Wednesday, March 21, 2012

More Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) on Radio Australia

It should get easier to receive high quality short wave digital radio mondiale from April 1, 2012.

"RA will commence a DRM schedule from its main Pacific station at Shepparton, Victoria, from 1 April 2012. Average power is 40 kW from a Continental 418G transmitter. Reception reports welcome especially notifying interference to the RA transmissions.

Broadcasts to central Pacific may also be audible in North America; broadcasts to the south-west Pacific and PNG may also be audible in eastern Australia. Broadcasts to south-east Asia may be audible in Europe."

Here's the new schedule from Radio Australia. Times in UTC.

0100-030019000Central Pacificmode C 10 kHz 16QAM level 1 11 kb/s
0700-09007410South-west Pacificmode B 10 kHz 64QAM level 2 24 kb/s
0900-11009475South-west Pacificmode B 10 kHz 64QAM level 2 24 kb/s
1100-13006080West Pacific and PNGmode C 10 kHz 16QAM level 1 11 kb/s
1300-15009890Wentral Pacificmode C 10 kHz 16QAM level 1 11 kb/s
1500-17005940SE-Asiamode C 10 kHz 16QAM level 1 11 kb/s
1700-19009475SE-Asiamode C 10 kHz 16QAM level 1 11 kb/s

It's great to see DRM starting to get some traction. The combination of All India Radio, Radio New Zealand International and Radio Australia means that there will be plenty to tune in to. The AIR DRM schedule is here.

Now we need a new generation of low cost, low power consumption receivers to make it take off.

Update


Bad news I'm afraid. It looks like management have decided not to go ahead with the DRM transmissions from Shepparton at this stage. Very sad.

6 comments:

  1. richardinprague11:51 PM

    So here I sit in Prague, Marxy, with my brand new NEWSTAR DRM receiver costing under 200 euros, and nothing to listen to in the Czech Republic!

    Programmes, please!!!!

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  2. Anonymous9:46 AM

    Well i´m in the south of Spain using my DR111 and i do get several DRM transmition from Romania,India,Russia,Nigeria,Disco Palace,BBC and even once Radio New Zealand using modest longwire antenna hanging from one window to another in my flat (apartment) and this country is not in the central part of Europe were most transmitions a best receive for DRM. But no, still havent receive Radio Australia yet..GO THE STORMS!

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  3. G'day folks. I have to confess I was responsible for the advice of a DRM trial kicking off from RAs Shepparton IHFTS last year. Unfortunately the draft DRM schedule was disallowed by TPTB (Buffy). But a shiny new Continental 418G tx is there just waiting.

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  4. Anonymous11:56 PM

    Australia should get behind DRM30 and DRM+ for the upper bands, DRM30 makes so much more sence becouse of its large reach (for example the outback) and radios should come with DAD+,DRM30 nd DRM+ all in one stand alone receiver. screw HD radio!

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  5. Anonymous9:18 AM

    Theres a bloke called Keith Perron from PCJ radio doing his best to put down DRM as a system on his own radio shows and on he´s web site,even on Japanese radio telling how DRM has no future ect,he talks to radio manufactors and even talk to people from radio Australia.and whats funny, they listen to him!.he´s not even a tecnical person and everyone in the DRM world knows who he is.I would not be supprised that he has convince people in Australia o other places no to embrace DRM

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  6. Anonymous4:56 AM

    AIR DRM Future Plans







    All India Radio DRM Future Plans :









    1) Replacement of two 1000 kW MW transmitters by new DRM compatible
    transmitters (expected by 31st March 2012)
    2) Replacement of 34 old MW transmitters by new DRM transmitters.
    3) Replacement of 6, 10 kW mobile transmitters by mobile DRM transmitters
    (Already installed at various places, TX # 2 was used for recent MW DRM
    test during BES Expo 2012)

    4) Conversion of 36 compatible MW transmitters into DRM transmitters.
    5) Replacement of five SW transmitters by DRM transmitters.
    6) Implementation of pilot project of DRM+ txers at major cities.
    7) New DRM+ transmittesr at 24 places ( DRM compatible FM txers)
    8) Setting up 100 watt FM DRM+ compatible transmitters at 100 locations.
    9) Replacement of existing MW/FM transmitters by high power DRM+ FM
    transmitters.

    ---
    Alokesh Gupta
    New Delhi
    It has a bright future in India!

    ReplyDelete