The public broadcaster in Slovakia, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), launched a DRM+ pilot in band II last autumn, based on a  temporary licence to test parameters of the DRM broadcast systems.

During the trial, conducted from the headqurters of RTVS in Bratislava, coverage and interference measurements were provided by the Research Institute of Telecommunications SR (VUS).

After the evaluation of the initial excellent results, new permission was granted in April 2012 to continue broadcasting (in DRM+) for the next 10 years.

The transmitter provides a FM signal from 06:00 to 18:00 and a DRM+ signal from 18:00 to 06:00

(For those interested in the actual test results here are some parameters)

• Parameters of DRM+ transmitter : ERP=200W, Frequency = 98,9 MHz, pol. V, code rate = ½, modulation = 4-QAM, 16-QAM
• Reception subjectively rated as high quality was measured at levels of intensity of an electric-magnetic field higher than 36  dBµV/m
• The actual coverage for 16-QAM modulation well simulates  to the coverage calculated without taking into account interfering transmissions)

DRM+ transmission tests of RTVS were evaluated as successful in terms of possible interference to existing networks. The extent of the real coverage is exceeding the expectations.