Setting up a radio station

[ommy]

Hello everyone,
I was thinking to set up a community radio station (not online) and I felt like sharing it around with everyone on antionline. I needed a little guidance in terms of radio technology. Like what radio transmitters should i be using, what lenght is appropriate for the antenna, and how far can my signal travel considering the above factors. I need some guidance with setting up a radio station, as I am still confused that how a radio station works or how you can setup your own radio station. Any help in this regard would be appreciable.
Thank you
Ommy

[Tiger Shark]

I am at an utter loss trying to determine how on earth you can come to a forum dedicated to computer security and ask a question about how to set up a bleeding radio station!!!!!!

I am further at an utter loss as to why you chose "Newbie Security Questions" to ask about antennae length for an offline wireless.......

What are you......

1. Winding us up
2. having an utter brain fart
3. Looking for negs
4. Unaware of your surroundings

Please select all that apply.....

[Edit]

Wow... It moved while I was negging it.....

Scared me....

[/Edit]

[|3lack|ce]

Step 1 - contact the FCC and get copies of their regulations.

I think you can set up a 1000 watt transmitter with no license, but it's been years since I played int he broadcast arena so I don't know for sure.

Luck to you!

[Tiger Shark]

1000W without a license.... You sure it's that big?

I remember when we got the spanking new Clansman radios when I was in the military. The vehicle borne version had 4(?) power settings , (<1W, 1W, 5W and 50W.... I remember the 50W really well). We were warned that we should never use the 50W unless it was a dire emergency.... We did.... Obviously....

Scenario 1 was when you were on a search team, (structures/areas) in Northern Ireland. We would bump it up to 50W before the search started when we were about 300 yards from the search area, press the presell switch, (begin transmitting for the confused), and drive to 100m from the target. We had it on good authority, (the Royal Engineers who trained us), that this had a 90+% chance of tripping a radio controlled device. It worked for others in the field so we used it too.....

Scenario 2 was also in NI.... Convoy protection to the Belfast Docks to pick up the main party of our Squadron, (we were advanced party). Down in the depths of Belfast we lost communications so my buddy says let me try 50W..... The ok was given and he did.... It didn't work... That night back in camp we were watching the news and the second item was how an unknown military unit had blacked out the television coverage for Shankhill and northern Springfield on four occasions.... The only thing the TV's were receiving was "Hello zero this is two three charlie, radio check, over".... We were 23C, we were in the upper Shankhill area which abuts the Springfield Road at that point, at the time and we made 4 transmissions to our control station, (zero), at the time the blackouts occurred.....

That's why I question 1000W..... I could screw up half Detroit with that.....

[foxyloxley]

I am still confused that how a radio station works or how you can setup your own radio station

This is NOT the best way to begin a new career..........
I'd love to be a fly on the wall when that business plan was discussed with the bank manager.

I'd suggest you do at LEAST the basics on radio transmission protocols and implementation.
At least that way, when you blow someones TV due to the harmonics of your set up, you would know to run, rather than open the door

Luck on your venture, but did you even read ANYTHING on the front page of AO ?
We CAN transmit on the open airwaves, but the 'noise' wouldn't appeal to many, possibly those deluded few who believe that dance music really IS music.................... but no one else.

[edit]
When I worked in Spain [1980's] we used microwave TX for oil exploration vessels and rigs, we had 3500W at our disposal, and could cook the ass of a seagull at 1000m, also had to approach the aerial at a trot, and leap onto it [never touch aerial AND earth] good point was you could toss an egg into the beam, and it would hardboil almost instantly, some didn't even explode, and they stayed HOT for AGES

[jinxy]

(<1W, 1W, 5W and 50W.... I remember the 50W really well).

15w normal opperating power .....................UK VRC 353.

Do you remember the c42, many a happy hour spent listening to radio 1 with it or the C11/R21O, that thing would light up a flueresent tube...............................................Not much wrong with my long term memory, it's the short term thats shot to hell. .

[Tiger Shark]

That was it.... 353... I remembered the VRC but the number got me.... The PRC 351 was easy... I humped that thing many a mile in my life along with all my other kit....

15W.... I was close, I said 5W.... It's been 20 years....

And yes, I certainly remember the C42.... Cut my teeth on it.... That and the A41.... You remember that one don't you? The one that had a battery that weighed more than the whole 351 and a whip antennae that simply said "The signaller for this unit is right here.... Shoot him and they are screwed...."..... Oh yeah I remember jumping with that POS, with the spare battery, my kit, food, weapon and ammo my container weighed damn nearly as much as me..... Snapped that 'chute open really quick though.... which can have a detrimental effect on the "nether" regions if you don't have the harness properly adjusted down there.... If you know what I mean.....

And yeah, it was fun listening to the radio on that..... I probably should have been listening to the squadron net more than I did at night though.....

[jinxy]

That and the A41.... You remember that one don't you

I do indeed. Know any fast jet pilots who no morse

I never did get to jump. They had done away with our para section by the time I left JLR, RAC. Quite a few of our lads were free fall junkies though.......................Whilst i was in HK I got talked into doing a free fall course................But watched a jumper fall to his death, so I bottled out.

[|3lack|ce]

1000 watt is called 'teakettle' for a reason. It's such a low broadcast power in the 'accepted public radio frequencies' that it's very short range, covering an area the size of a small town, and not much else.

A bit of googling revealed this:

US Amateur Transmitter Power Limits

At all times, transmitter power must be the minimum necessary to carry out the desired communications. Unless otherwise noted, the maximum power output is 1500 watts PEP. All classes are limited to 200 watts PEP in the 80, 40, and 15 meter Novice/Technician Plus subbands. Geographical power restrictions apply to the 70 cm, 33 cm and 23 cm bands; see The FCC Rule Book for details.

www.arrl.org/field/regulations/allocate.html

Given the information there and here

http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/ama...atorclass.html

Technician

The privileges of a Technician Class operator license include operating stations while transmitting on channels in any of 17 frequency bands above 50 MHz with up to 1,500 watts of power. To pass the Technician Class examination, at least 26 questions from a 35 question written examination must be answered correctly. A Technician Class licensee who also has passed a 5 words-per-minute (wpm) telegraphy examination receives privileges in four long distance shortwave bands in the HF range (3-30 MHz) (Refer to Section 97.301).

(It looks like the FCC is now requiring at least a 'technician' level license for transmissions at that level. Unfortunately, I was unable to find anything regarding unlicensed transmission.)

I also found some very interesting reading at

http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/amateur/