THE VATICAN� Digital Radio Mondiale is an international digital radio open standard designed by broadcasters, for broadcasters, in co-operation with transmitter and receiver manufacturers. DRM is a digital replacement for analog radio broadcasting in the AM and FM bands.� We�ve covered it to the extent that we can here in Digital Radio Update.�
DRM also works in the shortwave bands, and in fact, there are two test transmissions coming up for which you might have interest.�
First, Vatican Radio is going to carry out a special DRM broadcast on the occasion of the HFCC International Broadcasting Delivery Conference taking place next week in Miami from Aug. 22�25.One hundred engineers, frequency managers and other personnel from international radio stations in 30 countries will meet in Miami for a week to coordinate shortwave frequency schedules.
The Radio Vatican broadcast will be �from Santa Maria di Galeria at 19:30 � 20:00 UTC on 17510 kHz, 250 kW digital, AHR 4/4/.5 at 292�, 16QAM-ModeB-Protection level 0.62 � Bit rate 14560 � SDR On.
Second, DRM will be part of a big anniversary on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean: On Aug. 28 at 1155 GMT Babcock International will ensure a special BBC digital transmission on 21715 kHz from the BBC Atlantic Relay station, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the BBC�s first short-wave radio broadcast from Ascension Island.
The two hour-transmission on 21715 kHz will start with the old, special sound of Bow Church Bell in east London, the sound of which, even if in DRM this time,� will remind older listeners of the BBC broadcasts of many decades ago. The 21-hour transmission will be the regular BBC programs for West and South Africa and will end at 1400.
Sure, you say.� That�s great�but how in the world do I actually receive these transmissions?� I�ll admit it isn�t easy�you can�t just go down to the store and buy a DRM receiver here in the U.S.� However, there are at least two sources that could work: The first isthis German company; the second is thisU.S. company.
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