Yeah I can get better reception. It is a bit of wire only. I just stick a USB dab radio in my bag . Just my observations.
What kind of USB digital tuner do you use?
As Iāve never seen one that gives the reading in decibels like you quoted. Iād be interested to get one to see what it says at my place.
Itās a dabby dab usb stick , I am using dab player. I wish I could find an fm tuner. I lost the install disks. Google an example screenshot.
2 Likes
Anyone looking for a clearance bargain portable radio, the Tangent DAB 2GO is going for $99.
3 Likes
For DXing purposes using SDRSharp is the way to go.
For general listening I just came across this software: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-RbkSUB_3lUSFF6RW5xcjFXRFE/view
Which apparently originally was a testing tool for realtek devices that someone has expanded slightly.
Seems to do the basics and supports RDS (as well as RDS Spy).
Hereās a screenshot I took after it managed to grab a second of RDS from Star 104.5:
And with a better RDS signal:
6 Likes
@Petarkco what operating system is needed?
Do any of these software radios run via Linux? If so, what Linux distro suits it best?
Ive noticed that SCA has started to localize the id sweeps on the triple m branded DAB music log stations does anyone on here know how long theyve done this for?
1 Like
Yeah Iāve only noticed this too in the last week or two.
1 Like
For that program (FM Radio) Windows 7+
There are RTLSDR programs for Linux, the one I mentioned SDRSharp appears to work on Ubuntu at least:
1 Like
Wonderful, great to know thereās some available.
I just installed. It is perfect lightweight. I am stating the obvious, FM radio sounds much better than DAB. 
. It sounds better than Google play music too in my view.
1 Like
Not near a radio at present, but Iām hearing thereās some issues with Telstra thatās causing disruption to DAB+ services in Melbourne
2 Likes
Just saw an ad on telly that Harvey Norman have got 20% off ALL DAB Radios at the moment.
5 Likes
Just heard a lengthy in house promo on 2CH promoting Digital radio, which specifically mentioned 2CH being available in stereo.
The odd part was that it stated that Digital radio had Song and Artist info, but Iāve NEVER seen that on 2CH.
4 Likes
I think 2CH had song/artist info on DAB+ at some point during the 2014-16 āHappy Daysā era and maybe local/non-networked programing during the āMagic 2CHā era, but not recently.
1 Like
DAB+/Internet Radio Comparison Review
Title: Bush BR320DABC vs Blaupunkt BCR-9 DABi - All is not equal.
(See end of review for pic/link)
Some of you recall my recent problems with my Bush BR320DABC radio, more recently when the display failed; much to my disappointment. So when JB HiFi recently had a 30% off sale of their DAB radios I decided to purchase the identical in appearance Blaupunkt BCR-9 DABi hoping that it would emulate the same performance as my once loved BR320DABC radio.
The Bush BR320DABC radio retailed for around $320 from memory & no longer available.
However I noted in recent times that both Bing Lee & JB HiFi were selling the identical looking radio for $199 rrp under the badge name of Blaupunkt, once a respected German brand name.
In Australia we have this radio distributed from a company called Ayonz located in Sydney. This radio, like the Bush, is made in China by an unknown company or maybe companies?
Upon unpacking the Blaupunkt BCR-9 DABi my first observation was the finish & build quality was not quite up to the quality of my two experienced Bush 320DABC radios Iāve used. The BCR-9 had minor imperfections in case paint finish & small indentations in plastic. My 2nd observation was with the rotary encoder (volume/select control) of the BCR-9 was that is was cheap and nasty compared to the 320DABC. Specifically whilst the 320DABC was smooth with fine graduations & easy to depress, the BCR-9 was none of these. It had wide course graduations & I had to hold the radio with both hands to depress the select button to stop the radio from moving all over the table & to get the control to depress. Not a good start when I hadnāt even plugged the radio in yet.
Two big differences in the radio from a spec side of things is that, as previously mentioned, is that the Bush radio operates with 12 volts whilst the Blaupunkt unit uses 7.5 volt at higher amperage.
Okay time to connect & power up & evaluate the BCR-9.
Upon power up one of the initial differences is the Blaupunkt logo appearing before the setup wizard appears. In fact the logo appears whenever the radio is initially plugged in (no logo with the Bush radio). Like a PC the radio takes a while to boot-up.
After going through the basic setup procedure with the radio & my WiFi Router to get the radio connected & talking to the Internet I was ready for a full evaluation.
But prior to starting the radio, the radio announced to me via the screen that a Firmware update was available (yaye), so I naturally obliged. After about 5 minutes or so, the procedure was finished. All good, ready for testing.
My first trail was to load up the DAB+ & FM stations & listen. It didnāt take much time of listening to realise that this radio is not the same radio as the Bush 320DABC. The audio quality was muffled compared to the Bush. Worse yet when certain frequencies or sounds were heard in either speech or music the case enclosure would resonate/vibrate leading to distracting & intolerable noise. Oh dear I thought. This is bad. I didnāt expect this for a $200 radio. The question I have is; is this problem unique to my radio or is it a production run problem or do all the units suffer this problem? I tried to contact the supplier Ayonz via phone, but impossible to get through to them & still no response to my enquires with them via phone or email after two days! [Update Ayonz did reply after two days & stated they are not aware of any production problems. So either unit is faulty or itās the norm & manufactured to price point by Blaupunkt where quality control or performance isnāt a huge concern for them? I still donāt know. I just echo my findings.]
Further evaluations.
The rotary encoder is indeed crude & course to use in practice. Apart from the initial findings with it, I discovered that the graduation between mute & next graduation providing one bar volume level was too course (higher step) in volume level increase. The Bush radio had about 3-4 graduation volume levels before reaching the minimum volume of the BCR-9 - this isnāt ideal for quiet bedside listening. Another thumbs down.
Another issue I had with this radio, oh yes & more to come, was that there was a low audio level rapid clicking noise when streaming any internet, podcast stations or streaming any content from another connected device such as an MP3 file on my Android ph. Again not ideal for quiet bedside listening. I also noted another very low level digital noise when speaker muted, but this wouldnāt normally be a problem and it disappeared when radio put in standby mode.
The other annoyance & disappointment I had with with this radio was with the display brightness settings. In Power-On mode there are three settings like the Bush radio as high, medium & low. In reality with the BCR-9 this translates to Super Bright, Very Bright & Bright and completely unsuitable as a bedside radio when listening at night. The Bush Radio doesnāt have this extreme issue, but I wish both radios had a button to either kill the display or dim it to very dim in normal power on mode. This leads me to the only positive of this radio in comparison to the Bush model. The standby dim settings for bedside usage are excellent. The low (dim) setting enables the clock to be just barely, but clearly seen & is the perfect brightness level for bedside usage.
The software menus of the two models are almost identical, except that the BCR-9 has a nice additional menu option in the display section for selecting the amount of time before the display setting brightness changes from Power On display brightness setting to the Standby display brightness setting from when the radio enters standby mode.
Radio reception performance appeared to be similar or identical to the Bush unit, although very little testing done - I lost interest due to the crappy audio.
Before I make my concluding remarks I want to make people aware that
I am am somewhat of a harsh, but fair & accurate critic (unlike many average Social Media Joe Blogg reviewers, for whom I mistrust in terms of evaluating; Noise, Reception & Audio performance of radios).
Conclusions: Based on my sampled BCR-9 unit experience compared to the Bush 320DABC I do not recommend anyone purchase the Baupunkt BCR-9. Not unless you only intend to use it only as a table/benchtop radio (& donāt intend to use as bedside radio) & not unless your hearing is stuffed & you canāt distinguish audio from a torn speaker cone from an old radio to a $4000 B&W or KEF HiFi audio loudspeaker system. It was such a disappointment that I returned the radio. Iāll retract specific findings if the unit I had was faulty as a one off, but I doubt with all these problems it was a one off. Case enclosures should not resonate with speaker output.
It is at this point that I speculate. Did the Blaupunkt company design this radio as a cheaper knock-off version of the Bush 320DABC. Was the BCR-9 manufactured by the same company as the 320DABC? If so perhaps corners were cut by Blaupunkt to provide a cheaper (but in reality at the cost of quality & performance) version to appeal to the people who missed out on the Bush 320DABC? I donāt know.
To those who scored a Bush 320DABC from Grays On Line for $60-$80 a few months ago. Cherish those radios, you scored an absolute bargain. The pricing of the original $320 of the Bush radio is for a reason it was designed & engineered to perform, unlike (from my sampled purchase) the BCR-9. At $199 the Blaupunkt is overpriced given its performance. Itās crazy producing a feature rich radio like this whilst skimping out on a good encoder & audio/speaker & fitting (re vibration). I sincerely doubt Iād pay anymore than $25 for it & even then Iād ask myself why I spent the money. One can find smaller USB charger/alarm clocks much cheaper. A table radio has to produce decent audio at this price point - this unit doesnāt. Look elsewhere. Rating = One half of a star
(It is stylish, it is functional, but doesnāt perform like it should)
ā> If you enjoyed reading this review, please give it a like. Replies are welcome.
4 Likes
I have the Bush. And it definitely has this annoying problem too!
2 Likes
Does this happen on 2GB all day, KIIS 106.5 & 104.1 2DayFM & NOVA 96.9 at breakfast, Triple M at drive, and ABC RN at 10:00pm? 
3 Likes
Whoever is running ZED Sydney(a relay of Joy Melbourne)must have been doing some more testing recently as the channel is now(unlistenable) called āZIGā
2 Likes
Thanks!
So ZED is now ZIG?
Iāll be having a bit of a listen later tonight, so Iāll check that out.