MHz UTC ITU Program + Location Details Remarks km 88.50 0615 F France Culture, Bourges/Neuvy-Collines du Sancerrois (18) 439km 94.30 0652 G BBC Radio 4, Wenvoe (WA-VGL) 559km 94.40 0653 G BBC Radio 4, Swingate (Dover) (EN-KNT) 237km 89.30 0707 G BBC Radio 2, Holme Moss (EN-WYK) 529km 90.10 0708 G BBC Radio 2, Peterborough (EN-CAM) 387km 91.50 0708 G BBC Radio 3, Holme Moss (EN-WYK) 529km 92.30 0708 G BBC Radio 3, Peterborough (EN-CAM) 387km 93.50 0709 G BBC Radio 4, Wrotham (EN-KNT) 311km 94.50 0710 G BBC Radio 4, Peterborough (EN-CAM) 387km 95.10 0714 G BBC Radio Norfolk, Stoke Holy Cross (EN-NFK) 292km 95.50 0719 G BBC Radio Suffolk, Lowestoft/Oulton (EN-SFK) 265km 97.10 0800 G Heart, Ipswich/Foxhall Heath (EN-SFK) 269km 97.70 0801 G BBC Radio 1, Manningtree (EN-ESX) 272km 97.90 0802 G BBC Radio 1, Sutton Coldfield (EN-WMD) 484km 100.10 0803 G Classic FM, Sutton Coldfield (EN-WMD) 484km 100.30 0803 G Classic FM, Pontop Pike (EN-DUR) 611km
MHz UTC ITU Program + Location Details Remarks km 90.90 1334 G BBC Radio 3, Belmont (EN-LIN) 423km 95.60 1409 F France Musique, Caen/Mont Pinçon (14) 442km 99.60 1411 F France Inter, Caen/Mont Pinçon (14) 442km 91.50 1417 F France Culture, Caen/Mont Pinçon (14) 442km 95.10 1424 F France Inter, Laval/Mont Rochard (53) 478km 91.00 1429 F France Musique, Alençon/les Cailloux (61) 406km 93.00 1429 F France Inter, Alençon/les Cailloux (61) 406km 88.60 1508 G BBC Radio 2, Bow Brickhill (EN-BKS) 389km 88.50 1509 G BBC Radio 2, Rowridge (EN-IOW) 429km 88.30 1510 G BBC Radio 2, Sutton Coldfield (EN-WMD) 484km 88.10 1511 G BBC Radio 2, Manningtree (EN-ESX) 272km 94.30 1512 G BBC Radio 4, Wenvoe (WA-VGL) 559km 94.50 1512 G BBC Radio 4, Peterborough (EN-CAM) 387km 100.10 1603 G Classic FM, Sutton Coldfield (EN-WMD) 484km 100.30 1603 G Classic FM, Rowridge (EN-IOW) PS logged: Classic_ 429km 101.50 1604 G Classic FM, Tacolneston (EN-NFK) 299km 89.30 1605 G BBC Radio 2, Holme Moss (EN-WYK) PS logged: BBC_R2__ 529km 93.10 1612 G BBC Radio 4, Belmont (EN-LIN) 423km 94.40 1613 G BBC Radio 4, Swingate (Dover) (EN-KNT) 237km 97.70 1615 G BBC Radio 1, Manningtree (EN-ESX) PS logged: BBC_R1__ 272km 91.50 1620 G BBC Radio 3, Holme Moss (EN-WYK) 529km 93.50 1856 F France Inter, Rennes/Saint-Pern (Bécherel) (35) 567km 94.00 1858 F France Culture, Rouen/Grand-Couronne (76) 321km 96.50 1905 F France Inter, Rouen/Grand-Couronne (76) 321km 87.80 1911 F France Inter, Paris/Tour Eiffel (75) 294km 91.80 1915 F France Musique, Bourges/Neuvy-Collines du Sancerrois (18) 439km 97.60 1918 F France Musique, Vireux-Wallerand/Bois de Hierges (08) 101km 95.30 2104 F France Inter, Troyes/les Riceys (10) 336km 89.90 2108 F France Musique, Rennes/Saint-Pern (Bécherel) (35) 567km 95.30 2112 F France Inter, Troyes/les Riceys (10) 336km 95.50 2226 G BBC Radio Suffolk, Lowestoft/Oulton (EN-SFK) 265km
On September 22 2024 I wrote a short review on AbracaDABra 2.5.92 and updates. I was especially charmed by the new TII decoder in this update, making AbracaDABra a nice tool for DABdxing, more than just for DAB listening. In the meantime Petr Kopecký has been very busy developing version 2.8.0. It was an honour to be able to provide Petr with some user input. Mind you: all great improved and new features can only be accessed in the Expert Mode UI in the settings widget (3 dots).
SettingsExport Mode UI settings
1. TII decoder
TII decoder
The TII decoder was implemented at first in 2.5.92. Don’t forget to check the TII settings before first use! 1. TII tab in the Settings widget. 2. Don’t forget to import the database fetched from FMLIST. 3. The database becomes useful only after entering your coordinates. 4. NEW in 2.8.0: logs can now be saved in a .csv file. The default is ‘Documents’, but users can set another folder path. 5. A spectrum plot can also be activated.
TII settings
The button at the bottom left of the TII decoder widget allows the user to record and save the received TII codes generated at the tuned channel.
Record captured TII codes
I use Office 2021 Excel to open .csv files. Double clicking on an AbracaDABra .csv works perfectly well. However when importing the file via Data the decimal in the distance column is omitted.
2. Scanning Tool
Brand-new in 2.8.0 is the scanning tool, a great feature which was missing in AbracaDABra up to now. Scanning DAB channels is great, especially for unattended logging.
Scanning tool
The scanning tool offers some interesting options making it an excellent tool for DABDX scanning.
Scanning tool options
1. Dot indicating the home position (iris) and the received transmitters (neon red). 2. Start/stop button. 3. Select the desired channels to check. 4. Number of cycles you want AbracaDABra to run. Set it below 1 to run indefinitely. 5. Mode setting: Fast, Normal or Precise. The Precise setting takes longer but should produce more accurate results. 6. Export the scanning results as a .csv file for further analysis. 7. All columns can be sorted by clicking on the header.
3. Code smoothing No visible for users: lots of code clean-up and optimisation.
Conclusion AbracaDABra has come a long way since its very first release. If you have a bit of hardware (like a cheap RTLsdr stick), an indoor telescopic antenna and AbracaDABra not in in Expert Mode, this DAB suite is perfect for casual DAB listening. Set your favourites and you are good to go. Moreover the AbracaDABra GUI is neat too.
If you want more and have a good outdoor DAB antenna you could use AbracaDABra for serious DABDXing. Don’t forget to set AbracaDABra in Expert Mode UI then. The TII decoder and the Scanning tool are what you need, especially for unattended logging.
As readers of this blog will have noticed I’m an avid DAB (and FM) DXer. QIRX and Qt-DAB are the tools I always use when there’s DAB tropo in the air and I often log at night after hitting the sack.
The past few weeks Petr was so kind to let me thoroughly test the beta versions of this new release and provide him with feedback. The new AbracaDABra has great sensitivity and is quick to decode TIIs. The Scanner tool is a huge improvement. When another great tropo pops up I will certainly have AbracaDABra running along with my other DAB tools!
AbracaDABra 2.8.0 can be downloaded from Petr’s Github release page. AbracaDABra is great with a RTLsdr stick. You can also use Airspy, Soapy SDR or RTL_tcp.
Qt-DAB-6.9 Beta release was published today by Jan Van Katwijk You can download the new Qt-DAB and the manual on Jan’s Github releases page. Jan Van Katwijk appreciates your comments and feedback on his Qt-DAB Github issues page.
This is a BETA RELEASE. The porting from Qt5 to Qt6 is now almost complete. If you’re updating from 6.8 or older the old .ini won’t work and a new .ini will be built. Users will have to input their coordinates and download the ‘load table’ again.
Qt-DAB-6.9 Beta
What’s new in Qt-DAB-6.9 Beta?
TII decoding has been completely rewritten and has improved a lot. Beware to check out the TII threshold settings! Default value 4 might be too low for your location. Setting the value to a low 3 seems to crash Qt-DAB 6.9. I go for 6 or even higher. (3)
The DX versus local setting has moved from the ‘Configuration and Control’ widget to the main widget. (1)
The map (localhost:8080 or what is set by the ‘port’ in the ‘Configuration and Control’ widget) can be set to start automatically by using the auto fttp button in the ‘Configuration and Control’ widget. (2)
MDR THUERINGEN also got mixed up with Austria. Probably Linz.
Austria on DAB mixed with MDR THUERINGEN
MHz UTC ITU Program + Location Details Remarks km 107.80 1207 SUI RSI Rete Uno, Säntis (sg) 535km 103.20 1737 D Antenne Bayern, Ochsenkopf (bay) Very weak 513km 90.90 1831 D BAYERN 1, Würzburg/Frankenwarte, BR (bay) 392km 91.90 1835 D hr4, Rimberg (hes) 333km 93.40 1836 D BAYERN 3, Pfaffenberg (bay) 341km 95.30 1839 D YOU FM (hr), Hardberg (hes) 333km 105.30 1848 D BR24, Kreuzberg (Rhön) (bay) 377km
Another TEF6686 has arrived. Not a Deepelec DP-666 this time but a metal cased one. The Deepelec allows the user to tap in the frequency, but this one doesn’t. No small memory buttons either. The Deepelec has a plastic casing. The new TEF6686 came with an RDS sticker, a data cable and an antenna. No pouch.
TEF6686 delivery
Having a metal casing makes this devices look sturdier and of course it could allow for better shielding. However performances between both devices seem equal.
Metal cased TEF6686
Unfortunately this TEF came with very old firmware (v1.18) making it impossible to hook up the device to a webserver. Flashing the firmware is not too difficult. Do have a look a these instruction videos on Youtube (video 1 – video 2). Where to find the new firmware? Have a look at this Github page or check out the Discord page with latest (Beta) updates.
