I'm thinking of bringing a small radio on my March (next 2 weeks) trip to Italy (GOA-ROM-NAP). I may not understand what's being said, but it should be more entertaining than the regrettable hotel-TV programming! However: do FM use the same frequencies as USA? If not, I'd not pack it. I've always assumed FM radio is the same world-wide.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9100 posts
I'm not 100% certain..... but one of the bands (AM or FM or maybe both) is "spaced" differently in Europe. You won't have a problem if your radio uses an old fashioned dial tuning, but if it uses digital tuning you won't hear much. Of course you can hear most any radio station in world via internet streaming.
Personally I love watching Italian TV. Those over the top variety/talk shows with the well dressed young people lingering in the background for no apparent reason. Then there's the studio audience dressed in their best suits and evening gowns...doing everything they can to stay awake:) All without commercial interruption. It's like watching TV from a distant planet.
Posted by
OP
Saint Paul, MN, USA
13 posts
Thanks for the info! My cheapo radio has the old-school analog manual tuner. Perhaps others may find this useful: the (2AA) Sony ICF-S10MK2 and Panasonic RF-P50 are old-school cheap $10! [Amzn] with 300 user reviews. If it breaks or gets stolen, quite a small loss.
My uninformed put-down of Italian TV was from my limited experience: on a previous trip, I'd hoped to see soccer programs (if not games) with lots of match highlights from various leagues. All I found were shows with a panel of geezers (my age) droning on about something, and a well-dressed but obviously bored captive studio audience, with school kids filling the first rows. Whatever.