PUNK D.I.Y (Make an A.M radio station)

Step1
File an application for an AM radio station license with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Pay the necessary filing fees. The station must have a license in order to operate even if the radio station will operate at low power.

Step2
Prepare a budget for the AM radio station. Factor in costs for physical items, including the building and equipment. Then add in costs for personnel, royalties and music licensing.

Step3
Determine the area that broadcasts will cover on your AM radio station. The type of transmitter you buy will affect how far your broadcast will travel.

Step4
Decide whether to build your own radio tower. Because this is expensive, some stations opt to rent space on an existing tower. If you build your own tower, determine the directional pattern of the antenna. Such antennas concentrate radio signals toward a specific geographic location. This prevents interference and allows you to broadcast toward a larger population.

Step5
Purchase equipment for the radio station. To operate an AM radio station, you need a transmitter, decoder, receivers, cable, phone lines, computers, software and microphones.


# You can only file an application for a radio station license during a filing window period announced by the FCC.