Press Release
Turgi, Switzerland, August 8, 2013. All India Radio (AIR), India’s National
Broadcaster and the premier Public Service Broadcaster of the subcontinent, has
ordered two 100 kW shortwave transmitters from Ampegon. The new systems will
replace existing analogue transmitters with four tubes by modern
analogue/digital transmitters having single tube and hence a much better overall
efficiency. The transmitters will operate with the new Ampegon control system to
optimize DRM performance, an important factor in the growing Indian DRM
market.
All India Radio has selected Ampegon as supplier because of the expertise
and the reliability of their transmitters well known since decades. AIR is
already using many different Ampegon AM/DRM radio transmitters which have been
delivered between 1983 and 2012.
The transmitters will be manufactured in Turgi, Switzerland. Factory tests
together with AIR engineers are planned for January and shipment for February
2014. Thereafter AIR will install the transmitters at a site near New Delhi.
Commissioning together with an Ampegon engineer will start in August 2014. The
new transmitters are expected to be on air in October 2014.
They will be partially used for DRM digital broadcasting and partially for
analogue transmission. Furthermore AIR has plans to upgrade 36 of the existing
AM mediumwave and 4 of the existing AM shortwave transmitters for DRM digital
broadcasting.
AIR originates programming in 23 languages and 146 dialects. AIR operates
244 FM transmitters for coverage of 29.4% surface area and 41.6% of the
population. AIR also operates mediumwave transmitters which cover 92% surface
area and 99% of the population. Further AIR operates 48 shortwave transmitters.
21 of them are 500 kW or 250 kW shortwave transmitters and are used for external
international services. 27 of them are 50 or 100 kW shortwave transmitters and
are used for local services and for coverage of neighboring countries.
(Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi)