DRM / DAB

Pakistan

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Last week, Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb inaugurated 12 new studios which were set up on modern lines at Radio Pakistan under a reform agenda by the incumbent government.
The minister said that the government had rolled out a reform programme to upgrade and digitize Radio Pakistan on war footing. A comprehensive business plan had also been worked out to transform Radio Pakistan into a financially viable organization.
The studios she inaugurated were meant for round the clock sports transmission of Radio Pakistan FM at 94 frequency, broadcast of programmes in 11 regional languages, dedicated platform for discussing environmental challenges and highlight the country’s biodiversity, wildlife, water management, forest conservation and management. A world service was also launched to provide all sort of news, culture and heritage related content to the overseas Pakistanis.
Marriyum said the government had approved a digital DRM transmitter project worth Rs 4 billion in the current year’s Public Sector Development Programme.
The project would be launched soon in Rawat, she said, adding that Radio Pakistan’s Digital Migration would take the state broadcaster’s transmissions in clear sound not only across the length and breadth of the country but also beyond its borders.
This follows the June official announcement that the Federal Ministry for Planning Development and Special Initiatives had approved the upgrade of the HPT Rawat transmitting station with the acquisition of a 1000 KW DRM enabled medium wave transmitter.
This is part of phase 1 of a three-phase DRM digitisation plan of the public Pakistani broadcaster; in effect, this signifies that Pakistan has embraced the DRM standard in all bands for the whole country.
Read more at: https://radioinfo.asia/news/minister-inaugurates-12-new-studios-at-radio-pakistan-supports-digitisation/ © RadioInfo Asia

Ydun Ritz (2023-07-18)

Sri Lanka

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The international service of the Sri Lankan Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) recently doubled its Tamil Service airtime to two hours, on 873 kHz AM (medium wave) from Puttalam transmitter. The new schedule is 0130-0330 UTC (7.00 am to 9.00 am IST).
This is partly in response to individual efforts of listeners, many in the southern part of India, in Bengaluru.
Introducing this change, Colombo International Radio also announced that shortly they are going to use DRM on 1548 kHz.

This will be done by using the old transmitter of Deutsche Welle located in the north of Sri Lanka at Trincomalee. The Sri Lankan public broadcaster has started airing the DRM announcement here.

Read more at: https://radioinfo.asia/news/sri-lanka-broadcasting-corporation-goes-drm-following-indian-listeners-request/ © RadioInfo Asia

Ydun Ritz (2023-06-19)

Sri Lanka

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(Translated from French)
Following the development of DRM on medium waves in India, many Indian listeners have been asking Colombo International Radio, the international service of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), to increase the airtime of its Tamil DRM service in India.

This program has just passed at two hours (01:30 to 03:30 UTC), on 873 kHz. It’s transmitted by two coupled 200 kW Nautel transmitters and a three-matt direct antenna pointing north. Broadcast Centre is located at Pahlavi Puttalam. (07°58’35″N 79°48’08″E).

A second transmitter will soon broadcast the same program in DRM at 1548 kHz. This will be done using the old Deutsche Welle transmitter located in northern Sri Lanka at Trincomalee (8°44’55″N 81°07’15″E).

This transmitter was installed in April 1985, it is two 300 kW S7HP units coupled, allowing for 300, 400 or 600 kW broadcast. The antenna consists of two masts headed north-east. The transmitters were upgraded and adapted for DRM transmissions by Welle in 2007 and handed over to SLBC in 2012.

Michel Fremy, Radio Magazine FB group (2023-06-09)

United Kingdom

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Isle of Man.
DAB+ is to replace medium wave in a not too distant future. “Manx Radio listeners in Douglas and Onchan will be able to listen to the station on DAB for the first time from today. [2 May 2023]. […] The [three year] trial will cost around £20,000, it’s hoped the digital service will replace Manx Radio’s AM transmitter. [1368 kHz] Commercial station Energy FM will also be taking part, but Irish owned 3FM has declined to do so. Manx Radio’s Managing Director Chris Sully said: “We were hoping that both the other radio stations on the Island would join us from launch day, however, the Board of 3FM has decided not to be part of the trial at this time. […]” https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/manx-radio-begins-dab-trial/

via Dr Hansjoerg Biener (2023-05-06)

United Kingdom

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Manx Radio has been granted a three-year licence to test and trial digital audio broadcasting, or DAB.
The Communications and Utilities Regulatory Authority has announced it’s given the station the go-ahead to use the digital platform for the first time.
CURA says other stations on the Island may also take part, and adds that the licence has been granted to gather the required technological and demographic data.
It’s expected the trial, which is due to go live on 2 May, will cost around £20,000, and it’s hoped it will eventually replace AM [1368 kHz].
Manx Radio’s Managing Director is Chris Sully:
https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/manx-radio-granted-3-year-dab-licence/?fbclid=IwAR0PhCzBvyDCCt2dDZ0jqUx_Hyd5jx4MlvHpRd2npAfR7WaIVoUwN-DbnSg

Les Kaighin to mwcircle iog (2023-03-12)