Joyrex Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/06/508501366/norway-will-be-first-country-to-shut-down-fm-network-go-all-digital The Norwegian government also says that digital radio is less likely to fail in extreme conditions, which lawmakers saw as an advantage for emergency preparedness.The CEO of Digitalradio Norway says the country's FM network is antiquated and would need massive investments to maintain — so, to allow investment in digital radio, the FM network needs to be shut down. But NPR's Frank Langfitt reports that the public in general isn't happy about the decision to abandon FM entirely. "A recent poll shows that two-thirds of Norwegians are against ditching FM," he reports. "Among the concerns: people may miss warnings for emergencies that are broadcast on FM. "In addition, two million cars in Norway — a country of just five million people — don't have digital audio broadcasting receivers."A digital adapter for an FM car radio costs about $170." Reuters reports that the shutdown of FM signals will begin in the northern city of Bodø on Jan. 11, and extend across the country by the end of the year. Some local stations, however, will continue to transmit over FM signals until 2022, The Local reports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisbot Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Oh course it's a Scandinavian country that's stuck 20 years in the future compared to the rest of the world. For better or for worse I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizza Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Looking forward to 20 years from now when we'll go back to FM for the "warmer sound". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psn Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 We're dumping a few million perfectly good radios the coming 12 months, come and get them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizza Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I dumped mine i 1995. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambermonk Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Makes sense. It would be like the transition from VHS to DVDs at the turn of the millennium. The world can eventually phase out FM radio, so long as we keep FM synthesis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goDel Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 News from the 90s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
user Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Will this open up the FM bands for pirate radio stations? Would be cool if a new scene emerges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xox Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Will this open up the FM bands for pirate radio stations? Would be cool if a new scene emerges. that'd be interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psn Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Will this open up the FM bands for pirate radio stations? Would be cool if a new scene emerges. Maintaining the FM transmitters is apparently expensive as hell, on the scale of a few hundred million NOK a year IIRC. So unfortunately no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YangYing Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Will this open up the FM bands for pirate radio stations? Would be cool if a new scene emerges. Maintaining the FM transmitters is apparently expensive as hell, on the scale of a few hundred million NOK a year IIRC. So unfortunately no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCM Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 LW is the coolest band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chim Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 This will probably happen worldwide in time. Sad to see FM go. Such an amazing format. How about AM? The home of shortwave communications, numbers stations, spooky EVP transmissions. As a kid I was blown away to be able to listen to stations from half the world away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshuatxuk Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 This will probably happen worldwide in time. Sad to see FM go. Such an amazing format. How about AM? The home of shortwave communications, numbers stations, spooky EVP transmissions. As a kid I was blown away to be able to listen to stations from half the world away. Yeah I'm wondering about this too. I suppose with FM and perhaps AM stations eventually going away, will those frequencies be opened up for radio operators/enthusiasts? The idea of pirate radio and people using old tuners/radios seems fun. I'd be bummed if they go all digital here in the states TBH all of my radios and tuners at home are old thrift store finds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyrex Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 Personally I can't stand FM anymore as HD radio sounds so much clearer and better - I can always tell when my car radio switches from HD to FM when the HD signal gets blocked occasionally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricone RC Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 when the HD signal gets blocked occasionally. which happens because most digital stuff runs on higher frequencies, so it doesn't travel as far and doesn't penetrate buildings and other obstacles nearly as well. Might be clearer, but you need to be able to receive it to start with! Seems a bit "Cash for Clunkers" upgrading for its own sake to me, don't really see the point in actually shutting down FM transmitters unless there are massive savings to be made from doing so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zkom Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 when the HD signal gets blocked occasionally. which happens because most digital stuff runs on higher frequencies, so it doesn't travel as far and doesn't penetrate buildings and other obstacles nearly as well. Might be clearer, but you need to be able to receive it to start with! Seems a bit "Cash for Clunkers" upgrading for its own sake to me, don't really see the point in actually shutting down FM transmitters unless there are massive savings to be made from doing so I'm going to guess freeing up the radio frequency bands is one of the reasons. Digital transfer generally requires less bandwidht than the analog modulation. Plus you can compress the data to require even less. And since every communication is becoming wireless the free frequency bands are badly needed. Also the government can sell the licenses for the bands that have been freed to make some money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Sumbitches Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 The only Norwegian radio you actually need is Raaadio Fenriiiiiiiiiiz Looking forward to 20 years from now when we'll go back to FM for the "warmer sound". lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenton Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 pirates still run FM transmitters in the uk [sometimes covering the whole of london etc] - so i am sure Norway can too more likely or not they'll sell the bandwidth in the fm spectrum to telecomms so it will be full of netflix and facebook data rather than idm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psn Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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