about community radio on fm, license or no

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Xtreme Radio
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about community radio on fm, license or no

Post by Xtreme Radio »

Hey guys i knows its illegal to broadcast on fm but since nobody is on air on 87.9, 95.4, 101.6-101.9 are available i would liek to broadcast on these for our communty to enjoy. I have an online station but we want to go fm for our local community and surrounding towns. i would like a singal about 5 miles but i need a license i would not like to have to go throught the whole process and then they won't let me because im 15. I just want to have the community to have there own station with there music. If anybody can check and tell me when i can apply for a license i would appreicate it so much. Thanks and keep up the good work with this site.
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pcs
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Post by pcs »

You can start by telling everyone where you're from.
Best regards,
Marko - PCS Electronics
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Turn your PC into a FM radio station!
http://www.pcs-electronics.com
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Sir Nigel
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Post by Sir Nigel »

He's from the US.

Basically, in the US, the only way to broadcast (unless you are commercial or part of a high school) is to get a LPFM license. It's very difficult to apply for though. The FCC has filing windows that are open for a couple of months only in a few states at a time. If you miss that chance, it's might be years before you can try again.

About a year ago my family and I thought of applying for a LPFM license; turns out we missed the filling window my about a month. Partly because we only at that time found the page on the FCC's website stating when those windows open and close.

You also mentioned that because you are 15 you might not get the license. Can't you just have your parents apply for it? That's how old I was last year when we thought of applying, and I'm sure that's how we would have done it.

Or, you could just be a pirate. Usually, if your signal is clean, you don't play/say offensive speech and don't interfere with another station your chances of getting shut down are pretty rare.
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Xtreme Radio
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thanks for your help

Post by Xtreme Radio »

I guess you are right sir nigel. The thing is that my dad is an engineer for tv and radio since we use to have a full power am station and lptv that is now on cable. So therefore i guess i can't gor pirate. Second i'll have to apply for one, do you the know a website where it tells you when the filing windows are open? I would greatly appreciate it if you could tell me thanks.
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Post by Sir Nigel »

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/lpfm/

That provides some information. However, it's also a confusing long page. #-o
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Xtreme Radio
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Post by Xtreme Radio »

I know its goin to take forver for them to open a window so i might try going pirate if i can convince my dad. If he says yes, i think i might go on 87.9 or 87.7 the lowest frequency but i think it might interfere with ch 6 tv since there audio is on that frequency. i might just grab a stream from the net or put my own up on the net and fm and play hiphop,rap,rnb some talk here and there and some sports that will be good i think everybody would enjoy that. tell me what u guys think thanks.
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Post by musicradio1075 »

FCC Rules do not allow individuals to apply for LPFM licenses, so unless you have an official 'organization or association' you may as well forget about applying. Plus, their guidelines for a 'drop-in' frequency for LPFM are totally ridiculous. The spacing requirement makes for very few available frequencies. Even the ones they say are available in your area, if any, are not the best ones. I'm not sure how they make the determination. If you do go the pirate route, just make sure you have a good transmitter and antenna set-up....and be sure you DO NOT cause any interference....of any kind. Good luck!
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