WRN’s DRM Services go live

WRN, the London-based international transmission service company, today announced the launch of its two Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) services.

The first service is a London-wide 24 hour a day DRM trial broadcast at 26 MHz. The second service offers DRM transmissions that can target any major European radio market via directional antennas. Initially this second service will cover the whole of the UK and Ireland. Both services go live on Monday 6th February with programming from a range
of respected international and UK radio broadcasters.

Gary Edgerton, WRN's Managing Director, says, "DRM will revitalise AM, LW and Short Wave broadcasting because the next generation of digital radio receivers will contain chip sets that receive both DRM and DAB signals, providing the listener with an exciting choice of domestic and international
stations. WRN's DRM services offer stations currently using analogue AM and Short Wave the opportunity to join the digital radio revolution. We also welcome stations who want to test this new transmission technology and stay ahead of their competitors."

26 MHz for London

WRN's test and development trial for London will assess the potential coverage of DRM transmissions at 26MHz. It will generate important data about the penetration of the signals into various types of building and other urban situations as well as gauge audience reaction to the broadcasts.

The transmission site is the world famous Croydon broadcast tower, situated in South London and operated by Arqiva, WRN's DRM transmission partner for this project. Arqiva provides transmission services for most UK commercial
radio stations. Croatia's RIZ-Transmitters has supplied the Yagi antenna and transmitter for the duration of the project.

Regional DRM Service

WRN's regional DRM service offers broadcasters comprehensive coverage of the UK at 50kW Average DRM Power. WRN will eventually offer services that can cover Europe using DRM sky-wave transmission and directional antennas that will reach specific European radio markets with frequencies that provide higher reliability in urban areas from the transmitter site located in Bulgaria. Telefunken has supplied the modulator and exciter for the service.

WRN will encode both DRM services at its central London headquarters, providing the flexibility to generate a pre-mixed DRM stream that will then be fed to the respective transmitter sites. WRN will also add data for receiver display utilising custom created software.

Source: WRN press office

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