WRMI needs your help - Hurricane damage from Ian

Jeff White of WRMI has set up a Go Fund Me for the extensive damage to their antenna field. Please do what you can. You mat also donate directly to their PayPal account.

"Hello,

WRMI has a rich history of supplying news, information and entertainment to the world from our Okeechobee, Florida Transmitters.

Hurricane Ian damage to our antenna farm is so extensive, it has knocked us off the air to Europe and Africa.

We need your help to get us back on the air again to transmit to Europe and Africa news, information, religious programming and entertainment.

We have no insurance for the antenna farm due to the huge cost of insurance premiums.

We are desperately asking for help around the world to get us back on the air again to Europe and Africa. Your help is paramount to WRMI returning to the air in the many countries in Europe and Africa.

Your help will allow WRMI to rebuild the transmission towers destroyed by Hurricane Ian that are pointed towards Europe and Africa.

We thank you for your support of WRMI. Hurricane Ian knocked us down pretty hard. But we know with your help, we can rise back up and provide programming in many languages again to Europe and Africa.

Sincerely,

Jeff White
General Manager WRMI
Okeechobee, Florida"

Non DRM digital fun

STF Radio has hit the air with a bold experiment. Carried by WRMI lastnight, several hours of digitalmodes, waterfall painting, ASCII art and music. Check out this reception from a digital fan in Europe.

Not DRM but fun for the digital enthusiast. I can't help but think that Dr. Elliott's experiments with VOA Radiogram paved the way for these gents! Fldigi is the recommended decoder.

Global24Radio on WRMI

Certainly an interesting development! No word about DRM but I think at least for now, it is unlikely...
 
(Hollywood, FL) Oct. 21, 2014 – Global 24 Radio LLC announced today that its inaugural broadcast will go live at 7:00 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31, with a line-up of new and well-known programs and around-the-clock English language programming.  The broadcast can be heard 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 9395 kHz on WRMI broadcasting from Okeechobee, Florida.

“We’re very excited about launching Global 24 and the important contributions it will make to shortwave radio listening – as both a medium worth preserving and a vital part of the modern media mix for so many listeners around the world,” said Phil Workman, general manager of Global 24.   “Our broadcast will appeal to dedicated shortwave listeners (SWL) all over the world looking for breaking news, opinion and music.”

Global 24 aims to revitalize the shortwave medium by bringing general interest news and entertainment into sharper focus for listeners looking for high quality programming on a daily basis.  Regular listeners will be informed, entertained and engaged in an ever more complex world. 

According to Jeff White, general manager of WRMI,  “Global 24 represents another step in the long overdue commercialization of shortwave radio.  We are excited to be working with them on their ambitious program to engage and entertain a global audience.”

Additional press releases in coming days will announce our broadcast schedule, our Listeners’ Club, contests, sponsors, our web store, staff and much more.  Follow us on Twitter at @Global24Radio or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/global24radio.  Visit our website:  http://www.global24radio.com  to join our email newsletter for the most current updates.
- See more at: http://about.global24radio.com/for-immediate-release-shortwaves-newest-broadcaster-global-24-takes-to-the-air-at-700-pm-eastern-on-october-31-on-9395-khz/#comments

AWR Wavescan takes on NASB 2014

Another fun listen, here is Jeff White of WRMI, Ray Robinson of KVOH and Dr. Jerry Plummer of WWCR talking about the 2014 NASB conference. This episode first aired May 25th 2014. In this brief clip, you hear that DRMNA gets a nice plug - Thanks Gents!




 Listen to other episodes in this fascinating series that focuses on what we love so much - shortwave!

"Meet the new WRMI"

"Same as the old WYFR" - but with renewed vigor. (apologies to The Who...)

Enjoy this 6 page PDF of history and details. I'm hoping for a DRMNA interview with Jeff White soon.

See the full article in the January 1, 2014 Radio World.

Happy New Year! This is the kind of news DRMNA enthusiasts can use.

More on Opus codec and my dreaming

This guy seems to "get it" after having spent some time investigating Opus for use in imbedded systems. I continue to see the practicality of implementing these new codecs (such as Opus and codec2)
in DRM and Digital Voice applications for ham radio and other services.

What excites me most, is the ability to multicast via HF DRM. These codecs make it more than possible to offer multiple voice channels with decent audio quality and bandwidth.

Somewhat off topic but...How about we propose a North American DRM service from the new and improved WRMI? What would be ideal is a DRM - AM simulcast transmission with 2 to 4 audio channels available in DRM.

WRMI is looking to lease more airtime. This would be a great way to do it! Their website says they can offer time for as little as "$1 a minute"! Do we know if WRMI is DRM capable now? Kickstarter anyone?

(Thanks for the Opus article link Benn!)

WYFR "saved" by WRMI

Here is the press release. I'll offer a few choice quotes, but go read the whole thing...

 "We are very grateful to Family Radio for entrusting us with this magnificent station," said Jeff White, WRMI General Manager. "WYFR is an important part of the heritage of shortwave broadcasting, and we are very happy that it will continue to serve shortwave listeners around the world."
 

Might Jeff consider DRM coverage to the Americas? I'm not sure that there are any DRM capable transmitters there right now.

20131107 UPDATE: More information via this RADIOWORLD article.

(Thanks to Benn for this one too!)