|
Näin ne ajat kehittyvät, tuoreessa DX
Windowissa oli mielenkiintoinen juttu Intian radioalan digitalisoinnista.
Täytynee hankkia jatkossa DRM-lisälaite liikkariin jos mielii intialaisia 60
metrilä kuunnella...
73 JP
Excerpts from Indiantelevision interview
Jan 31 of AS Guin, engineer-in-chief at AIR on digitalisation plans of
AIR:
Would these channels be available on the
normal radio sets we use today?
No, that technology is not available so far
and even in the west, it is very costly, about $80 for a digital radio handset.
New technology will always remain in the public domain, because of the sheer
scale of operational costs, which the private sector would find very difficult
to match. This will completely take away perhaps the only joy of millions of
poor Indians who are totally dependent on AIR for news and entertainment,
besides the public services as on health and agricultural advice. Well, the
decision to go digital, across the world, has been taken, so this will have to
happen. In any case the cut-off date set by the government for transition from
analogue to digital is 2015. But then, as demand goes up, the prices will come
down. A normal radio handset now costs Rs 200, and these sets will cost
something like Rs 500, at the most, with cheaper technology coming in. But do
remember that the audience will have a choice of seven channels.
Any
other benefits on offer for this costly technology?
Interactive broadcasts
and a number of value-added services will be possible. Well, one of the most
important things will be the pro-active role AIR will get to play in disaster
management. We will introduce a system all across the channels on the coastal
belts, which will be integrated with the early warning systems. Thus, whenever
an early warning is triggered off the computer linkage with the radio stations
will ensure that the channel would automatically switch over to transmitting the
warning, with the ongoing programme switched off. Once the warning has been
issued, the radio station would switch over to the normal ongoing programme.
This will give a huge lead time for people to evacuate...
Who are you
looking to as technical collaborators?
You see, the US has HD radio, and
Korea uses DMB but that is mostly for TV. China uses DRM technology for external
services. We have spoken with China about DRM. It has shown a keen interest and
once the two countries collaborate, the prices of receivers would dramatically
come down. China would have to collaborate to set up factories in India, because
if we have to import, prices would be very high.
What are the network
plans?
The digitalisation process would start with all the studios. It would
be the SW transmissions that would go digital first. Each state capital would
have one Short Wave transmitter and there will be three transmission complexes
with five transmitters per complex for national digital radio coverage. These
complexes will be suitably located. Each complex will transmit five digital
channels across the country, including regional language channels. This will
mean that these channels will be accessible across the country. So, a Bengali in
Mumbai would not have a problem if he wishes to hear All India Radio Kolkata...
AIR is proposing digital FM in the near future, using DRM+, or DAB or HD Radio
technology. But forget replacing the existing transmitters, even initial
investment will not be easy for the private entrepreneurs, unless the receivers
for digital broadcasting become low cost and catch the imagination of the
public.
( http://us.indiantelevision.com/interviews/y2k7/executive/AS_Guin.htm via Gupta)
Engineers from AIR Research Department
demonstrated the experimental transmission in DRM mode queries during recently
concluded BES Expo 2007 - 13th International Conference and Exhibition on
Terrestrial and Satellite Broadcasting held here in New Delhi on Feb 01-03,
2007. My complete report with photos from the exhibition can be read at
http://www.geocities.com/alokeshgupta/bes_expo_2007.pdf . Right click on above link to download the pdf
file.
AIR has adopted DRM standard for digital
radio broadcasting in MW and SW bands. A 250 kW SW transmitter at Khampur, Delhi
has been modified for DRM experimental transmission on 6100 kHz.
Future DRM plans of AIR include :
· 22
Regional SW transmitters to be replaced by 50 kW shortwave DRM
transmitters.
· 10 New regional DRM SW transmitters expected to be
installed.
· 154 DRM + FM transmitters to be installed. (Gupta, Feb 04).
Thank you Alokesh for your detailed report with many good photos. It is amazing
how far India has come on this complicated technological field and I wish your
country all success in its further development. It is evident that within a
certain timeframe our regular listening to AIR regional SW-stations using
analogue technology is going to cease. For us DX-ers in Europe it is a big
question, if the future DRM transmitters will be audible here on DRM
receivers.Time will show. But it is high time to report the stations!
(Ed)
|