is determined by the break-point in chosen base transmitter power for a 0.4dB reduction in signal level, which is not material to the audience—the design decisions represent an optimal commercial outcome.A higher transmitter power (at the next break-point) would demand materially increased capital and operating costs for no material gain
Will be interested to see if the commercial operators buy a different brand TX that has different break-points closer to 20kW.
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Canberra ERP increase summary:
ABC/SBS have already increased to an ERP of 18.5kW, anecdotally from Burra Community Assoc who have received digital radio for the first time.
0.4dB less than spec due to economics, immaterial to audience the SBS submission assures us.
So the increase is on already, enjoy the wider coverage.
It is a great outcome, shows how those on the licence area periphery are better served and affirms ACMA’s mistake in 5kW for Canberra and the Gold Coast.
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ABC Brisbane local radio returned from AM at 8:30 with very tinny/tunnel like sound audio on digital. AM was fine.
Fill in presenter, Bill McDonald completed his first break (no on air mention), went to a song and at the end of the song, the Sydney program abruptly cut in with no explanation.
8:43am, brief silence and Bill has announced that they’re back after a technical problem
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You can hear how that incident went down on the program audio here. General guess would have been an audio routing problem.
Saturday Morning - ABC listen
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