The Digital Radio Mondiale consortium is welcoming the announcement of a small and affordable radio receiver model that will be made in India.
It will be manufactured by a local affiliate of Solar Grove Solutions, a U.S.-based company that makes accessible devices.
Model N88 is a medium-wave, shortwave and VHF Band II/FM receiver with analog and DRM reception. It runs on three AA batteries and is expected to be available for purchase in Q4 of this year. Pricing has not yet been announced.
“This is a significant step towards delivering cutting-edge technology at accessible prices to a global audience,” wrote DRM Consortium Chair Ruxandra Obreja.
The N88 was developed in collaboration with CML Microcircuits and Alongside Tech, which is providing design and application development. The latter company recently joined the DRM consortium.
The organizations highlighted the receiver for its small size, low power consumption and integration with an Android app.
Renatus Pinto of Shemish Grove Solutions India, the receiver’s manufacturer, was quoted in the announcement, “We believe this unique DRM radio will revolutionize the way people experience radio, offering a unique blend of traditional analog reception and the advanced capabilities of DRM.”
Although the receiver is intended for global markets, the fact that it will be made in India is notable, as the country is an important potential growth market for DRM. The consortium maintains a web page devoted to the use of DRM in the country. All India Radio uses the DRM standard in the AM bands there. The national government has not announced a decision about the digitization of the FM band.
