[cr-india] Cost estimates CRS

[sajan venniyoor]

I would like to be proved wrong, but I think the I&B Ministry's cost estimates for a community radio station - starting at a modest package of Rs.600,000 - are probably more realistic than Nomad's projections. MIB has not factored in the installation and consultancy fees (nor, for that matter, has Nomad) - that won't come cheap.

The equipment lists provided by the Ministry and by Nomad are different enough to make comparisons rather pointless. (If anything, Nomad's Basic configuration is closer to the ABU-UNESCO 'Radio-in-a-box', which costs USD 6000, or about Rs.265,000).

What interests me is Nomad's statement (www.nomadindia.net/aboutus.htm) that it assembles its own transmitters. The cheapest 30 watt transmitter I could find at the BES Expo 2007 cost 1100 Euros (about Rs.64,000), and that didn't include import duties, VAT and god knows what other tax the government slaps on broadcast equipment (adding 40% to the cost of the equipment, I'm told). 

Is Nomad licensed to assemble FM transmitters? There are some issues with that.

It would be bloody marvellous if we could set up a 'high end community radio station' for Rs.600,000, especially since the Ministry's high end seems to start at Rs.20,00,000. Nevertheless, the government's estimates may be closer to the mark, but as I said, I would love to be proved wrong.

Sajan
-----

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 Michelle Chawla wrote :
>Hello All,
>
>I am writing on behalf of the Nomad India Network. Some of you met my colleague, Hemant at the Delhi meeting early this February.
>
>We have been working on RF technolgies for the last few years and have been using it for different applications including simultaneous translations.
>
>Our website www.nomadindia.net consists of more details of our work and realistic cost estimates of setting up a CRS.
>
>Let us know if you have any queries,
>
>Regards,
>Michelle
>Hemant
>_______________________________________________
>cr-india mailing list
>cr-india at sarai.net
>https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
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