18 Oct Number of channels on one current FM frequency – Your Question Answered
Our best specialists will respond in brief to your questions. We will post them regularly. Please submit them in writing and in audio with your picture and we will post the answers here. Please keep your questions short and relevant and send them to: projectoffice@drm.
How many channels can be carried on one current FM frequency?
(Indian DXer)
As the recent India test showed DRM is compatible with the country’s FM band “channelization” being able to fill the gaps within existing analog FM services. The tests showed that DRM in the FM band occupying 96 kHz per “block” can carry up to four services: up to three DRM audio services including PAD [program associated data] and DRM data services, such as Journaline. Successful transmission of up to 18 audio and six data services was demonstrated from a single FM transmitter with 600 kHz bandwidth. Reception of DRM in FM band on an Android phone was shown using an off-the-shelf dongle. The tests illustrated that all the Android phones could receive DRM in FM band using off-the-shelf dongles and the Fraunhofer DRM MultimediaPlayer radio app. Extending the DRM standard to FM band in India will save receiver manufacturers costs, as there is no additional IP royalties and DRM is the only single standard with shared features across all broadcast bands.
