If you are a General Manager of a radio station and you’re still pondering an HD Radio operation, Nautel has a product of interest for you that’s just been brought to market. The 2026 NAB Show served as its public debut.
Designed for FM broadcasters seeking to launch, expand, or modernize HD Radio services, the Software-Based Air Chain brings complementary technologies together into the customer’s GV2 transmitter to address longstanding challenges related to cost, space, and operational complexity, Nautel says.
There’s a subscription option, and it is one that “redefines” HD Radio economics for operators, Nautel adds. For those using the GV2, a $299 monthly fee includes the following:
- Omnia® for Nautel Audio Processing (FM + HD)
- FM+HD Blend Lock, ensuring precise time alignment and eliminating blend drift
- HD Importer and Exporter
- Exgine® HD Radio exciter functionality
- NautelCare support
“Together, these components form a complete, production-ready HD Radio air chain without the need for multiple external appliances, complex wiring, or dedicated rack space,” Nautel says.
Additional options enable infrastructure for visual radio and next-generation advertising, the Nova Scotia-based company adds, with services from Quu, which enables in-dash visual advertising, and such platforms as Xperi’s DTS AutoStage, specifically noted by Nautel.
Both companies were participants in Saturday’s Nautel Radio Technology Forum at the Westgate in Las Vegas, held concurrent to the 2026 NAB Show.
