AMSTERDAM�Pressing the emergency button on the new Indian�produced DRM receiver was a highlight of the first event at theFraunhofer IISbooth at this year�s IBC.
The many features of the Indian receiver (from the new Consortium memberCommunication Systems Inc�.were in evidence: color LCD with million colors, 10-12 hours of backup on single charging, xHE-AAC audio coding, emergency warning, Alternative Frequency Search, DRM text and scrolling messages. The receiver (available onwww.amazon.in), was used to capture a daily shortwave DRM live broadcast transmitted by Babcock internationalon 6040kHz, 100kW fromWoofferton, UK(pointed at 114 degrees towards Europe). It featured BBC, NHK and Radio Vaticanacontent, and the transmission was clear even on a boat under the many bridges of Amsterdam.
IBC is a great occasion for members of the Consortium to meetindustry experts and contactsfrom countries as far apart as South Africa, Romania, India, Turkey and Indonesia. Recent market developments in Asia, Africa (where the DRM30 trial might be soon joined by a DRM+ trial in the Johannesburg area), Europe and Latin America featured large at the four DRM events on Sept. 11, 12�and 13:
- � � � ��The Thomson Broadcast event on Sept. 12�focused on transmitters for alert systems and gave details of a �hot off the press�announcement about a new transmission contract (DRM ready) for Morocco.
- � � � ��The Nautel event, held the same day, was extremely well attended, and featured new developments in DRM transmitter technology, more about the continued roll-out of DRM in India, news about the DRM+ trial in St. Petersburg and a new innovative multi-band receiver in development.
- � � � ��On Sunday morningAmpegonandTransradio featured integrated transmission systems, and demonstrated the energy efficiency of new transmitters.
Other DRM members present at IBC were:GatesAir, RIZ Transmitters and RFmondial.
