@ 2FishinATank
I built my own radios too -- I am at this moment listening on one of my FM sets which is about 40 years old now, there's no way I could build a DAB set but I don't think anybody builds things nowadays anyway, these days are long gone.
People still "build" computers of course (including me) but it's not the same, you only assemble manufactured boards into a case, plug it all together, say a quick prayer and switch on -- if it doesn't go bang, load up your O/S and software, (spend time configuring and cursing it getting it the way you want it) and your away -- good fun though and a useful end product.
They could probably flog off band 2 frequencies but I doubt if they could re-use MW / SW frequencies because other countries still broadcast on MW / SW and there would be problems with interference to any services attempting to use these frequencies here.
Some things do benefit from going digital, freeview is a perfect example -- throw a set top box at your telly and it works, if you get one with a PVR/ DVD writer built in you get recorded quality way ahead of what your old VCR could do and if the hard disk fills up, just chuck in a DVD disk and the box will copy stuff you want to keep to disk for you. Couldn't be simpler
Radio however, as others have mentioned, is often portable -- band 3 frequencies are not so good for portable gear (move your DAB radio and it resorts to bubbling mud) -- as far as AM/FM radio is concerned, it works well and if it ain't broke -- don't fix it.
As far as this broadband tax is concerned, I have a BT line but can't get broadband -- the exchange is oversubscribed, it is not likely to be fixed any time soon but I get 3G broadband, not ideal but works so I will be paying a tax for nothing. As with any other tax, it starts cheap -- 50p a month won't exactly break the bank but I bet it will increase year on year like every other tax and the reason for introducing it will be quietly forgotten. In a few years we will be paying internet access tax along with TV licence tax and road tax.
Paris, just because
Biting the hand that feeds IT
