From having no regular DRM presence just a year ago, China has now become the world’s largest DRM shortwave broadcaster.
It had some DRM infrastructure in place for over a decade, which had only been sporadically tested so far.
Today, China operates the most DRM transmitters in this band and has the most extensive schedule.
The initial broadcasts started in early 2018 from Beijing. Services continued to rollout over the year via various transmitter sites, often on the country’s periphery.
A DRM shortwave transmitter in Beijing targets north China almost 24 hours a day. A second Beijing transmitter targets east China for eight hours a day.
Another transmitter in Ürümqi in the country’s west targets central and east China for 14 hours a day, while a transmitter in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang province (the Manchurian plain), is on more than 11 hours a day and reaches south and southwest China. Dongfang on Hainan Island province is on eight hours a day on two frequencies for both north and southeast China. Finally, the DRM shortwave transmitter located in Kunming in the Yunnan province is on eight hours daily for south China.There is now a DRM network providing nationwide coverage.
Programming takes place on the first channel of China National Radio, part of the country’s state-run domestic service.
The only issue at the moment seems to be the availability of DRM receivers, which are currently manufactured only by Gospell. The company makes the GR-216 - which is nonportable and is not readily available, and the GR-227 digital radio car adaptor.
