Once touted as the “Savior of
Shortwave,” Digital Radio Mondiale has not lived up to its hype. Proposed in
1988, with early field-testing in 2000, inaugural broadcasting in 2001 and its
official rollout in 2003, DRM has had a lackluster career over the last decade.
With the allure of FM-quality audio and
fade-free operation, it had appeared that DRM might revive the shortwave
community. Unfortunately, it has been overcome by other events, some technical
and some social. The main weakness has been alternate sources of information
and entertainment, fueled by the very technology that gave DRM hope.
Additionally, in areas of the world
without ubiquitous social media, DRM has yet to realize receivers at a moderate
cost with adequate battery life. The very processing technology that allows
improved operation using the more complex DRM waveform costs more and consumes
more power than the standard AM receiver. A quick look at standalone DRM
receivers over the past decade shows almost a dozen companies entering the
market, only to retreat when the promise didn’t materialize.
(Source : Radio World)
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