Norway Is Abandoning FM And Going All Digital

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/06/508501366/norway-will-be-first-country-to-shut-down-fm-network-go-all-digital

  Quote

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.

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.

Looking forward to 20 years from now when we'll go back to FM for the "warmer sound".

We're dumping a few million perfectly good radios the coming 12 months, come and get them!

I dumped mine i 1995.

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.

News from the 90s?

Will this open up the FM bands for pirate radio stations? Would be cool if a new scene emerges.

  On 1/6/2017 at 6:39 PM, user said:

Will this open up the FM bands for pirate radio stations? Would be cool if a new scene emerges.

that'd be interesting

  On 1/6/2017 at 6:39 PM, user said:

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.

  On 1/6/2017 at 7:06 PM, psn said:

 

  On 1/6/2017 at 6:39 PM, user said:

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.

 

LW is the coolest band

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.

  On 1/6/2017 at 8:09 PM, chim said:

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.

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.

  On 1/6/2017 at 10:59 PM, Joyrex said:

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

  On 1/6/2017 at 11:07 PM, Tricone RC said:

 

  On 1/6/2017 at 10:59 PM, Joyrex said:

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.

The only Norwegian radio you actually need is Raaadio Fenriiiiiiiiiiz

  On 1/6/2017 at 5:51 PM, pizza said:

Looking forward to 20 years from now when we'll go back to FM for the "warmer sound".

lol

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.