DRM on B08 Moscow Conference Agenda

International co-ordination of shortwave frequencies for the B08 period (winter 2008/09 on the Northern hemisphere) was the main objective of the Moscow HFCC/ASBU conference. However, DRM related subjects also appeared on the agenda of the Plenary Meeting - as well as during an impromptu Press Conference that was held after the conference opening speeches by Boris Boyarskov, Director of the Federal Service for Communications and Mass Media and HFCC Chairman Oldrich Cip. DRM was also discussed during a meeting between B. Boyarskov and the HFCC chairman during the conference week. HFCC Chairman's remarks during the press conference in that "digitalisation of the AM radio spectrum would be very effective in Russia since it would be capable of providing broadcast reception in near FM quality for the large territory of the Russian Federation" was widely quoted in the Russian media including the official GRFC website and TASS agency. It seems that the HFCC/ASBU conference has thus renewed the debate about the DRM there. This is quite useful at the moment since the HFCC has been in touch with the European Broadcasting Union on the DRM receivers:

The HFCC is an associate member of the DRM Consortium. A serious concern has been raised in the Plenary Meeting of the Moscow conference over the results of the current effort of the EBU, the European Association for Consumer Electronics and WorldDMB to harmonise the profiles and properties of receivers for the digital future. The HFCC received a provisional table of three drafted profiles for a harmonised digital radio. It was very disappointing to find that DRM and AM modes have been labelled as "Optional" in all three drafts of digital receiver profiles.

There is a Digital Radio Survey in progress in the EBU and the Plenary Meeting urged all HFCC and ASBU members to take part and support the introduction of the DRM by filling in a Survey Questionnaire

Unfortunately, it seems that the HFCC concerns expressed repeatedly to the EBU in writing well before the Moscow conference have not been taken into account. The harmonised receiver profiles are already agreed and published on the EBU website here.

It is apparent that these documents have been created without any reference to DRM. The HFCC/ASBU Steering Board is going to place this subject on the agenda of its November 2008 Meeting.

Updated: 03.10.2008