One hundred radio listeners in Plymouth are getting ready to tune in to their BBC local radio station on Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). A year-long trial in the county will re-use Radio Devon's 855AM medium wave frequency, from this Monday (23rd April).
DRM uses frequencies below 30 MHz to broadcast digital radio – and the BBC are alrady using the technology with short wave transmissions of the World Service to parts of Western Europe and North Africa.
The Radio Devon listeners taking part in the trial have been given radios which are capable of receiving DRM as well as the existing FM and DAB transmissions. The BBC says it'll conduct research with the panel over the coming year to explore their experience of DRM and help inform its future digital radio strategy.
Robert Wallace, Managing Editor, Radio Devon said: "It's great for Devon to be at the forefront of testing this new digital medium-wave technology. We're looking forward to hearing how our panel of listeners get on with their digital reception of Radio Devon."
The station switched off its medium wave transmitter in Plymouth on 1 April in preparation for the trial. National Grid Wireless will be supplying, commissioning and operating the transmission equipment needed for the trial, as well as assisting in the engineering measurement of the transmissions and validation of the results, which are due to be published by the middle of next year.
–
[link=https://radiotoday.co.uk]RadioToday.co.uk – non-stop radio news[/link] radionews@tmssvr.co.uk or call 0871 315 6 315