Imagine how infinitely easier it would be to shut down analog FM, if either the
Ibiquity HD Radio standard, or the DRM standard, were used, and if receivers
compatible with analog and digital transmissions were actually made available.
The technology has been around for years and years, is practical, and low cost.
Sure can't tell by looking on store shelves.
Plus, with HD Radio and with DRM, radio can continue to use the 530-1500 kHz AM
band and the 88-108 MHz FM band, that is not in demand from any other
industries, while this is not the case for DAB+. DAB uses the so-called VHF
Band III, aka high VHF. Which is probably why countries like the UK, which do
not have VHF TV at all, don't mind DAB.
(Italy, mentioned in the article, does use some VHF for TV, but only one
channel per market, for the most part.)
Bert
---------------------------------------------
http://www.radiomagonline.com/around-the-world/0020/south-tyrol-starts-fm-sunsetting-next-month/39400
South Tyrol Starts FM Sunsetting Next Month
The shutdown is planned in two stages
November 20, 2017
By Doug Irwin, CPBE AMD DRB
BOLZANO, South Tyrol, Italy - The autonomous region of South Tyrol (in northern
Italy) has decided to "sunset" VHF FM services, starting early next month.
Nineteen FM transmitters are to be turned off. In November of next year, the
rest of the FM transmission system will shut down - another 22 transmitters.
Radio listeners will by necessity use over-the-air DAB+ thereafter.
The broadcasters in South Tyrol have the same problem as Norwegian broadcasters
- an aging FM network that would cost a lot of money to upgrade. The argument
about lower maintenance costs and lower energy consumption has also been
important in the decision, according to radioassistant.com.
The governor of South Tyrol, Arno Kompatscher, said at a recent press
conference that "the future is digital." He also assumed that DAB + radios are
both available, affordable and offer energy saving compared with analog radios,
according to the same article. On average, households in southern Tyrol have at
least one digital radio.
The shutdown is planned in two stages, said Kompatscher, to make the shutdown
"as gentle as possible for the users."
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