This guide has been produced in response to a perceived information gap for a sensibly pitched guide to digital radio for working engineers. It has been written as a practical, maths-free guide to unlock the mystery surrounding the Eureka 147 digital radio system and aims to help engineers advise their senior management on the way ahead, with confidence and authority.

In this booklet, we examine why we need digital radio and the technology including psychoacoustic audio coding, digital radio delivery, radio receivers and data services. The final section then examines the practical realisations of digital radio networks.

So, how am I qualified to write about the technology behind digital radio? I started out in radio studio maintenance and progressed to the BBC Research Department where I helped draft the Eureka 147 digital radio specification. Once the technical standard was agreed, I worked on the project to design and build the first high power digital radio network in the UK. This included the design of the transmission equipment and the management and delivery of 27 radio transmitter stations – an experience which spans eight years.

I hope this guide will demonstrate that ntl is ready to roll with digital radio and with our unique position as a broadcast and telecommunications provider, we are your one-stop-shop for digital radio in the UK. If you would like to discuss your digital radio plans, please do pick up the phone and talk to one of our team of experts and we’ll be happy to help.

Happy listening.

Simon Mason B Eng. (Hons)
Engineering Manager Broadcast Radio