More from our friend Rafael Diniz of
DRM-Brazil -
"The official trials with digital radio in Brazil just ended. Past week happened the latest trial, low power trials, both in Community radios (max 25W FM ERP) DRM in Brasilia and HD in Sao Paulo. Government set for December the announcement of the Brazilian Digital Radio standard.
In Brasilia, the DRM low power trial, you can take a look of some photos of Friederike Maier, from University of Hannover, setting the tx, FM in 98,1MHz, DRM in 97,9MHz.
The government also announced at ABERT Congress that the spectrum of
channels 5 and 6 of analog TV will be allocated for digital radio after
the TV switch-off, and that must likely the government will allow AM MW
radios that voluntarily wish to simulcast in this new VHF digital-only
band, will be allowed to do so, but also will be allowed for this radios
to simulcast in adjacent channel in the MW band as the broadcaster
decides. For the FM radios is still unclear how the migration will occur
as not every broadcaster will have space in the spectrum to broadcast it's
digital signal in the adjacent channel, so simulcast in other channel
(possibly inside the new digital-only channels 5 and 6 spectrum) will
happen.
In the trial in Brasilia, with 4W DRM the same coverage of 25W FM could be
achieved. Great! Be confident that with all South (and Central why not) America using DRM, lots of DRM signals will arrive in the US."
I often rely on Rafael to optimistically report the news about DRM, and as usual he come through! Perhaps I'm speaking too soon, but it looks like Brazil will turn out to be the model for DRM in the Americas! Thanks Rafael!
