On October 26, 2003, US-based AIB member the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (NASB) will begin a 23-week series of special joint broadcasts produced by the organisation’s member and associate member stations. This is the first time in the NASB’s history that is has produced joint broadcasts by its members. And equally important, this series of broadcasts will be transmitted in the DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) mode, as well as in traditional analogue form.
The broadcasts, titled “Voice of the NASB,” will be transmitted in the DRM mode each Sunday at 1330-1400 UTC on 9785 kHz, beamed primarily to Europe from the facilities of AIB member VT Merlin Communications in Rampisham, England. Each programme will also be broadcast on UTC Sunday at 0330-0400 on 7385 kHz, primarily to North America via WRMI in Miami, Florida. The broadcasts will run from October 26, 2003 through March 28, 2004. A special NASB QSL card will be issued for reception reports on these transmissions, both digital and analogue. Reports should be sent to the Voice of the NASB, P.O. Box 526852, Miami, Florida 33152 USA.
NASB, founded in 1990, has been a member of DRM since 1999 — one year after the DRM Consortium was launched. DRM officially inaugurated regular digital broadcasts on June 16, 2003. Since then, over 25 stations in various countries have broadcast programs in DRM. NASB has helped promote DRM to its members and around the world, helping coordinate DRM demonstrations at trade shows, shortwave exhibitions and the World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 in Geneva. NASB stations operate shortwave transmitters throughout the United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and Saipan. NASB broadcasters cover every continent with more than 5000 programme hours per week, according to a BBC study.
Jeff White, NASB President, commented: “We are very pleased to be a member of DRM, and very pleased to be in the forefront of digital shortwave broadcasting. While we believe that it is important to continue broadcasting in analogue form — especially to certain parts of the world — it is impossible not to see the tremendous advantages that DRM offers shortwave broadcasters and listeners. DRM-capable receivers are already on the marketplace, and the number of models is rapidly increasing, while the prices are rapidly decreasing. And with dozens of organisations already broadcasting in DRM, listeners will have more and more variety of programming to tune into.”