Australia Demonstrates DRM on AM, FM
On Wednesday 29 June 2022, ABC, the public broadcaster, and the Australian network operator BAI hosted a demonstration of Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) on both AM and FM in Wangaratta, a location in the state of Victoria.
The demonstration was the culmination of almost two years of COVID impacted work to assess the performance of the DRM services on VHF and MF bands.
Senior representatives from the public, commercial and community stations, the regulator and interested parties (ABC, SBS, CBAA, ARN, ACMA, TAB and ACE Radio) travelled to the regional sites to see the facility and more importantly to experience the audio quality available through the DRM signals on both the MF (AM) band from Wangaratta MF and the VHF (FM) band from Mt Baranduda along with all the other advantages DRM provides such as station logos, Text Messages and Journaline.
The DRM for FM and mediumwave trial also benefitted from the support of the DRM Consortium and some its key members:
NXP, RFmondial, Fraunhofer IIS, Starwaves and Gospell.
Please read more: Australia Successfully Tests DRM in AM/FM (drm.org)
Australia Successfully Tests DRM In AM/FM Radio & Television Business Report (rbr.com)
Australia Demonstrates DRM on AM, FM - Radio World
Czech Network Operator to Test DRM Radio Broadcasting
Czech TV and radio transmission operator CRA announced plans to test digital radio broadcasting in the DRM standard. The experimental DRM digital radio broadcast will serve to verify the possibility of using existing analog transmitters for digital broadcasting. The pilot broadcast started on July 12th from the medium wave transmitter in the city of Ceske Budejovice.
Radiokomunikace CRA launched on 12th July the experimental digital radio transmissions using the DRM standard in the south of Bohemia at Ceske Budjovice. The aim of the test is to verify the viability of using current analogue transmissions content but in digital mode DRM.
The used power is 3.1 kW in the 954 kHz frequency. A vertical antenna of 107 meters is used. The content of the broadcast is supplied by the Cro Radio Zurnal station.
According to the DRM Chairman the Consortium is very pleased to see this new digital mediumwave test in the Czech Republic and its thoroughness, as the key parameters to be tested are: the system flexibility (different robustness modes), performance over 24 hours, coverage and lack of interference, as well as the energy savings. “We are confident“, said Ruxandra Obreja, “that this test will confirm the good DRM performance as recorded daily in India on their 35 plus transmitters and elsewhere. They will underscore the good results registered by others conducted before all over the world (from Mexico, Brazil to South Africa, Russia, etc.).
We expect the current Czech test to also demonstrate that DRM offers the only well-trusted and widely tested medium and large coverage digital broadcasting solution.
The fact that the analogue transmitter used in Ceske Budejovice can be upgraded to DRM is a bonus and will give confidence to those who want to go digital for wider coverage without replacing everything and investing vast sums of money, especially in the current economic climate.
With the DRM FM test going on currently in Denmark, the newly reinstated small-scale DRM shortwave transmission from Germany, added to the regular DRM transmissions from Europe, DRM proves it is a truly global standard and not just of one continent. We are looking forward to the Czech test results due out in 2023.”
Read more: CRA to test DRM radio broadcasting (telecompaper.com, in Czech, Login required)
CRA Runs DRM Digital AM Trial in Czechia - Radio World
DRM Website – Benefits in Focus
DRM brings benefits to all the big groups of stakeholders: broadcasters, listeners, regulators and, last but not least, manufacturers and distributors.
On the DRM website we have created a simple and, hopefully, persuasive “benefits corner”. Please check it out and send us your feedback: benefits.drm.org.
New Starwaves Receiver with WiFi Spot for Education Project
The Starwaves receiver manufacturer has just announced the extension of its portfolio of affordable model. This new model is equipped with a built-in HTML5 renderer, web server and WiFi hotspot; thereby allowing any personal device with a web browser which also gives individual access to the full DRM Radio schooling content
The Starwaves DRM Softradio Android App has also been upgraded. Please get the latest information and use this superior software you can quickly upgrade.
DRM Is Starting Preparations for IBC 2022
The DRM Consortium is planning for virtual and face-to-face events at IBC 2022 under the overarching theme of ‘DRM for FM/AM - The Radio Platform for All’. Whether from your armchair or in person, in Amsterdam, you can get yourself connected to the DRM family. We are looking forward to meeting you and discussing DRM, its achievements and next plans on the 6th of September (virtually) and on the 10th in person. To register for the virtual event or to talk to us in Amsterdam please get the full details in the full press release.
South Africa Update event
The SA Group is preparing for its first big event aimed at South African stakeholders, on July 27th. If you want to participate in the virtual event and use this unique opportunity to discuss DRM in the South African context, please register by writing to Aldred Dreyer aldred@drmsa.org.
India commercial stations event
DRM Consortium and Indian specialists are holding an event for the commercial broadcasters and other industry representatives on July 21st in New Delhi. The DRM update will be doubled by car and other live demonstrations of the excellent, energy and spectrum efficient, flexible DRM for FM. |
