It was very interesting and appropriate to read the article
researched and penned by James Careless Shortwave Radios Keep Up
With Tech – Radio World.
It was also high time to address the issue of SW transmissions,
just when the death of radio and of shortwave, and even medium
wave, is being ventilated again, while the streaming and
podcasting real progress is hugely hyped trumping again the
global realities.
Maybe stressing the actual huge size of SW listening would have
benefitted the article. BBC World Service alone has an estimated
weekly audience of 269 million, with radio delivering around 150
million. This top international broadcaster has 200 transmitter
sites of which four are high power AM with 12 others hired.
Content is distributed to 800 locations globally (often using
SW) for direct broadcast or inclusion in partner broadcasts. And
AM services reach many tens of millions across Africa and Middle
East, the future potential audience of DRM shortwave as well.
The Radio World piece was clearly aimed mainly at the
enthusiasts, with some of the receiver prices mentioned. The
average (non-enthusiast), who has a laptop with connectivity
would probably just listen to radio via the internet. There is
definitely merit in portable SDR’s which (depending on price)
will likely keep some of the audiences and make it easy for them
to pick up analog shortwave but also DRM. India, China, Russia,
UK, even Brazil, Pakistan and other countries are testing,
broadcasting or seriously considering shortwave DRM at the
moment.
The natural and only son of analog SW, DRM, with its huge
spectrum, energy and audio quality advantages, does not get a
mention in the article, though. This is definitely a missed
opportunity, as some of the big public broadcasters mentioned
(BBC, All India Radio, Radio Romania etc.) are already in this
space and report excellent reception and increasing
listenership.
Most of the new DRM receiver solutions cater for both the analog
and digital versions of shortwave reception. Work is afoot to
deliver more affordable receivers aimed precisely at the huge
and less affluent shortwave markets of Africa and Asia
(drm.org via Mike Terry via WOR io group)
