DRM AM in Recife (Brazil) Would Be Received in 4 Capitals, Covering 7 Million Inhabitants

Let’s situate ourselves regarding the cities I’m talking about and the importance of the region in question. Recife, in its role as a metropolis, has always exerted strong influence over other capitals in the Northeast, practically establishing dominance and creating a sub-region that encompasses Pernambuco, Paraíba, Alagoas, and Rio Grande do Norte. This dominance once had its peak economic effect, and its very existence is due to geographical proximity — it is the concentration of the four closest capitals to each other in all of Brazil. And this already tells us something about radio coverage. Let’s get into the details:

Straight-line distances

• Recife (PE) to João Pessoa (PB): 105 km

• Recife (PE) to Natal (RN): 250 km

• Recife (PE) to Maceió (AL): 195 km

Region	Capital Population	Metropolitan Area Population
Recife (PE)	1,488,920	3,954,323
João Pessoa (PB)	833,932	1,380,923
Maceió (AL)	957,916	1,347,703
Natal (RN)	751,300	1,607,422

Sound purer than FM

Imagine tuning into a car transmission without static, with more punch and clarity than FM, coming from a digital AM station in Recife. This is possible with the DRM digital broadcasting standard.

Memories of Clube AM Recife, heard in Tabatinga (RN)

As a child, I used to listen to Rádio Clube Recife, on 720 kHz, even in the afternoon. It was the era of the “Clube do Brega.” A caretaker at the beach house in Tabatinga (RN) tuned in every afternoon. With just a few fluorescent lights on, there was little electrical interference, and even so the station came in clearly, on a small radio, indoors. Physics was already showing that the signal could carry through the day, even in analog.

Less consumption, more coverage

In digital mode, an AM station consumes less energy to reach the same distance. This means regional or national broadcasters gain a leap in sound quality without losing range. On the contrary, they may even expand it.

Recife: a strategic capital

Recife is the Brazilian metropolis closest to other capitals: João Pessoa (about 120 km away in a straight line), Maceió (200 km), and Natal (270 km). With that, a digital AM station in Recife would cover three capitals within a radius of less than 300 km.

Adding in major inland hubs like Caruaru, Campina Grande, and Arapiraca, we get a vast market. A stable reception area, with clean, strong sound. Guaranteed audience.

From Natal to Recife on the same signal

With DRM, it is possible to maintain a continuous signal from the same station along much of the Natal–Recife route. There may be brief cuts, yes, but with 97% of the time delivering clear, static-free audio, the result would be a massive highway and household audience. Perfect for information, assistance, public service, and high-quality regional connection.

The nighttime leap of a digital AM in Recife

During the day, a digital station in Recife would already have excellent reach. At night, it could become nationwide. And this without relying on the internet. It is possible to listen to a digital station with quality in remote regions, highways, and isolated communities—just by tuning in, no connection, no app, no data plan required.

All News or Musical? Both!

Personally, I prefer stations that comment on the news, not just repeat it. I like the straightforward style of commentators like William Waack, who don’t sugarcoat to please political parties. Unfortunately, today’s journalism suffers from blind passions of every color. Some networks are contaminated by activism.

A true All News channel with this profile would be very welcome. But the more stations arrive, the better—and there should also be room for music stations with the same technical quality.

A Northeast that speaks to Brazil

Imagine a Recife-based broadcaster, with 25 kW or more, in DRM. A channel that thinks, analyzes, and debates outside the Rio–São Paulo axis. A Northeastern radio, with digital sound, heard throughout the country. With strong content, no copycats, its own voice.

The time is now

We are reopening the debate on what will be the digital standard for Brazilian radio. DRM covers AM, FM, and shortwave—it is the broadest standard. Broadcasters in the Northeast need to take a stand, or we risk seeing the country adopt an expensive, inefficient, and exclusionary model.

A question for the reader

What programming would you put on a digital AM station in Recife, received from Natal all the way to Maceió?My suggestion? That we create our own events in the Northeast: Recife, Fortaleza, Salvador, Natal, João Pessoa… And let the big groups come to us, convince us, show us feasibility. Enough of decisions taken in Southeastern offices, as happened 15 years ago, which excluded us from the digitization process.

Why simulate this DRM AM Recife station?

To show how we can bring radio into the future now, before we miss the technology train. The moment is competitive, yes. But there is room to innovate. We need to hold events, promote tests, show in practice how DRM works. And also leave room for DAB and HD Radio.

HD Radio deserves to be seen, but not followed

HD Radio should be present in demonstrations. But frankly, it is not viable: it is expensive, inefficient, proprietary, and has already failed in Brazilian trials. Its hybrid model stalls digitization. The message is clear: we must avoid the hybrid path.

Digital and analog should not share the same frequency. This harms the reception of both. A station must keep its analog signal on one frequency and its digital signal on another, apart. Only then can we avoid sabotaging, once again, the evolution of digital radio in Brazil.

My suggestion? 

That we create our own events in the Northeast: Recife, Fortaleza, Salvador, Natal, João Pessoa… And let the big groups come to us, convince us, show us feasibility. Enough of decisions taken in Southeastern offices, as happened 15 years ago, which excluded us from the digitization process.

Why simulate this DRM AM Recife station?

To show how we can bring radio into the future now, before we miss the technology train. The moment is competitive, yes. But there is room to innovate. We need to hold events, promote tests, and show in practice how DRM works. And also leave space for DAB and HD Radio.

HD Radio deserves to be seen, but not followed

HD Radio should be present in demonstrations. But frankly, it is not viable: it is expensive, inefficient, proprietary, and has already failed in Brazil. Its hybrid model locks digitalization.

The message is clear: we must avoid the hybrid path

Digital and analog should not share the same frequency. This harms the reception of both. The broadcaster must keep its analog signal on one frequency and its digital signal on another, separate. Only then can we avoid sabotaging, once again, the evolution of digital radio in Brazil.