Significance of Medium-Wave AM Radio Broadcasting for Enhanced Disaster Resilience in Japan: A Case Study in the Kanto Region and Fukui using Nonpowered HOOPRA

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that a battery-free, hoop-shaped MW AM radio receiver (HOOPRA) can effectively receive broadcasts within 80 km of transmitters, enhancing disaster resilience by providing emergency information access during natural calamities.

Contribution

The paper introduces and validates HOOPRA, a sustainable, battery-free MW radio receiver, highlighting its potential for widespread emergency communication in disaster-prone regions.

Findings

HOOPRA can receive broadcasts within 80 km of transmitters.

Approximately 38 million people in Kanto can access broadcasts using HOOPRA.

The receiver is effective within a 15 km radius of each MW station.

Abstract

On the occasion of centenary anniversary of the Great Kanto Earthquake and commencement of radio broadcasting in Japan, this study reiterates the paramount importance of medium-wave (MW) AM broadcasting in safeguarding public safety and security. Utilizing the electromagnetic principles of MW, the author has earlier developed hoop-shaped radio (HOOPRA), which is a battery-free sustainable radio receiver. This study aims to determine the maximum achievable reception distance with HOOPRA for broadcasts from public stations, such as Nihon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) JOFG (927 kHz, 5 kW) in Fukui, and NHK JOAK (594 kHz, 300 kW), and JOAB (693 kHz, 500 kW), in the Kanto region. The significance of the findings in this study is that approximately 38 million individuals in the Kanto region, residing within an 80 km radius of JOAK or JOAB, can access broadcasts using only the energy of radio waves with HOOPRA. Additionally, ~0.4 million people in Fukui, within a 15 km radius of JOFG, can potentially be recipients of the broadcast. Given that most transmitting stations operate at 5 kW nationwide, HOOPRA can be effectively utilized within a 15 km radius of each station. Moreover, these outcomes validate the efficacy of HOOPRA as a radio receiver and provide valuable insights into the global potential applicability of MW AM radios. Furthermore, the current investigation underscores the need to reevaluate the significance of terrestrial MW broadcasting as a vital source of emergency information, especially in the event of anticipated natural disasters, such as the predicted Nankai Trough Earthquake.