DRM Recommends DRM30 for FCC’s AM Revitalization

The title has it! Read the Radio World story here.

Frequent readers of DRMNA will accuse me of being a broken record on this topic, but AM HD Radio is effectively dead. DRM30 is THE alternative that can survive skywave and revive the heyday of AM-blowtorch radio. Imagine stereo signals covering a third or more of CONUS! DRM30 can do it!

With huge night skywave distances covered and good fidelity stereo, AM could be fun again (like these "radiophone dancers" in Atlanta were enjoying in May 1920). Can you imagine what Wolfman Jack would think of digital stereo coverage via DRM30?

Music on AM via DRM30 could be a revolution.

RRI DRM test results soon!

From the Consortium...

"The actual demonstration on the MW transmitter (1242 kHz) with a power of 6.5 kW will take place on Wednesday 25th March from 0900-1700 local time."

"... Apparently the Medium Wave test with the Indonesian national public broadcaster (RRI) went really well."

NRSC - take a look at DRM for MW!

This Radio World article talks about the NRSC and their "impact". How about they check-out the impact of allowing DRM on MW in the USA?

In fact, this BBC study on Project Mayflower might just tell them what they need to know. Even at modest power levels, DRM works well and sounds better than AM!

This is one of many documents that plead our case - that DRM is the digital solution for the mediumwave and shortwave bands.

Let Radio World know what you think about DRM! Perhaps the FCC and NRSC will get the picture and allow DRM to be tested head-to-head with IBOC on the AM/MW broadcast band.

South Africa with MW DRM on the air!

"The first ever DRM (medium wave) transmission generated in South Africa will be on air from tomorrow. Radio Pulpit is starting a trial on 1440 kHz broadcasting using a 25kW transmitter (and broadcasting 10kW DRM) using a low profile antenna. The broadcast, with up to two programmes and eventually all the extra features and benefits offered by DRM, will cover greater Pretoria and parts of Johannesburg." Read more here.

 That Ruxandra is some jet-setter! I really appreciate her work all over the world in promotion of what we all know is THE digital standard for LW, MW and SW - DRM30!

FCC Comissioner Pai "when it comes to the AM band, “You’ve got a friend in me""

An open letter to Commissioner Ajit Pai :

Commissioner Pai,

OK, we understand your commitment to revitalizing AM. We are a group of radio enthusiasts that love the AM/MW band too. Please give the DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) platform an opportunity to be tested against iBiquity's AM technology on a real-world, even playing field. DRM will easily outperform iBiquity AM and is an open source solution, much closer to the reach of the many smaller stations that inhabit the AM/MW band in the United States.

 iBiquity FM works well and has proven itself. It is time to move on to DRM as a day and night solution for the digital conversion of the AM/MW band. The American public has been cheated by not being allowed to weigh the merits of this competing format on AM/MW.

DRM  is being used daily all over the world on the HF bands. It delivers FM quality (with choice of stereo or mono) audio via very difficult propagation circuits. It has also already proven itself in other parts of the globe on both AM/MW and LW. Trans-Pacific SW reception of Radio New Zealand in DRM is phenomenal here on the West Coast!

Go ahead and see how a country like India with a developing national infrastructure is employing DRM to serve it's huge population. We love the fact that we have a "friend" in the FCC. Please listen to your friends -  the listening public - and allow DRM a fair, North American national trial that runs head-to-head with iBiquity's AM format!

"Your Friend", 
-Christopher of DRMNA.info

Nigel Holmes says MW for Emergencies

Nigel Holmes of Radio Australia has a great piece on the MediaUK site about the value of MW/AM broadcast band during disasters.
"It turns out that smartphones aren't a good bet for the future of radio transmission; and there are particular benefits to AM radio." 

 He doesn't talk about going digital, but he got me thinking...
What if we could make that band media-rich, just what smartphone users are already used to? DRM would do that nicely, especially at the 18kHz or 20kHz bandwidth being used in Australia and other places!