DRM Project Home
We take for granted our easy access to the Gospel. But for thousands of people without access to the Internet or print publications, exposure to Christian materials is limited to one medium: the radio. Transmitting evangelistic radio broadcast material from studios to widespread radio stations is difficult and expensive. Normal analog broadcast methods (AM/FM) cannot transmit high-quality content over the required ranges. The only alternative, a satellite data link, is incredibly expensive.
Together with HCJB, a Christian radio technology developer, the LeTourneau University Digital Radio Mondiale Senior Design team is developing a solution to the problem: a DRM Diversity Receiver for use in a long-range Studio to Transmitter Link (STL). Digital Radio Mondiale is an open digital radio standard for shortwave frequencies that allows for the transmission of near-FM quality sound over extremely long ranges. A DRM receiver will allow HCJB affiliates to transmit Christian content over long distances to local providers. No such receiver is commercially available at the time of this writing.
2009-2010 is the project's final year of development. The past two years have been spent successfully designing and creating a single-channel DRM receiver. This year, the team will endeavour to add diversity capabilities to the receiver to ensure a strong signal despite ionospheric interference.
