Those who have an interest in operating a low power FM or LPFM radio station, either on behalf of a company, institution, or for personal use, are often intimidated by the prospect of assembling all of the necessary equipment and sending sound through the airwaves. While the process of getting a low power FM or LPFM radio station up and running may seem daunting, with just a few pieces of essential broadcast equipment, you can produce a high quality program that listeners will enjoy.
The key component of every broadcast is the FM transmitter, which is responsible for sending the signal through the airwaves. Naturally, this piece of equipment is a must, but it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. If you’re running an LPFM radio station in a building that already has an antenna mast or tower, you can connect to it by just purchasing or leasing space on the existing tower. After you’ve purchased or connected to a transmitter, you’ll need an antenna. The antenna sends the signal into the airwaves. These pieces of equipment make up the essential items that are required to physically receive and send sound signals.
After you’ve assembled your essential equipment, you can take more liberties when choosing pieces like microphones, mixers, equalizers, and monitor speakers. This type of equipment ranges widely in price, so if you’re just starting out, you can purchase cheaper items and then upgrade once you’re familiar with the broadcast process and want to refine the sound you produce. When it comes to broadcasting equipment, price often dictates quality, so a more expensive microphone (provided it’s the right kind for what you’re using it for) will make your voice come through clearer than an inexpensive entry-level microphone.
Setting up a low power FM radio or LPFM radio station can seem like a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun. Once you get the basics down, you can start to play around with equipment options and find the items that are best tailored to your productions. At Progressive Concepts, we have everything you need to begin broadcasting on your own LPFM low power FM radio station at prices that won’t break the bank. No matter what type of broadcast equipment you need, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today to learn more!