Friday, February 21, 2014

Engineer advocates DRM as alternative for AM/MW and vacated TV channels

Here is a great "AM revitalization" submission to the FCC by engineer David L. Hershberger (W9GR). To a certain degree, he even advocates for DRM30 right in the AM/MW spectrum with this stinging anti-iBiquity comment:

"As long as analog AM exists, any all-digital system should be restricted to just one channel – not three as is the case with hybrid AM IBOC, which occupies ±15 kHz. In other words, the signal must be limited to ±5 kHz. The all-digital version of the current AM IBOC system occupies ±10 kHz, which still spans three channels. This is not acceptable. Increasing AM interference is not the way to revitalize AM. (If a digital AM signal occupies 20 kHz of bandwidth, it occupies that bandwidth continuously. Analog signals occupying 20 kHz only occupy the full bandwidth on a fleeting transient basis.) DRM offers options which fit within a ±5 kHz channel."

 Thanks to Alan for the tip on this one!