Receiver demonstrations at DBS 2019

Here we see a quick demo and information shared by Alexander Zink of the DRM Consortium at this week's ABU Digital Broadcasting Symposium held in Kuala Lumpur. He describes that the Gospell GR-216 is using the NXP automobile chipset. We see and hear the Titus II but without further details. Still waiting!

Great fun at NASB 2018!

Good things were planned at SonSet Solutions in Elkhart, Indiana and those fine folks delivered!

Charles Jacobson served as Emcee and host for two days of fun and fellowship at SonSet, a partial continuation of the services that we all remember as HCJB. SonSet and ReachBeyond are now the heirs to this PRICELESS Shortwave legacy!

As usual, folks assembled from around the globe to discuss, reminisce and plan the future of Shortwave radio. I am always awed at the knowledge and experience of the various attendees. Representatives from all over CONUS and as far away as Asia and Europe were in attendance.

Presentations ran-the-gamut from news, receiver technology, new installations, antennas... the list goes on. Here are just a few highlights!

Charles gave an informative tour of the plant at SonSet Solutions. He then detailed projects including work with the SonSet Radio (a rather robust and efficient fixed-tuned ministry receiver).

Ever the popular presenter, Dr. Kim Andrew Elliott presented Digital Broadcasts on Analogue Shortwave Transmitters. He is the producer of "Shortwave Radiogram" and is recently retired from VOA. Dr. Elliot wowed the audience with live decodes (transmitted from WRMI and WWCR) of Shortwave Radiogram via a SonSet radio. Presentation of foreign characters (Cyrillic, Chinese and Arabic) really showed the power of this novel broadcasting technology!

Gerhard Straub Director, IBB Broadcast Technologies Division presented and engaging talk on International Broadcasting Bureau Shortwave Projects with continued good news about our CONUS powerhouse in Greenville, North Carolina.

Jerome Hirigoyen of Telediffusion de France (TDF) offered details of the 360-degree Rotatable Antenna System known as ALLISS. I'd take one for my house, but the neighbors might complain!

NASB is known for excellent food and our dinner at "Das Dutchman Essenhaus" in Middlebury, IN (an Amish style restaurant in the middle of Amish country) was tasty and great fun.

Of course, if you are reading this blog, you want to know about DRM! Well the news was plentiful and I'd call it GREAT! Both George Ross of TWR and yours truly presented on DRM topics.

George had more news about the Titus II receiver. It is nearly ready from prime-time and will be using Fraunhofer MMPlayer. This is great news and should make for a very versatile receiver. Although there have been numerous false-starts with the release of the Titus II, it is nearing release and is still promised at the sub $100 price tag.

In "fly catching mode" I am seen here presenting the DRM global update  and extolling the virtues of the Gospell GR-216.

After my presentation, we moved to SonSet's hamshack to attach the Gospell to an external antenna. We were then treated to an hour of nearly flawless reception of Radio Kuwait in DRM stereo! It was really a joy and attendees that had never experienced DRM were awestruck at the audio quality and signal clarity from so far away.

NASB members gave brief reports about their efforts. Of particular interest is the work that J.D Tayloe of Strategic Communications Group shared regarding reviving an old KOL Israel site.

The business meeting handled NASB elections and plans for 2019. The location wasn't finalized but should be shortly. Stay tuned! Another great NASB conference! Thanks to the host, SonSet Solutions for another memorable and informative meeting!

Titus SDR announces a ready for production Titus II multi standard digital radio receiver

Press release :

Titus SDR, PantronX, Jasmin-Infotech, TWR, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS have teamed up to make Titus II a complete media solution utilizing worldwide engineering in the USA, Germany, India, and Asia.

Titus II, the world's first consumer Software Defined Radio (SDR) digital receiver, is a highly innovative breakthrough platform supporting for the first time true multi-standard radio reception with DRM (AM & VHF bands), DAB(+) and core data applications.

These features are based on a custom Android tablet platform, which features multi-point touch, WiFi/Bluetooth and stereo sound. Titus II units will be soon available as a stand-alone product from Titus SDR, Inc., and from selected OEMs.
As a module, it serves as the full-featured basis for third-party product development Titus II unit is the team product of Titus SDR addressing the global market, of PantronX providing the platform and RF expertise, and of Fraunhofer IIS enabling the digital and analog radio features.

Titus II receiver features include:

• DRM in the AM bands (MW, SW, LW) and VHF bands (FM-band, VHF band-I, VHF band-III) with latest xHE-AAC audio codec.
• DAB Classic/DAB+ (VHF band-III).
• FM stereo with RDS (Service Signaling).
• AM with AMSS (AM Signaling Service).
• Integrated service list management and service selection.
• DRM/DAB Data Apps: Text Messages, Dynamic Label/DL+, Journaline, (Categorized) Slideshow,  EPG, Transparent File Transmission (e.g., for educational services), etc.
• Remote Radio Hotspot: Built-in WiFi hotspot feature, which allows any mobile device with an HTML5 web browser to connect to the Titus II via Wi-Fi, select radio services, listening to aud (HTML5 audio streaming) and accessing all the DRM/DAB data apps.
• Recording feature and Archiving interface to select existing recordings for playback.

About Titus SDR, Inc:

Titus SDR, Inc., a division of PantronX, Inc., markets globally digital media platforms which maximizes synergy of core engineering
performed in the USA with worldwide partners and manufacturing in Asia.
For more information visit the Titus SDR website at www.titusradio.com

About  Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS:
To learn more about Fraunhofer IIS, please visit www.iis.fraunhofer.de/broadcast

DRM dominates conversation at NASB 2017

I just returned from another fun and interesting National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters conference, this year hosted by KVOH at Rancho Simi, California. Yet again, the enthusiasm for DRM was apparent with both the presentations being made as well as the conversations between sessions.

Full disclosure - I presented one of the DRM sessions. I covered the current status of DRM worldwide, the new DRM application Turms Tech LLC from New Jersey, the latest updates from Gospell on the GR-216 and a bit on the non-DRM topic of the VOARadiogram. 

George Ross followed-up with much anticipated details about the imminent release of the Titus II by PantronX. George is confident that we are about a month away from seeing production models become available. This receiver appears to be the game-changer we all have been waiting for.

We were also fortunate to have Jerome Hirigoyen of TDF in attendance. He offered us some details and insight about the SmartCast / NavCast development. He brought along a sample of one of the series of receivers under current development. Their ambitious project includes maritime weather and safety information as well as audio news and entertainment broadcasts via a system of MW and SW transmitters deploying DRM.

No NASB meeting is complete without a trip to a studio or antenna field, and attendees were not disappointed this year! Not only were the sessions held at the KVOH and 99.1 The Ranch studios (BTW original KHJ console seen in this photo!), but we all braved a death-defying van ride to the top of Chatsworth Peak, the home of the KVOH Transmitter! 

I rode in the van driven by KVOH's Ray Robinson. Mr. Robinson deftly maneuvered the curves, boulders and pot-holes to get us safely to the top and back again. 

JD Tayloe served as our MC for the conference and for our tour of the transmitter facility. He and his crew really took amazing care of us. A special shout-out to Bari and Ray for their fine organizational and driving skills!

As much as the technical topics and presentations are an attraction to attend NASB, I once again recognized that the friendships and camaraderie of this group are why I return. NASB members and enthusiasts alike come to share a bond and support one another in the thing they all love... Shortwave Radio! Of course we all love food too and the pair makes this small group inseparable.





We ended our adventure with a tour of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. It really is a grand place. The Air Force One exhibit was truly the highlight for me. This Boeing 707 flew seven presidents, from Nixon through George W. Bush.

PantronX Titus II update

Here is an update per a 21 January 2017 email from Mike of PantronX:

"Thanks for keeping in touch and inquiring.  We are pulling a lot together.

As posted on

http://hfcc.org/delivery/receivers.phtml

'Update on availability received from PantronX: "We have been overwhelmed with the response to Titus with orders and request - coupled with an early Chinese New Year that the pre-production date has slipped a bit. Please be patient as we work with our suppliers and add more functions.'

Can't say what that is yet, and hope we can in a few weeks and website update.
All the best,

~ Mike"

DRMNA Exclusive - Interview with Mike of PantronX, maker of the Titus II

Loyal DRMNA readers... Here is an up-to-the-minute interview with Mike of PantronX. What you are reading is an Internet Exclusive! I am really enthusiastic about the Titus II and this interview does nothing to diminish that!

Mike, please give us brief background about yourself and PantronX:

Pantronx is a group of engineers, sales, marketing, and business people that specialize in OEM / ODM electronic controls and systems with a world wide customer base.  We generally design and manufacture electronics that are incorporated into our customer's products.   As the Chief Engineer, I have been designing all sorts of electronics for well over 35 years.

Can you tell us a little about the process taken to develop the new receiver?

We became aware of the need for a digital capable receiver by a visit from TWR representatives about three years ago. Having designed RF products and receivers in the past, it intrigued me that there were no low cost method to receive DRM.  This began research into the problem.  Initially we envisioned and designed what we call an ATU (Antenna Tuner Unit) that plugged into a 'standard' Android tablet.  Unfortunately as time and testing proved, ready made tablets had varying problems from vendor to vendor, model to model.  The decision was made about a year ago that we had to do our own Android 'tablet' and integrate the ATU into it.  Hence the Titus II was developed.

How long has PantronX been developing the DRM receiver?

Actually Titus II is not a DRM receiver.  In its present form it is a SDR (Software Defined Radio), so first and foremost it is a general purpose computer with a wide band receiver built in.  The application(s) - like any other app allow the computer to function as desired.  With that in mind, all sorts of RF applications are possible to run on Titus.  The DRM app is actually the open source Dream Linux app that was converted to run under Android.

Do you have any development / R&D partners?

Yes, our development partners world wide including America, India, United Kingdom, China, and lately Germany.  A true world wide effort.

What was the chief goal in this development?

To provide the world's first complete SDR appliance that redefines what radio is.  No longer is radio a fixed defined product that a manufacture dictates what it is and how it operates.  SDRs have been around for decades, but never in a complete consumer package at affordable price.  Although our initial market is for broadcast use, we have designed Titus to be 'hacker' friendly and allow RF hobbyist to utilize it as a low cost, high performance platform that we are sure many will port various RF application to.  A crazy idea that we feel will expand utilization of Titus to many RF uses and start many competitors with the same concept.

How do you feel Titus II compares to previous DRM receivers that have
been on the market (chiefly the Newstar, Uniwave, Morphy Richards, etc.)?

We have several of these models.  They are all dedicated appliances that do one thing and one thing only.  Titus can change formats, codecs, features as easily as installing a new app!  So today it can be an analog receiver, tomorrow a DAB receiver, and next week a DRM receiver ... or all three, and maybe an aircraft receiver, who knows!  There is no reason why not, just like on your computer,  you can have multiple apps to do different things.

What is the target price-point and what will it take to get you there?

We are working hard to keep the price of Titus II well under usd100.  With our unique marketing approach that eliminates middle men, high volume Chinese manufactures and sub-assembliers, to local assembly in various jurisdictions - everything has been on the table except lowering quality to achieve this low price.  With our various manufacturing partners all working to keep margins low, we can accomplish this price 'right out of the gate' ... no pie-in-the-sky wish of super high volumes.  We have been doing this for years.

How long will the unit operate on batteries? Are they dry cell or
rechargeable?

Like most tablets and portable computing devices, Titus utilizes lithium ion battery.  We expect the unit under normal conditions to operate 4 to 6 hours.  Depending upon pricing of the battery perhaps more as production ramps up. Prices change all the time.  Hopefully they drop and we will supply an even larger battery.

When will the set be available to the public and in which markets? Do
you have a retail price set?

We expect to complete a pre-production run of Titus II by the end of this year for samples and testing. One can place a non-binding pre-order at http://hfcc.org/ - price under usd100 plus shipping & duty. Full production fist quarter 2017.

Is the set's firmware able to be updated by the user?

Yes, just like any other Android device by WiFi, SD card, or thumb drive.

Does the set fully function as a legacy analogue receiver as well?

Yes

Do you think DRM30 has proven itself via the decade-plus of HF/SW and
AM/MW (and LW) testing?

Yes, time for testing is long over.  The format works rather well.  We released the Titus II at the HFCC conference in Miami FL a couple of months ago.  With an engineering model, we went outside the hotel and received flawlessly a DRM30 test signal from the Vatican in Rome some 5000 miles away in the afternoon.  It sounded like a local FM station.  Most likely, that same signal would have been heard as well into Panama and the eastern parts of the US.

Is there anything else you would like the readers to know? 

Well, they can find more info at http://titusradio.com/

Mike, as a DRM fan, I'm really excited! As an over-all "radiophile" this looks like an amazing "piece of kit". What more can I say except thanks for granting us an interview!

Thanks for the help and we appreciate all that you guys are doing.