Radio Station

[WINFM]

I am looking to start up a radio station and could use all the help I can get. Starting with finding a FM radio transmitter or perhaps a company who handlies them.

 

[n5ims]

I am looking to start up a radio station and could use all the help I can get. Starting with finding a FM radio transmitter or perhaps a company who handlies them.

First off, having built an FM broadcast station from the ground up I can say for certain that you don't start with the transmitter, you start with the license. Once you have the engineering study necessary for the license you will then have the requirements for both the transmitter and the antenna. If you start with the transmitter and/or antenna your engineering study will not be optimal and your options for location, height, frequency, etc. will be limited.

If you don't care about doing it the legal way you should talk to the 14 year old kid from Ottawa who ran "Mix-FM" about just how serious Industry Canada takes running an unlicensed FM broadcast station.

http://forums.radioreference.com/on...ion-91-9-industry-canada-orders-shutdown.html

 

[Deziel0495]

First off, having built an FM broadcast station from the ground up I can say for certain that you don't start with the transmitter, you start with the license

Correct. Not only do you need a broadcasting license, but a music license if you plan to play actual music without being sued up the *** for copyright. Most licenses can be completed and submitted online. Industry Canada is very strict on licenses for FM broadcasting. If you want to get up and broadcasting right away however and do not yet have licenses they encourage a online station or "podcast" until your licenses are approved. I run a very successful online station. Was going to start FM broadcasting but i'd much rather have a world-wide audience then just a local audience. Best of all, was able to do it with barely any cost to me. (other than licenses, equipment, internet, ect.)

Good luck!

 

[cacherjoe]

If I am not mistaken there you can have a very low power FM station without a license. That said it may be something that comes with the HAM license. I know a local Ham here has one that basically broadcasts in his mini-home park and doesn't broadcast any farther out. Again I could be completely wrong about this, but if you were to follow the suggestions above, you would find that out during the initial phases of the proper set up process.