In the UK it’s not possible to receive DAB or DAB+ radio stations from other countries. The digital radio stations which are available around the country all come from UK transmitters.
There are many reasons for wishing to listen to radio stations from outside the UK. You might want to stay in touch with news or enjoy music from home, or hear programmes in another language. You may also be interested in a different or more detailed perspective on issues which isn’t covered by UK radio stations.
International options on digital radio
There are several digital radio stations in the UK with programming tailored to specific audiences. Polish Radio London broadcasts programmes in Polish alongside English and Polish music. Matryoshka Radio is a Russian-language station, also available in London.
However, the choice is limited and only available in parts of the UK.
Turning to the internet
The internet has made it quite easy to listen to thousands of radio stations from around the world, free of interference.
If you know the radio station you’d like to listen to there is likely to be a stream available at their website. Alternatively you can use a website or app like TuneIn to browse stations by country.
If you’re using a 3G or 4G connection, or limited Wi-Fi connection in a hotel or office, it is worth being aware of data limits to avoid running out or incurring additional costs.
A combined digital and internet radio, like the Roberts Stream93i, give you the best of both worlds. These radios make it easy to listen to internet stations without using a laptop or PC, or struggling to hear from a smartphone speaker.
See also: What’s the difference between digital and internet radio? and Can I get digital radio on a smartphone?
If the internet is not a suitable option you may be able to receive stations via satellite. Many radio stations from France, Germany and other European countries are broadcast free-to-air with satellites which cover the UK. These satellites are different to those used for Sky and Freesat. A satellite or aerial installer will be able to advise further.
Radios from other countries, country settings and L-Band
Digital radios purchased in other countries and used in the UK will only receive the stations which are available in the local area – i.e. the same as digital radios bought in the UK. Where countries use DAB or DAB+ a radio can be taken from one country to another but it will only receive the local stations.
Many radios have a language or country setting. This applies to the language used for the interface and settings rather than a mode for the reception of stations. It is not possible to receive DAB stations from France, for example, by selecting French in the menu.
Digital radio in the UK is broadcast using band III but some countries, such as the Czech Republic, use band III and L-Band. Some radios sold in the UK, such as Alpine in-car DAB stereos, are able to receive stations on L-Band. However, this is limited by the signals available in your area and it is very unlikely that you will be able to receive stations from outside the UK on L-Band.
Occasionally you might find DAB/DAB+ radio stations appearing on your radio after a re-scan which do originate from other countries, such as the Netherlands. This is due to tropospheric propagation – a phenomenon brought about by certain weather conditions. Broadcasters may refer to interference to normal reception during this time.
In years gone by you might have listened to radio stations from other countries on medium wave, long wave and short wave. The national Irish broadcaster RTE Radio 1 is still available on LW in most of the UK. Until recently it was possible to hear Deutschlandfunk from Germany and Radio 10 Gold from the Netherlands on medium wave with a normal portable radio. The most famous example in Britain is probably Radio Luxembourg which was available until the early 90’s.
Digital radio is available in many other countries, so it may be worth taking a pocket radio with you for listening abroad.