RadioBanter - View Single Post

January 22nd 04, 03:08 PM

On 22 Jan 2004 14:58:36 GMT, (Sidchase3) wrote:

Has anybody built or bought a DRM capable receiver? I printed out a schedule
of broadcastng times from the DRM website. It appears that there are test
transmissions going on from participating broadcasters a good part of the day.
One station transmits for an hour or two and then passes off to another.

I have a DRM capable system consisting of a TenTec RX-350 connected to
my computer soundcard (great receiver by the way except for the
synchronous detection). I have generally gotten excellent results
with DRM. The fidelity is probably equivelent to that of a mono FM
table radio. The big problem of course is dropouts due to ionospheric
conditions.

The transmissions directed to North America from Sackville and Bonaire
are of course always 100% listenable here in Detroit, but overseas
reception is spotty due to the fact that the signals aren't beamed
over here and they're using relatively weak transmitters for DRM.

It was a thrill to hear Radio Luxembourg back on shortwave again on
6095 using DRM toward Europe (in hi-fi stereo no-less!!!). That
station can generally be received OK on the east coast from about 0700
to 1000 UTC. BBC on 9410 is also pretty well received here in
Detroit. I've gotten Voice of Russia a few times as well in the
afternoons.

Radio Kuwait has just started Arabic broadcasts using DRM so the
technology is catching on.

I think that if Sony, Grundig, or Sangean came out with an
"all-in-one-box" DRM portable for $300 or so, that DRM could very well
bring many shortwave broadcasters (such as Radio Luxembourg) who have
abandoned the medium back to the air.

I'm really impressed with the technology, and the fact that
"high-fidelity" reception is possible on shortwave is absolutely
mind-blowing to me.