Special DRM Broadcasts for HFCC 2019 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

HFCC conveners had hoped for more, but here are a few DRM broadcasts targeting the HFCC 2019 meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Transmission will originate by Encompass Digital Media Services on Ascension Island. All days are 16.00-17.00 UTC on 21630 kHz bearing of 245 degrees. Four different content providers will air, one each day.

• Monday 26 August – BBC World Service [English]
• Tuesday 27 August – KBS World Radio (Korea) [Spanish]
• Wednesday 28 August – NHK World Radio (Japan) [Spanish]
• Thursday 29 August – TWR (TransWorldRadio) [Spanish]

In addition, Vatican Radio will also carry a special broadcast in DRM during the HFCC meeting. Monday 26-Thursday 29 August at 18.30 -19.00 UTC on 17535 kHz from Santa Maria di Galeria bearing of 230 degrees. Program will consist of music with text in English and Spanish.

Rumors of new DRM receivers are in the air. I'm anticipating reports from the meeting soon. Stay tuned!

Place your Titus II pre-order now!

Put in your pre-order for a Titus II. HFCC is facilitating these pre-order/interest requests...

"Availability: Pre-production batch - 4Q/2016, regular production - 1Q/2017

Price: Under 100USD plus shipping and local duty/taxes not included

Payment methods: Wire transfer for larger quantities, PayPal works too, but the buyers would need to add PayPal bank fees"

Titus2 "Digital Playout Solution" in its natural habitat

Thanks to George Ross of Trans World Radio / KTWR Guam for a few photos of the Titus2, caught in the wild at HFCC 2016 Miami! George is on the right in the second photo.

HFCC 2016 DRM Special from Vatican Radio

Vatican Radio is doing a special DRM test broadcast for the HFCC Conference in Miami 22-26 August. They have already started testing toward Miami as of Monday 15 August. The broadcast is at 19:30-20:00 UTC on 17510 kHz, antenna AHR 4/4/0.5 beaming to 292°, 250 kW. Please post any reception to the DRMNA Yahoo Group and the usual places.

Update 20160819:
Brother Zyg sent along this VOACAP of what you might expect using a 6 foot vertical.

Update 20160817:

I just received this email:

Subject: Vatican Radio special DRM broadcast.

Dear Madame/Sir,

I would like to inform you about a special broadcast on occasion of the next HFCC International Broadcasting Delivery coordination conference in Miami, 22-26 August 2016.

The broadcast is from Santa Maria di Galeria, Vatican Radio transmitting site, at 19:30 – 20:00 UTC on 17510 kHz, 250 kW digital, AHR 4/4/.5 at 292°, 16QAM-ModeB-Protection level 0.62 – Bit rate 14560 – SDR On.

The broadcast is already on air even if officially it would start on 22 August till 25 August 2016; the content currently broadcast is in French and English but during the “official” period it would be an ad-hoc program with announcement and music.

I kindly ask you to inform listeners at drmrx.org or to inform me on the procedure to be followed to do it.

Best regards.

Sergio Salvatori

Vatican Radio

Thanks to numerous sources for this "heads-up"!

HOWDEE! Big fun at NASB 2016 in Nashville

Way back as a kid, I learned from Minnie Pearl on Hee Haw that there is nothing quite like Southern Hospitality. My Nashville experience was wonderful. The NASB folks (with local hosts World Christian Broadcasting and WWCR) really put on a nice conference.

Sessions were interesting and varied. DRM was well represented and the subject of much between-session conversation.

Below is my brief recap of sessions during the 2 day, shortwave industry broadcaster's conference held at the Hampton Inn Vanderbilt Westend in Nashville, Tennessee...

Day 1 - June 2nd, 2016:

Opening remarks from Charles Caudill, NASB president.

Kevin Chambers on Madagascar World Voice.

Panel discussion of HFCC with experiences from Brisbane, Australia.

Tribute to the late Mother Angelica by Glen Tapley of WEWN.

Dr. Dowell Chow on additional languages from AWR.

George Ross from TWR Guam with some exciting DRM updates and info on HFCC DRM tests. It seems the Newstar DR-111 recieved the best test broadcast decodes of the receivers in use (Newstar, Avion, Uniwave).

Yours truly presented a DRM update on India and a demo of the BST-1 car shortwave adapter.

Day 2 - June 3rd, 2016:

Ray Robinson and Rev. John Tayloe on KVOH and the new broadcasts from Lusaka and future work on MW from Israel.

Charles Jacobson gave the history of HCJB and a beautiful tribute to his father, the shortwave legend Herb Jacobson. HCJB is now SonSet Solutions and Reach Beyond Australia.

Ludo Maes of Broadcast Belgium gave us a preview of HFCC Miami this August.

There was an announcement that NASB 2017 will be sponsored by KVOH and held in Simi Valley, California.

As normal, the NASB members made me (and the other enthusiasts) feel welcome and part of the group. The famous DRM aficionado Zyg and I were treated to a private tour of WWCR by Brady Murray. Thanks Brady!

I even won a ticket to the Grand Ole Opry! Martina McBride and others serenaded a packed house.

Thanks to all of the participants and members that made this conference possible.

Yet another test broadcast for HFCC

Vatican Radio DRM broadcast to Australia on occasion of the HFCC-ASBU B15 Coordination Conference (24-28 August 2015):

• TX site:Santa Maria di Galeria (SMG) 42 03 N, 012 19 E 
• Frequency 11890 kHz 
• Time 22:30-23:00 UTC 
• Power 250 kW (average) 
• Robustness mode: C 
• Interleaver Long 
• MSC Mode 16 QAM 
• SDC Mode 16 QAM 
• Protection Level 0,50 
• Bitrate 9100 
• Audio Coding AAC 
• Audio Mono 
• SBR Disabled 
• Sampling Rate 12 kHz

Thanks to Alan for the tip!

Even more DRM from RNZI for HFCC

Here is the complete list of additional RNZI DRM broadcasts from the 24th to the 28th of August for HFCC in Brisbane, Australia:

02:00 - 02:55 17675 kHz Pacific
04:00 - 04:58 17675 kHz Pacific
04:59 - 06:50 13730 kHz Pacific
07:59 - 10:58 9890 kHz Pacific
10:59 - 12:58 9890 kHz NW Pacific, PNG
21:51 - 23:55 17675 kHz Pacific

This should offer some great reception opportunities for DRMNAers.