<div dir="ltr">Hello,<div><br></div><div>It&#39;s seems entirely feasible that you could build a basic AM transmitter with SDR technology. Even taking on DRM should be feasible.</div><div><br></div><div>However, at the frequencies used, you still have the antenna problem (they need to be larger to match the longer wavelength) and tuning units to worry about. Well, that and all the other practical issues Ian mentioned earlier.</div><div><br></div><div>Wasn&#39;t there some DRM experiments done a few years back on the old Talk 107 frequency in Edinburgh? IIRC, coverage was on a par with analogue FM but the quality wasn&#39;t great (it was a trade-off between the two).</div><div><br></div><div>Regards,</div><div><br></div><div>Marc.</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 14 September 2015 at 19:53, Tony Bailey <span dir="ltr">&lt;<a href="mailto:ravensound@pilgrimsound.co.uk" target="_blank">ravensound@pilgrimsound.co.uk</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
  
    
  
  <div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
    <div>Reading this thread may explain why
      none of the last London tranche AM licensees (new not existing)
      got on the air.  There are a number of LRSLs around the country on
      AM although of course they only have to radiate 1 Watt.  Maybe
      it&#39;s a job for the SDR black box brigade to take on now that
      they&#39;ve finished playing with DAB?  DRM anyone?<br>
      <br>
      Regards,  Tony Bailey<br>
      <br>
      <br>
      <br>
      On 14/09/15 15:11, Ian Hickling wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote type="cite">
      
      <div dir="ltr">Hi Shankar
        <div>The point I am making is that in awarding an AM Community
          Radio Licence, Ofcom should as a matter if conscience and
          indeed good business practice make sure that the Licensee is
          fully aware of the additional costs and hazards over and above
          those known and anticipated for the much simpler and
          better-publicised FM platform.<br>
          These are, I suggest:</div>
        <div>
          <ul>
            <li><span>Few installation companies</span></li>
            <li><span>Few experts with suitable knowledge and experience</span></li>
            <li><span>Poor listener acceptability</span></li>
            <li><span>Poor licensing record - only 5 out of a total of
                274 UK awards</span></li>
            <li><span>Low receiver availability</span></li>
            <li><span>Lower audio quality</span></li>
            <li><span>Subject to overseas interference outside daylight
                hours</span></li>
            <li><span>Unpredictable coverage</span></li>
            <li><span>Very large and expensive antenna</span></li>
            <li><span>Requirement for specific site size and features</span></li>
            <li><span>Low availability of UK-produced transmitters</span></li>
            <li><span>Low availability of suitable Aerial Tuning Units.</span></li>
            <li><span>Higher price for transmitters and ancilliaries</span></li>
            <li><span>Uncertainty as to CE-marking of imported equipment</span></li>
          </ul>
          <div>Do I need to go on?<br>
            Please - somebody correct me if you disagree?</div>
        </div>
        <div><br>
          <div>
            <div><b>Ian Hickling</b><br>
            </div>
            Partner<br>
            <br>
            <a href="http://www.transplanuk.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=""></a>
            <div><i>Office: 01635 578435  (7am-11pm UK time)</i></div>
            <div><i>Carphone: 07530 980115 (only responds when driving)</i></div>
            <div><i>6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS</i></div>
          </div>
          <br>
          <br>
          <div>
            <hr>From: <a href="mailto:shankar.meembat@exaget.com" target="_blank">shankar.meembat@exaget.com</a><br>
            Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2015 13:58:45 +0100<br>
            To: <a href="mailto:cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk" target="_blank">cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk</a><br>
            Subject: Re: [cma-l] Confession<br>
            <br>
            I am an outsider to this process with no experience in this
            area, so pardon the naivety.
            <div><br>
              <div>&quot;<span>If Ofcom accepts that you have shown without
                  reasonable doubt that you can provide an efficient
                  transmission system and you have the funds to achieve
                  that</span>’  - seems to indicate that the application
                process requires that the costing is already estimated
                prior to submitting the application and submitted as
                part of the process ? </div>
              <div><br>
              </div>
              <div>What then causes the variation ? Ofcom awarding
                different transmission (AM instead of FM applied for) or
                changing some other conditions during the licence award
                ?</div>
              <div><br>
                <div>
                  <div>
                    <div>Shankar<br>
                      <br>
                      <br>
                      <table width="320">
                        <tbody>
                          <tr>
                            <td width="86"><span><span><img height="45" width="133"></span>
                                <div><br>
                                  <table width="320">
                                    <tbody>
                                      <tr>
                                        <td width="86"><b><br>
                                            Shankar Meembat,</b> Founder
                                          and CEO<br>
                                          <span>UK: <a href="tel:%2B44%20%28741%29%201130680" value="+447411130680" target="_blank">+44 (741) 1130680</a> <br>
                                            US: <a href="tel:%2B1%20%28702%29%204782134" value="+17024782134" target="_blank">+1 (702) 4782134</a> <br>
                                            FI: <a href="tel:%2B358%20%2850%29%204862963" value="+358504862963" target="_blank">+358 (50) 4862963</a></span></td>
                                        <td width="10"><br>
                                        </td>
                                        <td><br>
                                        </td>
                                      </tr>
                                    </tbody>
                                  </table>
                                </div>
                                <a href="https://www.facebook.com/exaget" target="_blank"><br>
                                </a><span><span><img height="32" width="32"></span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/exaget-ltd-" target="_blank"><span><span><img height="32" width="32"></span></span></a><a href="https://www.twitter.com/exaget" target="_blank"><span><span><img height="32" width="32"></span></span></a><a href="https://www.twitter.com/exaget" target="_blank"> </a><br>
                                  <br>
                                </span></span></td>
                          </tr>
                        </tbody>
                      </table>
                    </div>
                  </div>
                </div>
                <br>
                <div>
                  <blockquote>
                    <div>On 14 Sep 2015, at 13:43, Ian Hickling &lt;<a href="mailto:transplanfm@hotmail.com" target="_blank">transplanfm@hotmail.com</a>&gt;
                      wrote:</div>
                    <br>
                    <div>
                      <div dir="ltr">This is the crux<br>
                        Ofcom awards a Licence based on what you say you
                        can do in your Application.<br>
                        If Ofcom accepts that you have shown without
                        reasonable doubt that you can provide an
                        efficient transmission system and you have the
                        funds to achieve that and you fail - then it&#39;s
                        your responsibility.
                        <div>But - and it is a real but - how much
                          contribution does Ofcom make towards your
                          awareness of the hard facts?<br>
                          If it doesn&#39;t do that effectively and you fail
                          - whose responsibility is that?<br>
                          <br>
                          <div>
                            <div><b>Ian Hickling</b><br>
                            </div>
                            Partner<br>
                            <br>
                            <a href="http://www.transplanuk.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=""></a>
                            <div><i>Office: 01635 578435  (7am-11pm UK
                                time)</i></div>
                            <div><i>Carphone: 07530 980115 (only
                                responds when driving)</i></div>
                            <div><i>6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY,
                                RG20 6QS</i></div>
                          </div>
                          <br>
                          <br>
                          <div>
                            <hr>From:<span> </span><a href="mailto:richodr@blueyonder.co.uk" target="_blank">richodr@blueyonder.co.uk</a><br>
                            To:<span> </span><a href="mailto:cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk" target="_blank">cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk</a><br>
                            Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2015 12:46:33 +0100<br>
                            CC:<span> </span><a href="mailto:stevejones42@talktalk.net" target="_blank">stevejones42@talktalk.net</a><br>
                            Subject: Re: [cma-l] Confession<br>
                            <br>
                            <div>
                              <div><span>Hi Ian</span></div>
                              <p><span> </span></p>
                              <div><span>I think this is the first post
                                  to CMA Forum.</span></div>
                              <p><span> </span></p>
                              <div><span>YMCA Radio Barnsley was
                                  successful in July 2014 in gaining an
                                  AM licence.</span></div>
                              <p><span> </span></p>
                              <div><span>In July 2015 we had to hand
                                  back the licence.<span> </span></span></div>
                              <div><span><br>
                                  The cost for getting on air £100k!
                                  (mast/equipment/field rent/porta
                                  cabin/fencing/security/studio
                                  link/insurance/yearly mast inspection
                                  and power supply to a field). Never
                                  mind 5 years on costs!</span></div>
                              <p><span> </span></p>
                              <div><span>The lottery after checking our
                                  application for funds said that
                                  looking at other bids of a similar
                                  nature; we would not meet our
                                  outcomes!</span></div>
                              <p><span> </span></p>
                              <div><span>So we had to hand it back. We
                                  tried but it was unrealistic.</span></div>
                              <p><span> </span></p>
                              <div><span>Now then, “how’s small scale
                                  doing”   ?</span></div>
                              <p><span> </span></p>
                              <div><span>Dave Richardson</span></div>
                              <div><span>YMCA Radio Barnsley.</span></div>
                              <p><span> </span></p>
                              <div>
                                <div>
                                  <div><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span> </span><a href="mailto:cma-l-bounces@mailman.commedia.org.uk" target="_blank">cma-l-bounces@mailman.commedia.org.uk</a><span> </span>[<a href="mailto:cma-l-bounces@mailman.commedia.org.uk" target="_blank">mailto:cma-l-bounces@mailman.commedia.org.uk</a>]<span> </span><b>On
                                        Behalf Of<span> </span></b>Ian
                                      Hickling<br>
                                      <b>Sent:</b><span> </span>14
                                      September 2015 11:47<br>
                                      <b>To:</b><span> </span>cma-l<br>
                                      <b>Subject:</b><span> </span>[cma-l]
                                      Confession</span></div>
                                </div>
                              </div>
                              <p> </p>
                              <div>
                                <div><span>I&#39;ve just had to do something
                                    I really hate - admit failure.</span></div>
                                <div>
                                  <div><span>This morning I&#39;ve written
                                      to a sincere hard-working young
                                      man in Bradford to tell him that
                                      we can&#39;t offer him a feasible AM
                                      transmission system so he can
                                      comply with his hard-won Community
                                      Radio Licence.</span></div>
                                </div>
                                <div>
                                  <div><span>Not just us - but it&#39;s a
                                      joint decision including advice
                                      from another Ofcom transmission
                                      provision company and also from
                                      our AM specialist friends at the
                                      BBC.<br>
                                      I&#39;ve copied in several relevant
                                      people at Ofcom too so that are
                                      aware of the real difficulties
                                      that trying to put in an AM system
                                      where they say there is no FM can
                                      bring.<br>
                                      Two weeks ago I sent them what I
                                      believe is a fair and honest price
                                      comparison produced in good faith
                                      for a potential CR Applicant on
                                      the outskirts of London that
                                      showed AM costing over five times
                                      that of an equivalent-performance
                                      FM system.<br>
                                      This isn&#39;t some form of organised
                                      aggressive anti-AM campaign - I&#39;m
                                      just trying to get the fairest
                                      deal for our Clients and for
                                      Community Radio as a whole.</span></div>
                                  <div>
                                    <div>
                                      <div><b><span>Ian Hickling</span></b><span></span></div>
                                    </div>
                                    <div><span>Partner</span><span><br>
                                        <br>
                                        <a href="http://www.transplanuk.com/" target="_blank"><span><img></span></a></span></div>
                                    <div>
                                      <div><i><span>Office: 01635
                                            578435  (7am-11pm UK time)</span></i><span></span></div>
                                    </div>
                                    <div>
                                      <div><i><span>Carphone: 07530
                                            980115 (only responds when
                                            driving)</span></i><span></span></div>
                                    </div>
                                    <div>
                                      <div><i><span>6 Horn Street,
                                            Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS</span></i><span></span></div>
                                    </div>
                                  </div>
                                </div>
                              </div>
                            </div>
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    </font></span></blockquote><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
    <br>
    <br>
    <pre cols="72">-- 
Local Reports at <a href="http://www.ravensound.pilgrimsound.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.ravensound.pilgrimsound.co.uk</a></pre>
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