Low power FM/AM guy in need of advice

[tylerburns]

Hi guys, Glad to join these forums they look pretty in-depth. Well, some friends and I have decided that we wish to start a local radio station that will pertain to community, personal interest and debates of our own. So, we are planning to do either Low power FM or AM broadcast. Low powered enough that we wouldn’t have to deal with FCC Policy.
I have a couple vital questions if you all would be willing to help me:
1. Can other people broadcast our signal from another part of town so we can cover more area?
2. If we stay under the FCC’s threshold are we free from copyright laws as well? If not would it be something to worry about?
3. Would it be a good Idea to contact the FCC and maybe even have them come out and ensure everything’s at a legal level or not.
4. What would you say would be better to go with FM or AM?

 

[SML]

Aloha,
Well, if you are going to try a part 15 station, and remain compliant with FCC and other rules, you will have to carefully design and build your station.
On FM, you are pretty much limited to a 200 ft. range. Without a field strength meter, the 200 ft. measure is as close as you are going to get to measure compliance. There isn't going to be much of an audience, unless you live in a condo or apartment complex.
Part 15 AM has a better range, but does not have the potential audience because it is AM, subject to interference, and perceived lower audio quality, being limited by narrow band receivers these days. Many people under the age of 30 don't ever turn on an AM radio, or so it seems.
The music licensing folks will want their due, about $500 or more a year, if they even know you exist. If they find you, they will want you to pay for past years you missed out on paying them.
I sure would not call the FCC and have them come out to take a look. Besides the fact that they are busy with more important matters, they will likely find the station out of compliance one way or another, unless you built it with an FCC approved and certified transmitter, the correct antenna and so forth. And then they might just say turn it off, we don't like it.
There is going to be an LPFM filing window in the near future. That would be your best bet for actually getting a permit and being able to reach someone with a broadcast.

 

[greenboy]

Hi, Tyler welcome to the board! I would go AM because you are going to be able to go further on 1/10th of a watt than
you can do on FM. Since I am not "yet" an expert and I am trying to get my own PART 15 compliant AM station up and running,
I suggest you look for the community radio board on here and post your question there. That board deals specifically with the
questions you are asking, and the people are very helpful. Good luck with your station! I hope you go for it.

 

[Ai4i]

1. Can other people broadcast our signal from another part of town so we can cover more area?

Yes, install as many transmitters as you can afford, but use ones that are made for that purpose.
If you tune their frequencies very closely or synch them, the interference area between will be minimized. Try to locate your stations where you have large gatherings: stadiums, apartment buildings, shopping malls, downtown, etc. If your signal travels over salt water, the signal will go far and maybe reach a long strip of coastal property on the other side. I do not know how well fresh water works.

 

[walt79]

Hi guys, Glad to join these forums they look pretty in-depth. Well, some friends and I have decided that we wish to start a local radio station that will pertain to community, personal interest and debates of our own. So, we are planning to do either Low power FM or AM broadcast. Low powered enough that we wouldn’t have to deal with FCC Policy.
I have a couple vital questions if you all would be willing to help me:
1. Can other people broadcast our signal from another part of town so we can cover more area?
2. If we stay under the FCC’s threshold are we free from copyright laws as well? If not would it be something to worry about?
3. Would it be a good Idea to contact the FCC and maybe even have them come out and ensure everything’s at a legal level or not.
4. What would you say would be better to go with FM or AM?

All the suggestions by Don Mussell are the best ones here so far. If you're really serious about this, you actually need an FCC license. Without one, you're not going to reach hardly anyone but a few friends nearby that want to listen badly enough OR you'll be flagrantly violating the law, waiting to see how much trouble you'll get into.

Are you sure that you wouldn't rather just webcast instead? On the level you'll be at, it's a lot simpler and cheaper. If not, I can tell you that you'll get away with a low power AM much more easily than an unlicensed low power FM of any power, but that's because you won't be bothering anyone that's likely to complain to the FCC. Even a 1 watt unlicensed FM signal can easily generate serious FCC complaints. That's the quandary.

 

[klutch00]

Hi guys, Glad to join these forums they look pretty in-depth. Well, some friends and I have decided that we wish to start a local radio station that will pertain to community, personal interest and debates of our own. So, we are planning to do either Low power FM or AM broadcast. Low powered enough that we wouldn’t have to deal with FCC Policy.
I have a couple vital questions if you all would be willing to help me:
1. Can other people broadcast our signal from another part of town so we can cover more area?
2. If we stay under the FCC’s threshold are we free from copyright laws as well? If not would it be something to worry about?
3. Would it be a good Idea to contact the FCC and maybe even have them come out and ensure everything’s at a legal level or not.
4. What would you say would be better to go with FM or AM?

All the suggestions by Don Mussell are the best ones here so far. If you're really serious about this, you actually need an FCC license. Without one, you're not going to reach hardly anyone but a few friends nearby that want to listen badly enough OR you'll be flagrantly violating the law, waiting to see how much trouble you'll get into.

Are you sure that you wouldn't rather just webcast instead? On the level you'll be at, it's a lot simpler and cheaper. If not, I can tell you that you'll get away with a low power AM much more easily than an unlicensed low power FM of any power, but that's because you won't be bothering anyone that's likely to complain to the FCC. Even a 1 watt unlicensed FM signal can easily generate serious FCC complaints. That's the quandary.

I brought this up on the "College Radio" thread, but I thought it'd be appropriate to bring this up here as well. Call me someone who lives in the past and refuses to believe that AM radio is dead, but methinks that one way to revive AM radio (at least lower power) is to do educational and non-commercial broadcasting. Please check out the following thread:
http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,67579.0.html

 

[walt79]

I brought this up on the "College Radio" thread, but I thought it'd be appropriate to bring this up here as well. Call me someone who lives in the past and refuses to believe that AM radio is dead, but methinks that one way to revive AM radio (at least lower power) is to do educational and non-commercial broadcasting. Please check out the following thread:
http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,67579.0.html

Have you ever set up a low power AM signal? I know a lot of people who have and its unbelievably difficult. And even after you get it to work properly, it needs a lot of attention or it'll break down or seriously drift. You have to create a system using a coil to imitate the effect of a tall tower and then properly ground it, preferably in a location with the right soil characteristics (like near a body of water). There is a very good reason the pirates don't do low power AM stations, by and large. :-X

Low power FM, by comparison, is pretty much plug and play. For some reason, a lot of people assume AM works the same way and it most definitely does NOT.

I know of a number of low power part 15 AM stations run by college groups. The ones with active engineering help (which is probably billed hourly) can get them to sound decent and those that can't get such assistance usually walk away from it. That's just how it is.