[Swprograms] From Radio Mag Online: DRM HF Domestic Service May Test in Alaska

The following story today is at: http://radiomagonline.com/digital_radio_update/digital-radio-update-050708/#drm

DRM HF Domestic Service May Test in Alaska
Digital Aurora Radio Technologies of Delta Junction, AK, has applied for FCC authorization to operate high power digital signals in the 5, 7 and 9MHz HF bands with power levels that could approach 100kW, according to a Web article recently published on 26MHz.us. The article claims that the FCC has already assigned a call sign, WE2XRH, but had yet to issue an authorization at the time of the article's publication. The proposed transmission facility is sited at Delta Junction, located in east central Alaska.

The application is intriguing for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that Digital Aurora is proposing to propagate signals using a DRM implementation and operating spectrum typically reserved for international broadcasters, but with the stated goal of establishing a reliable domestic digital radio service throughout the entire state of Alaska.

Also of interest are reports that Digital Aurora intends to utilize U.S. military surplus OTH backscatter radar transmitters built by Continental Electronics during the waning days of the Cold War. Older amateur radio and shortwave radio enthusiast may remember the unique pulsed signals that filled the HF band while large-scale military networks were still operating, and some HF scatter-based Doppler weather is still in use today. Although specific system parameters are not yet available, it appears that the proposed system might employ specialized, high radiation angle antennas designed to take advantage of HF scatter propagation characteristics that are most pronounced in the earth's polar regions.

Continental Electronics engineers have reportedly tested one of the transmitters in question using DRM emission with excellent RF performance results.

Digital Aurora intends to carry out testing on propagation and audio quality measurements using standard 10kHz channel widths over a two-year period, but the company may also pursue wider bandwidth testing later in the test regimen. The company also says it will work with the High Frequency Coordination Conference, an international broadcast service organization, to determine appropriate test frequencies.

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-Rob de Santos