Tag Archives: Digital Radio Mondiale

The “Tecsun Radios Australia Q-3061” DRM Shortwave Radio

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Hughes, who notes that Tecsun Radios Australia have announced a new DRM stand-alone receiver: the Q-3061.

When I first received Alan’s tip, I was surprised that I had not been been given some advance notice or even a hint about Tecsun developing and producing a DRM radio. Then I saw the Q-3061 product image and it looked to be a spitting image of the Gospell GR-216 DRM radio. A quick look at the radio’s back panel and the connection with the GR-216 was confirmed.

Reading through the product description, it appears they worked with Gospell to badge this for Tecsun Radios Australia’s primary markets:

“The Tecsun Radios Australia Q-3061 DRM Shortwave Radio is for experienced shortwave users. There a limited number of DRM signals available in our region although the total number of DRM broadcasts are increasing. This radio is squarely aimed at radio enthusiasts and DXers, most signals require an external antenna, experience, and patience. We recommend our Tecsun Radios Australia Q-3061 DRM Shortwave Radio be used in conjunction with our Tecsun Shortwave and AM Outdoor Antenna for the best results (this is the setup we have in our Brookvale NSW office).

The Tecsun Radios Australia Q-3061 DRM Shortwave Radio is the culmination of several years work. Tecsun Radios Australia has worked in close co-operation with the manufacturer providing testing results from locations across the Pacific, including Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and New Zealand. Reception of DRM signals in Australia requires many factors to be optimised, because we are outside the traditional coverage area of most broadcasters. Nevertheless, with an optimised antenna, correct selection of DRM broadcaster, schedule and good propagation conditions DRM signals can be received. New DRM broadcasters are appearing every month.”

After the product description they also include this disclaimer:

Note: This DRM radio has no association with Tecsun of China and is an exclusive initiative and product of Tecsun Radios Australia

The price is $500 AU or approximately $357 US.

To recap, this isn’t a new Tecsun DRM radio, rather it’s a rebadged GR-216 for the retailer/distributor Tecsun Radios Australia.

Click here to read about the Q-3061 at Tecsun Radios Australia.

Click here to read a review of the Gospell GR-216 DRM receiver.

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DRM feeds RNZ Pacific relays

(Source: Radio World via Mike Hansgen)

RANGITAIKI, New Zealand — Radio New Zealand Pacific, the official international arm of Radio New Zealand, is using Digital Radio Mondiale digital radio transmission/reception equipment to feed studio-quality audio to some of its 20 relay stations in the Pacific Ocean region. The others use satellite feeds or web downloads.

The locations being served by DRM include the Cook Islands, where RNZ Pacific’s programs are rebroadcast locally in analog mode by Aitutaki 88FM, the islands’ only broadcaster. RNZ Pacific also serves Tonga, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands using DRM; among others. Previously, RNZ Pacific had fed its relays using analog AM shortwave radio, with that transmission mode’s limited audio range and interference issues.

“When DRM became available to us in 2005, we saw it as a great opportunity to provide high quality audio to Pacific radio stations that relayed our news broadcasts from our AM transmitter,” said RNZ Pacific’s Technical Manager Adrian Sainsbury. “As a platform to deliver good quality audio to remote island FM stations, it has been a great success.”[…]

Click here to read the full article at Radio World.

As the article points out, RNZ has been using DRM as a feed for quite a few years. I think this is a brilliant use of the technology. Of course, those of us in the rest of the world can snag RNZ DRM broadcasts as well.

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PatronX Titus SDR receiver update

A number of SWLing Post readers have been asking about the status of the Titus II portable DRM/SDR radio. I’ve been checking the project website, but had not seen an update in a long time, so I contacted the company. Mike, with PantronX, kindly replied with the following update:

As you might be aware, we have joined up with Fraunhofer to include their MMPlayer app standard on Titus–what a difference a professional decoder, for both analog, DRM(+), and DAB(+), makes! MMPlayer is full featured even including reliable one way file downloads with DRM.

We are attempting also to license HD to include on the app for North America, making a truly worldwide receiver. Some deficiencies in our version of Android have caused issues as well as MMPlayer. All of which have caused delays leading to some serious business decisions – as you can imagine. You are correct that broadcasters have made large orders that will be fulfilled first. There are units in the field testing and such and continuing resolution of the software issues.

One of the issues that folks seem to have a hard time understanding is that we can not just build a few hundred or even thousands of units. Our minimum run is 10,000pcs! To do that everything has to be 100% – including the software. We simply will not ship units that are not 100%. Titus works, MMPlayer works – its that last 5% that takes the most time to resolve. These facts preclude any incremental production attempts. All that being said, we are very hopeful that the first production run is ready by last quarter of this year.

Thank you for the update, Mike!

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BBC is “keen to exploit DRM” but manufacturers must develop a multi-standard receiver chip

(Source: Radio World via Mike Hansgen)

LONDON — The BBC World Service, available on radio, TV and online, is part of one of the largest news organization in the world, the BBC.

The weekly reach of the World Service on all platforms accounted for 269 million (up from 246 million in 2015–16).

[…]Large numbers of the BBC’s audience still need international radio broadcasts.

[…]Right from its late ’90s inception, the development of Digital Radio Mondiale was fully supported and enhanced by the BBC World Service. DRM was seen as an efficient replacement for the analog AM transmissions. When we consider scarcity of spectrum for new uses and appreciate the characteristics of the radio broadcast bands, we recognize the tremendous properties these continue to offer broadcasters to deliver programs over sometimes very large distances and areas or in difficult terrain.

[…]The BBC is keen to exploit DRM in order to deliver, to key markets, BBC content free of gatekeepers in a form that can be accessed easily.

For that to be possible, the multi-standard receiver chip is required, and manufacturers must appreciate and act on this global market potential.

Click here to read the entire article at Radio World.

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Special two hour DRM broadcast today at 12:00 UTC

According to the DRM Consortium, there will be a special two hour DRM broadcast today (April 18) starting at 12:00 UTC:

Special DRM transmission tomorrow 18th April from Spaceline during DRM GA at 1200-1400UTC on 11600kHz. From Kostinbrod, Bulgaria with antenna directed at 260 degrees. The content will be from Mighty KBC.

Note that this broadcast starts less than two hours from time of posting. Please comment if you log this broadcast!

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Kuwait updates shortwave transmitters

(Source: Kuwait News Agency via Mike Hansgen)

KUWAIT, March 8 (KUNA) — Minister of Information Mohammad Al-Jabri on Thursday opened a project updating shortwave transmitters from analogue to digital radio mondiale (DRM) broadcasting systems, at Kabd radio station.

This is a new achievement for the ministry to be added to a series of vital projects that aim to keep pace with the rapid technical progress around the globe, Al-Jabri told KUNA and the Kuwait TV.

Kabd station, through the new DRM system, will allow “Kuwait’s voice” to reach the entire Middle East region, Europe and Asia, he noted.

Kuwaitis have planned and supervised the project, the minister said, noting that updating the infrastructure of radio stations aims to cope with latest digital broadcasting development, the minister said.

Al-Jabri praised officials, and all the personnel at the ministry’s Engineering Affairs Sector, for their hard sincere efforts.

Click here to read the full article at the KUNA website.

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October DRM Consortium news

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who shares the following news from the DRM Consortium via their newsletter:

Digital Radio Mondiale: Audio Codec xHE-AAC at No Additional Cost
to Boost DRM Receiver Industry

Via Licensing Corporation, a global intellectual property solutions
provider, announced that the highly efficient MPEG xHE-AAC audio codec
(Extended High Efficiency AAC) will become a default feature of the
popular Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) patent pool. The move to include
the XHE-AAC audio codec into the current patent pool at no extra cost,
is a move that could boost DRM receiver manufacturing. Read more.

DRM Delivers at IBC 2017

Following a very successful appearance at IBC 2017 in Amsterdam, with
many delegates attending the four successful DRM events hosted by
Gospell, Thomson Broadcast, Nautel and Ampegon, we have compiled a
slideshow from IBC to share. Click here to view.

DRM Delivers at IBC 2017

Following a very successful appearance at IBC 2017 in Amsterdam, with
many delegates attending the four successful DRM events hosted by
Gospell, Thomson Broadcast, Nautel and Ampegon, we have compiled a
slideshow from IBC to share. Click here to view.

All India Radio (AIR) External Services to Provide more Broadcasts

The External Services Division of AIR is to launch several new
services aimed at new overseas target areas. Read more.

US Coast Guard DRM Tests Continue

U.S. Coast Guard testing in DRM with Journaline Service continues and
the latest schedules can be downloaded here.

You can follow discussions on the project on the DRMNA Group here.

Fraunhofer Software Defined Radio (SDR) Digital Receiver Introduced
at IBC 2017

The Fraunhofer IIS audio blog published an article summarising the
products launched at IBC and powered by the Fraunhofer
MultimediaPlayer Radio App. Read more.

Radio Taiwan Carries Out DRM Tests

Radio Taiwan International carried out tests in DRM in German on Oct 4
and 10 from 1800-1900 UTC on 9680 and 12030 kHz from Tamsui. Read
more.

International Day for Disaster Reduction 13th October

On Friday 13th October, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction, explores how communities around the world are reducing their
exposure to disasters. In a recent blog “When digital is more than
just radio”, the DRM Chair, Ruxandra Obreja, outlined the considerable
benefits to be realised if Governments and manufacturers were to fully
exploit the emergency warning feature embedded in DRM and digital
radio technology. Read more.

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