"The tinkerer in me likes the idea of being capable of constructing an information receiving device in an almost "survivalist" manner..."
I agree. I'm concerned the more advanced broadcast technology is the easier it is to control and or shut down.
A broadcast service can be shut down for various reasons, political, economic,etc. or because of some unforeseen disaster, natural or human-made. Whatever the reason the population is then cut off from news and information. The simpler the technology the easier it is to restart or resurrect.
Whilst Europe has largely dispensed with AM radio, we're seeing this debate playing out in the US over AM radio in cars. And now we're seeing this with FM, and Switzerland isn't the first.
Let's look at this holistically for a moment. AM radio is easy to establish and it works well—witness both local and shortwave services in the 20th Century. An AM receiver can be as simple as a tuned circuit and diode (a crystal set). FM is a little more complex but mono FM is nevertheless very easy to get going. Similarly, an FM receiver can be as simple as a single valve or transistor circuit configured as a superregenerative† detector (I've used one to listen to FM over a 100 miles from the transmitter, they can be extraordinarily sensitive given their simplicity).
This simplicity and ease of establishment just isn't possible with DAB. DAB requires advanced electronics, ICs etc. that cannot be improvised without high tech production.
It seems to me these debates over the closure of AM and FM services are being conducted without the public's interest and national security in mind.
I agree. I'm concerned the more advanced broadcast technology is the easier it is to control and or shut down.
A broadcast service can be shut down for various reasons, political, economic,etc. or because of some unforeseen disaster, natural or human-made. Whatever the reason the population is then cut off from news and information. The simpler the technology the easier it is to restart or resurrect.
Whilst Europe has largely dispensed with AM radio, we're seeing this debate playing out in the US over AM radio in cars. And now we're seeing this with FM, and Switzerland isn't the first.
Let's look at this holistically for a moment. AM radio is easy to establish and it works well—witness both local and shortwave services in the 20th Century. An AM receiver can be as simple as a tuned circuit and diode (a crystal set). FM is a little more complex but mono FM is nevertheless very easy to get going. Similarly, an FM receiver can be as simple as a single valve or transistor circuit configured as a superregenerative† detector (I've used one to listen to FM over a 100 miles from the transmitter, they can be extraordinarily sensitive given their simplicity).
This simplicity and ease of establishment just isn't possible with DAB. DAB requires advanced electronics, ICs etc. that cannot be improvised without high tech production.
It seems to me these debates over the closure of AM and FM services are being conducted without the public's interest and national security in mind.
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† https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regenerative_circuit
https://www.qsl.net/l/lu7did/docs/QRPp/Receptor%20Regenerati...