A company has applied to the FCC for an experimental license to test Digital Radio Mondiale transmission on several shortwave bands in Alaska, according to a report from a shortwave blog about DRM.
Digital Aurora Radio Technologies of Delta Junction, Alaska, intends to test statewide DRM in the 5, 7 and 9 MHz shortwave bands,
according to 26MHz.us, which is written by Bennett Z. Kobb.
On its application, the company stated that the goal is to assess performance of digital terrestrial shortwave broadcasting and serve the entire state. Commission approval is pending, according to the report; for now the FCC assigned call sign WE2XRH.
"In general, the population of Alaska is underserved with respect to the ability to have a high-quality, reliable public radio audio service," the blog quotes the company saying. "This is especially true for sparsely populated areas of the state."
Digital Aurora proposes to perform propagation, signal-to-noise ratio, field strength, bit rate and audio quality measurements over a two-year period, according to the application.
The report says a unique element of the test is the proposed use of government surplus over-the-horizon (OTH) radar transmitters made by
Continental Electronics.