July, 2006

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VT COMMUNICATIONS LAUNCHES PIONEERING DRM 26MHZ SERVICE
VT Communications continues to push the boundaries of digital radio broadcasting by launching its dual- channel Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)transmission service from Crystal Palace in South East London into Greater London. Partnering with Deutsche Welle and UBC Classic Gold VT Communications can now provide two discrete broadcast services over a single 20KHz transmission band centred at 25.7 MHz. This is the first time the double channel mode of DRM has been used for extensive field trials and further enhances VT Communications digital offering. The 26 MHz band is designated as an international broadcast band, but is under used and could also be used to provide local "FM" type coverage. Demand for both FM (88-108 MHz) and DAB (band III) spectrum in the UK is very high, and DRM could offer broadcasters access to additional spectrum in addition revitalising existing MF and LF frequencies with enhanced audio quality. The ability of the 26 MHz band to provide local and digital radio coverage adds to VT Communications existing regional and international DRM capability. In 1999 VT Communications started regular "ITU compliant" DRM tests from the Rampisham transmitter site in Dorset UK, to Europe. In 2003 a new high power MF transmitter was added to the portfolio, which now transmits the BBC World Service in digital quality to the Benelux countries. VT ommunications are also investing in a new broadcast centre designed to distribute audio in a totally digital format from studio to listener, including \distribution of DRM. This will eliminate audio degradation caused by repeated conversion between analogue and digital, a surprisingly common problem with digital transmissions.

Radio St Helena back on the air
Radio St Helena is planning to reintroduce short wave transmissions following a long break of almost a decade. The famous station used to transmit on short wave one day per year during the 1990s using a borrowed shortwave transmitter, but it was deprived of use of the transmitter in late 1999 and its shortwave transmissions came to an end. Now the station's management has launched a fund-raising campaign with the aim of acquiring a new shortwave transmitter and putting the station back on short wave. The radio station is also hoping to raise enough funds to set up an amateur radio club station on the island and promote amateur radio in local schools. This is all good news for short wave listeners and radio amateurs. St Helena , the island from which the station operates, is a much wanted entity for both short wave listeners and radio amateurs. The South Atlantic island is among the most isolated in the world. The nearest major land mass is Africa, 1,000 miles away.

Handihams volunteer Rex Kiser, W0GLU, SK
Rex Kiser, W0GLU, of Edina, Minnesota, died April 1. He was 82. A World War II veteran paralyzed as the result of a combat-related injury in 1944, Kiser became a Courage Handihams volunteer in 1972. Unwilling to let his injury keep him from enjoying life and helping others, he contributed nearly 14,000 hours of his time over more than 30 years in the Handihams workshop repairing and adapting radios and related equipment for people with disabilities. An ARRL member, Kiser also served as net control station on the Wednesday PICONET and was active in the Disabled American Veterans and the Minneapolis Radio Club. Survivors include his wife Miriam and two daughters. A memorial service was held April 6.

Montenegro poised to become newest DXCC entity
The Republic of Montenegro, which declared its independence June 3, has applied for United Nations membership, according to The Daily DX. The move paves the way for the tiny Balkan nation to join the DXCC list. "Once Montenegro is accepted into the UN or obtains a call sign prefix block, DXers will have a new DXCC entity," says ARRL Membership Services Manager Wayne Mills, N7NG. The division of Serbia and Montenegro eliminates what remained of Yugoslavia. Serbia's parliament this week declared Serbia a sovereign nation as heir to the former Serbia-Montenegro union. Assuming that Serbia continues to hold its current seat in the UN, it will stay on the DXCC list as a pre-existing and continuing DXCC entity, Mills explained. A decision on whether to admit Montenegro into the UN must go before the UN Security Council and then the general body of member nations. A UN spokesperson could not say how long the process might take, The Daily DX said.

July, 2006

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