India's national broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) has placed an order for the supply of two 1000 kilowatt DRM capable medium wave transmitters. These will replace old analogue transmitters of same capacity at Chinsurah (West Bengal) and Rajkot (Gujrat), with state-of-the-art solid state transmitters. The new Megawatt transmitters can be operated in analogue, in simulcast or in DRM mode with automatic change-over between these three operational modes. The transmitters shall provide coverage to very large areas in the Indian sub-continent as well to the West, North, East and Southeast Asia. This significant purchase was revealed at the recently concluded Broadcast Engineering Society (BES) India's conference in New Delhi, attended by exhibitors and participants from all over the world. The need for cheaper digital radio sets and content innovation was highlighted by speakers during the event. All India Radio has already chosen DRM as the technology for converting its vast analogue network to digital. This is part of its digital radio switchover strategy where more than 40 transmitters are to be made DRM capable in the near future. AIR is already broadcasting in DRM from one of its high-power shortwave transmitters located at Khampur near Delhi that covers an area of approximately 800 kilometre radius. The DRM Consortium is delighted with this development which underlines the commitment made by India to new technology in general and the DRM standard in particular. (NASB Newsletter)
