DRM Can Make Shortwave Economically Attractive
- Ricardo Gurgel
- 20 de jul.
- 9 min de leitura
Atualizado: 25 de jul.
The Flexibility of DRM
DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) is a highly flexible digital broadcasting system. The option to reduce the quality of the transmitted audio may seem counterintuitive at first, but it is directly related to signal robustness: the fewer the data packets transmitted, the greater the chance that the receiver will decode the sound consistently, even in adverse conditions. In other words, there's a trade-off between quality and stability, especially useful in weak signal areas.
Energy Efficiency: Savings and Sustainability
DRM stands out not only for its transmission flexibility but also for its energy efficiency. Compared to analog systems, it allows similar coverage distances while consuming less electricity—whether in shortwave, medium wave, or VHF. This advantage reduces operational costs and can make radio broadcasting economically viable in remote regions.
Global Reach or National Quality?
Shortwave has always had international reach as its main attraction. With DRM, it is possible to choose between ultra-high-quality sound (ideal for national or regional audiences) or increased robustness for transcontinental distances with simpler audio. For commercial stations, it makes more sense to captivate a domestic audience with excellent audio than to attempt reaching distant listeners with low-fidelity sound.
The International Reach Paradox
Is it worth it for a Romanian station to try reaching listeners in Brazil with low-quality audio?
In practice, no. A Brazilian listener interested in a Romanian station would likely turn to online streaming, which generally offers much higher quality. The low bitrate used to ensure long-distance reception destroys the sonic appeal—and with it, the listener’s interest.
Call to realism 1: A station broadcasting at 8 kbps won’t engage, even if it reaches another continent.
Call to realism 2: In trying to reach distant countries with poor sound, the station sacrifices the experience of local or regional listeners—those most likely to engage.
A Realistic Alternative: Regional Focus with High-Quality Sound
Rather than sacrificing quality to reach other continents, a station could configure its DRM transmission to cover most of its country—or neighboring regions—with excellent audio. This would generate local and regional recognition, strengthen the brand, and could even attract global listeners via streaming.
New Competitive Opportunities with DRM
Nationwide coverage without repeater networks: Once impossible for FMs, now feasible with DRM shortwave.
Building a local audience with high-quality audio: A new paradigm for shortwave broadcasters, previously focused solely on reach.
FM-comparable sound experience: Now achievable over shortwave, significantly increasing engagement.
Elimination of noise and interference: One of analog shortwave’s biggest obstacles is resolved digitally.
The Economic Revival of Shortwave
With the arrival of DRM, shortwave can evolve from a tool for diplomacy and evangelism into a potentially commercially viable platform, thanks to:
Sound quality that rivals FM;
Reception stability even superior to FM;
A system that is flexible and scalable to different goals and markets.
Redefining the Role of Shortwave
Historically, shortwave has served geopolitical, religious, or emergency contexts. Today, with DRM, new scenarios emerge:
Educational and humanitarian missions: Low-bitrate broadcasts with robust coverage can reach remote parts of Africa, Asia, and Oceania with vital content—even non-commercially.
Smart regional diplomacy: Instead of aiming globally with poor audio, stations can prioritize high-quality broadcasts within a 1000 km radius, strengthening ties with neighboring countries.
Emergency and military coverage: DRM’s robustness at low bitrates is ideal for conflict or disaster situations, where even minimal reception is valuable.
Long-Distance Transmission with Quality: A Logical Requirement
If a broadcaster wants international relevance, it must invest in:
A powerful transmission system (high-power transmitters + efficient antennas);
Professional audio processing;
A bitrate high enough to deliver immersive sound.
Reducing quality to extend distance only dilutes the effort and compromises engagement. One does not build international relevance with 8 kbps mono audio.
And What About Brazil?
Until now, shortwave broadcasting in Brazil has served three main purposes:
Religious
Governmental/institutional
International projection
However, these operations:
Have little or no audience measurement;
Attract virtually no commercial advertisers;
Face high technical costs;
Operate under strict content and regulatory obligations.
DRM can change this reality.
With DRM, Brazil has a chance to reposition itself regionally in shortwave broadcasting with cultural, technical, and commercial relevance. To achieve this, it needs to:
Encourage AM and shortwave stations to adopt DRM with high audio quality;
Promote the development of modern, affordable receivers with excellent sound experience;
Create new business models based on content export, a format that can encompass various strands such as music, entertainment, all news/sports, and so on.
A New Frontier for Commercial Radio
1. National and Regional Coverage with Lean Infrastructure
Previously, only large FM networks could cover an entire country with dozens of repeaters. Now, a single DRM shortwave transmission can reach:
A radius of several hundred kilometers with clarity and purity;
Remote rural regions without additional infrastructure;
Neighboring countries, creating exportable audiences.
This opens up a new business model for local radios with national or regional aspirations.
2. Monetization Through New Market Niches
DRM allows broadcasters to reach previously inaccessible commercial niches, such as:
Agribusiness, with rural market bulletins;
Border tourism, with bilingual content;
Cultural exports, like Brazilian music to Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa or the Caribbean;
Sponsored educational content, in partnership with NGOs or governments;
B2B transmissions, like economic or nautical reports.
3. Integration with Digital and Streaming
DRM transmits audio + data + interactive services, including:
Slides with visual ads or info;
Text-based services (Journaline);
Emergency alerts and public campaigns.
This enables innovative advertising formats—such as visual-enhanced jingles, sponsored services, or product promotions with integrated codes.
4. Cheaper and More Scalable Operation
With DRM, a commercial broadcaster can:
Use less electrical power;
Run a simpler technical setup than a full FM network;
Eliminate interference and noise, increasing listener retention;
Avoid the high cost of FM licenses in major cities.
The result: a much lower cost per listener, with greater return potential.
5. Creating Brands with International Influence
If well operated, a DRM broadcaster can become a reference for:
Exportable cultural content (music, news, commentary);
Emergency coverage with international prestige;
Serving specific communities, such as immigrants or minority language speakers.
The model doesn’t have to be massive — it can be premium, niche, and still viable.
6. Hybrid Models with Accessible Receivers
With growing adoption of DRM receivers:
A shortwave station can be heard on phones, tablets, or Bluetooth speakers;
Sponsored bundles can emerge, with companies distributing receivers alongside curated content;
A station can operate as a community broadcaster with high technical quality, reaching more people with fewer resources.
A Paradigm Shift?
DRM completely redefines what’s possible in shortwave broadcasting. The outdated, expensive, and state-only model is out.In comes a lean, digital, commercial, scalable, and relevant radio, with:
Audio quality on par with FM;
National and international coverage;
Low operating costs;
Monetization potential through ads, partnerships, services, and brand value.
If Brazil wants to democratize regional commercial radio with quality and sustainability, shortwave DRM is a still underexplored but highly promising path.
The Big Picture
DRM radically transforms the role of shortwave in the modern world.For the first time, international reach and real audio quality can coexist, breaking the old logic that long distances require sacrificing the listener’s experience.
At the same time, energy efficiency and system flexibility allow broadcasters of all sizes to explore this spectrum economically—whether for commercial, educational, or public service purposes.
In a world where radio is still the only link for millions in remote areas, the combination of DRM and shortwave can restore global relevance to a medium long underestimated.
Now it's up to broadcasters, governments, and manufacturers to decide: Will they embrace this full potential to build presence, influence, and real utility—or continue wasting one of the most powerful bands ever assigned to radio?
See (and Hear) the Difference for Yourself
As a final note, I’d like to share a video that I’ve highlighted in previous articles, but which remains a powerful demonstration.
It features a reception made in Brazil of a shortwave transmission from a U.S. broadcaster, operating simultaneously in both conventional analog and digital DRM modes.
What you hear is striking.
The difference is clear: the leap in audio quality enabled by DRM completely transforms the listening experience. And this, despite being an ambient recording, received thousands of kilometers away from the transmitter.
I’m going to talk about four major cities in the Northeast of Brazil. Starting from Recife, the largest among them, with a 300 km radius, I can reach the other three: João Pessoa, Maceió, and Natal. Let’s simulate a well-designed DRM system for this scenario. |
If a "Recife DRM Shortwave" station existed
It would be possible to cover Natal (RN), João Pessoa (PB), and Maceió (AL) from Recife (PE) using a DRM shortwave channel, as long as certain technical conditions are met.
Recife (PE) – 2024 estimate: 1.5 million inhabitants
(Recife metropolitan region estimated at 3.7 million)
Maceió (AL) – 2024 estimate: approx. 994,464 inhabitants
(Maceió metro area estimated at 1.3 million)
João Pessoa (PB) – 2024 estimate: approx. 888,679 inhabitants
(João Pessoa metro area estimated at 1.3 million)
Natal (RN) – 2024 estimate: approx. 800,000 inhabitants
(Natal metro area estimated at 1.2 million)
Factors that favor this coverage:
Relatively short distances:
Recife → Natal ≈ 285 km
Recife → João Pessoa ≈ 120 km
Recife → Maceió ≈ 260 km
These distances are comfortably covered by shortwave, especially during the day on 9 MHz (31 meters) or at night on 7 MHz (41 meters).
DRM Technology:
DRM is significantly more energy-efficient than traditional analog, providing stereo sound and robustness against noise.
Daytime and nighttime conditions:
During the day, propagation on 9–13 MHz can reach these cities with stable and good audio quality.
At night, 7 MHz performs even better, with strong and stable long-distance signals.
Precautions and limitations:
Local interference (QRM) can affect reception in urban areas if receivers lack proper filtering.
Atmospheric conditions and the solar cycle may slightly influence stability, but the impact is minimal at these distances.
It's essential to use a balanced bitrate to ensure robustness and audio quality without sacrificing coverage.
A DRM shortwave transmitter based in Recife could reliably cover Natal, João Pessoa, and Maceió with excellent audio quality, especially if the system is well-designed in terms of frequency, power, and antenna. This kind of regional use of DRM shortwave can be a modern, cost-effective, and efficient solution to reach multiple northeastern capitals with a single station.
If a "Recife DRM AM" station existed
If it were a DRM channel on the AM band (medium wave) operating from Recife, coverage to Natal, João Pessoa, and Maceió would be more limited compared to shortwave—but still feasible, depending on some technical and strategic factors.
What favors the use of DRM on AM (medium wave):
High DRM efficiency on AM:
DRM is also highly efficient in the AM band.
Available and uncongested AM band:
In Brazil, the AM band is largely vacant, allowing for pure digital DRM transmissions with no interference from nearby analog stations—ideal for the system’s performance.
Lower operating costs:
AM transmitters are more affordable than shortwave, both in equipment and energy consumption—especially when using DRM.
Estimated coverage from Recife with DRM on AM:
During the day (groundwave):
João Pessoa (120 km) – very likely to receive good quality signal.
Maceió (260 km) – possible, but with signal attenuation.
Natal (285 km) – borderline for groundwave.
At night (skywave):
All three cities can be reached with stable and high-quality digital signal, as long as the frequency is appropriate for nighttime propagation and the antenna offers sufficient gain.
DRM on AM limitations:
Less daytime range compared to shortwave, as AM groundwave suffers greater attenuation over distance.
More susceptible to urban noise (QRM), especially in densely populated areas.
A DRM AM channel from Recife could cover João Pessoa well during the day, and reach Natal and Maceió especially at night, with stable stereo digital signal, this coverage is realistic.
However, shortwave still provides broader regional reach with lower power, making it the better option if the goal is to cover multiple northeastern capitals simultaneously at all times of day.
If the focus is on Recife’s metro area and cities within a 150 km radius, DRM on AM can be an extremely efficient and economical solution, taking advantage of the currently underutilized AM spectrum.
DRM completely redefines what's possible on shortwave.The outdated, expensive, government-centric model gives way to a lean, digital, commercial, scalable, and relevant radio, offering:
Audio quality comparable to FM
Regional, national and international coverage
Lower costs than an analog transmission
Monetization potential
The arrival of DRM radically transforms the role of shortwave in the modern world.
For the first time, it's possible to combine international reach with real audio quality, breaking the old logic where covering great distances meant sacrificing listener experience.
At the same time, the system’s energy efficiency and flexibility allow broadcasters of various sizes to explore this spectrum economically, whether for commercial, educational, or public interest purposes.
In a world where radio remains the only connection for millions in remote areas, the combination of DRM and shortwave can restore global relevance to a historically underestimated medium.
Grateful to the visitors from India!
डीआरएम शॉर्टवेव को आर्थिक रूप से आकर्षक बना सकता है
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