The companies conducting a field trial of HD Radio in Switzerland are testing a BMW Series 7 sedan equipped to receive IBOC, DAB and FM analog signals.
The HD Radio signals are broadcast from a transmitter in central Switzerland, delivering “surprisingly good results under difficult frequency and topographical conditions,” according to proponents.
An HD Radio field trial, under way in Switzerland since 2006, is entering a second phase that will include using an IBOC translator for the Luzern region. Markus Ruoss heads the Swiss field trial; he is the majority shareholder in Radio Sunshine and owner of Ruoss AG, an electronic media-consulting firm.
In the announcement, Ruoss stated that he’s received “a lively stream of interested visitors,” such as automotive industry suppliers, who come to Switzerland and test their HD-R equipment. Government and industry association representatives from neighboring countries have visited to learn how HD Radio works under laboratory and field conditions, according to Ruoss.
The advocates say that for economic reasons, local and regional broadcasters require a different digital solution than do national services. They see DAB or DAB+ working for national and regional broadcasters, while FM IBOC could be used for local/regional programs.
Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) and FMeXtra are also being tested as possible alternatives to current FM technology.
