Well after 2 months the display of my Bush DAB+ radio BR320DABC has decided to die. The display just shows two entire white brightness levels. Fault seams to have occurred during the power point off/on operation whilst away for the afternoon. I had noted a couple of times in past that this radio doesn’t like to be unplugged from rear or via switched off from mains point as radio had difficulty powering up or establishing normal operation.
I suspect the radio has very poor power regulation or power filtering. I don’t know if the display chip is damaged or some kind of hardware reset is required.
The thing is, I can still operate the radio blindly of sorts (too difficult) or use it via the UNDOK Android app, so all is not totally lost, but can’t dim the bright display via the UNDOK app, so very annoying at night as a bedside radio.
For the users of this radio in this forum I would not recommend disconnecting this radio from power source & if you need to do it, then always power off radio by unplugging from the rear of radio rather than via a mains switch. Probably less chance of nasty voltage spikes this way. [Power button, just toggles between standby & operational states] It’s poor radio design re power filtering I suspect that causes this problem. If one has electronics experience, then perhaps designing & building a good smoothing filter/transient suppressor circuit to fit between the 12v plug & radio socket would be a good thing to do. I’m so annoyed at this fault as I love this radio.
I previously mentioned that Blaupunkt has this identical radio for sale in places like Bing Lee under the model of BCR9DABI. I did some further investigation into this & found that this model whilst looking the same as the Bush radio actually uses a different power supply, i.e. 7.5v rather than 12volt. Features & operation appears to be identical. I wonder if the power supply filtering is any better?
Unfortunately there is no service manual for either the Bush Radio or Blaupunkt that I can find anywhere.
I have my doubts doing a factory reset via the UNDOK app will fix the problem. In fact I’m too scared to do it in case I can’t re-establish communication between the radio & the UNDOK app, thus probably turning the radio into a brick.
Does anyone know the company in China that manufactures these radios?
Any other ideas how to get this radio operational again would be appreciated.
I understand these radios aren’t repaired in Australia.
Though NOVA is a bigger target with a bigger audience and a five city footprint on FM when The Edge is only western Sydney/Blue Mountains on FM and DAB only everywhere else.
I guess so but do Nova really play that many urban/RnB tracks? I was under the impression that they (at least 96.9 Sydney) have a fairly repetitive CHR format.
@Brianc68 how have you found DAB coverage out west? I went out west on the weekend and managed good DAB to Hatton Vale and beyond that it was on and off (more on than off). Even driving around Gatton and Grantham I still had reception.
Gee that’s better than I remember it. I’m impressed if you’re getting reception around Hatton Vale and Gatton. I haven’t been out that way for quite a while but I remember it getting a bit patchy in the car even in Ipswich. Maybe they’ve increased the power since then?
I was out in the bayside a couple of weeks ago and it seemed to be improved there too. It used to drop out approaching downtown Cleveland but didn’t seem to do that anymore.
I’ve not been north yet but I’ve been all around the Northern suburbs and haven’t had any drop outs. Even in Beerburrum and Woodford. Heading south I get reception all the way to Helensvale.
Helensvale and Coomera seems to be the “cut off” point for just about all radio from Brisbane in terms of decent reception. Anywhere south of there, reception takes a nosedive.
Pink Floyd comfortably nuumb just now on a station thats suppose to play modern rock songs does anyone know whats going on here because the last time i checked pink Floyd is not a modern rock band has SCA recently broadened out the music log for this station?
Though its not too bad if you go down the more coastal route through Hope Island, Paradise Waters, Runaway Bay… There’s only a few dropouts down to about Labrador.
Need to separate this thread into digital station topics and digital technical chat. As it is it’s confusing. Slightly off topic mods, how about separating Radio from media and give it it’s own spot? Deserves to be on par with TV.
I don’t know if this is new or not, but Triple M Greatest Hits Digital is now running a “Jukebox Saturday Night” program. Some good songs on it in the last 20 mins or so
Don’t You Want Me - Human League
Listen To What The Man Says - Paul McCartney
We’re Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
Save Tonight - Eagle Eye Cherry
Have You Ever Seen The Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Interesting I am in a building today with LOS to Centre point tower on the lower north shore of Sydney. I can see it. I am lucky to get 6db. Not good enough to listen to fun. Guess the building blocks the dab waves to get a real strong signal even though there is a lot of glass.
Maybe one of the members in this forum can answer this question.
Are all of the Greater Sydney Area DAB+ relays/repeaters in operation as per ACMA records?
AFAIK ACMA lists what transmitter is licenced & current (as far as payment is concerned) rather that what is actually on the air.
I’d assume that the Centre Point (Sydney Tower) DAB+ 300Watt transmitter is on air, but I don’t honestly know. I assume the Centrepoint Tower is a CBD/Harbour area infill Transmitter for the shadow areas of the main 50kW DAB+ transmitters at Artarmon. I guess that would include some of the lower North Shore areas near the harbour. The average high rise office building might also generate a lot of RF interference (RFI) from computers & other electronic equipment. One should also try to get the length of a portable whip antenna correct for best reception of DAB and that is shorter than what is required for FM transmissions & away from as many RFI sources as possible.
I’ve not tried DAB on the move or away from home for a long while. Have heard from another source in Sydney that for him reception was cutting out all the time whilst he commutes on a train around the Redfern area.