<div dir="ltr"><h1 style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:16pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">South Africa considers Band I DRM+ broadcasting</h1><p style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">South Africa may be opening the door to DRM+ Broadcasting in low-band VHF 54-68 MHz <br style="box-sizing:border-box"><br style="box-sizing:border-box">Minister of Communications <strong style="box-sizing:border-box">Ms Nomvula Mokonyane</strong> is inviting comments on the Digital Sound Broadcasting (DSB) policy directive to be submitted by Friday, October 26.<br style="box-sizing:border-box"><br style="box-sizing:border-box">That directive says: <em style="box-sizing:border-box">&quot;In the Very High Frequency (VHF) bands I &amp; II, the standard Digital Radio Mondiale Plus (DRM +) is considered to be a candidate standard that can co-locate and co-exist with existing frequency modulation (FM) analogue technologies.&quot;</em><br style="box-sizing:border-box"><br style="box-sizing:border-box">While the Directive is correct about the possibility of using DRM+ in Band II (88-108 MHz) the reference to Band I is surprising.<br style="box-sizing:border-box"><br style="box-sizing:border-box">Frequencies below about 75 MHz are unsuitable for Sound Broadcasting due to the unpredictable propagation characteristics of this part of the spectrum. <br style="box-sizing:border-box"><br style="box-sizing:border-box">Electronic Communications Act: Policy direction on introduction of digital sound broadcasting in South Africa: Comments invited<br style="box-sizing:border-box"><a href="https://www.gov.za/documents/electronic-communications-act-policy-direction-introduction-digital-sound-broadcasting" target="_blank" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,51,102);text-decoration-line:none">https://www.gov.za/documents/electronic-communications-act-policy-direction-introduction-digital-sound-broadcasting</a><br style="box-sizing:border-box"><br style="box-sizing:border-box">PDF <a href="https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/41928_gon995.pdf" target="_blank" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,51,102);text-decoration-line:none">https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/41928_gon995.pdf</a><br style="box-sizing:border-box"><br style="box-sizing:border-box">Russia has also proposed to allow DRM+ in unsuitable 65.9-74.0 MHz spectrum <br style="box-sizing:border-box"><a href="http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2018/september/russia-proposes-to-use-drm-on-65-9-74-0-mhz.htm" target="_blank" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,51,102);text-decoration-line:none">http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2018/september/russia-proposes-to-use-drm-on-65-9-74-0-mhz.htm</a></p></div>