Project:EMFM: Difference between revisions

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=== FM Transmission ===
=== FM Transmission ===
A transmitter usually helps
A transmitter usually helps.
 
If we can't source a FM transmitter, we can probably hire all the kit required from [Transmitters R Us|http://www.transmittersrus.com/tru/fm-rsl-hire-package/189/product] for £595 + VAT for 2 weeks (or £494 for just 1 week). 
 
The kit comes with:
* BW Broadcast 50W FM Transmitter
* BW Broadcast FM Processor (which having used them are pretty decent sounding once you've set them up)
* BW Broadcast RDS encoder (As it happens 'EMF CAMP' is exactly 8 digits, which is the limit for RDS programme ID)
* Matched folded dipole and 25M feeder cable. 
 
Pretty good little setup and does everything we need and reasonably good value too - good alternative should we be unable to have anything donated. 


=== Online Streaming ===
=== Online Streaming ===
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== Studio ==
== Studio ==
=== Mixing ===
=== Mixing ===
=== Microphones ===
=== Microphones ===
Condensers ideally.  Also need stands.
=== Outboard ===
=== Outboard ===
Gate/Compressors would be good for the mics, plus a limiter on the output of the mixer. 
=== Playout ===
=== Playout ===
Some potential solutions for free PC based playout, Windows or Linux based.
* [http://www.rivendellaudio.org/ Rivendell]
* [https://www.radio.warwick.ac.uk/tech/Digiplay Digiplay] from Radio Warwick
* Jazzler
* ZaraStudio
Not free but cheap
* [http://www.radio-automation.co.uk/ DARP] - clone of P Squared Myriad
* mAirlist


== Outside Broadcasts ==
== Outside Broadcasts ==

Revision as of 00:45, 4 March 2012

Wouldn't it be awesome if EMF camp had a event radio station? Yes, yes it would be incredibly awesome. So lets make one

Aims and Objectives

EMFM would serve to provide information about EMF Camp, including upcoming events, talks and workshops, news about recent happenings at the camp, as well as local and national news that is of interest to the people attending the camp and the local community.

We would also aim to provide content of interest to the attendees of the camp, including live and pre-recorded discussions about current issues around technology, security, privacy and digital rights and freedoms. We may also want to provide educational content to broaden the horizons of the listeners.

EMFM would aim to be as transparent as possible, letting anyone who's interested in radio and broadcasting see how the radio station works, and letting them get involved in running it during the camp. Editorial control will be required to some extent to ensure we don't breach our license(s), but will not be hidden from those wishing to contribute content.

Content

What do we want to broadcast?

  • Recorded talks
  • Live talks?
  • Interviews
  • Discussion & talk shows
  • Music (from real live musicians and/or DJs?)

Licensing

Item Qty Cost Total
Ofcom S-RSL Application Fee 1 £400.00 £400.00
Ofcom typical S-RSL Daily Rate 3 £70.00 £210.00
PPL Short Term Radio Daily Rate 3 £35.00 £105.00
PRS/MCPS 3-day Discount Rate 1 £222.74 £222.74

If we only play royalty free/creative commons music, we wouldn't need to pay for PRS/PPL/MCPS licenses, potentially saving us a bit of money. But would we want to limit ourselves like this?

Financing

We need to make money (as well as prove to Ofcom that we can pay the bills).

Merchandise

  • FM Radios
  • FM Radio kits?
  • Clothing

Advertising

Do we want to sell out?

Donations

Can we either reduce costs by having kit donated or have donations to pay for equipment?

Implementation

Accommodation

Where are we going to go?

Physical Space

Power Supply

Networking & Comms

Network connection, telephone lines

Acoustics?

Transmission

Processing

Software or hardware?

FM Transmission

A transmitter usually helps.

If we can't source a FM transmitter, we can probably hire all the kit required from [Transmitters R Us|http://www.transmittersrus.com/tru/fm-rsl-hire-package/189/product] for £595 + VAT for 2 weeks (or £494 for just 1 week).

The kit comes with:

  • BW Broadcast 50W FM Transmitter
  • BW Broadcast FM Processor (which having used them are pretty decent sounding once you've set them up)
  • BW Broadcast RDS encoder (As it happens 'EMF CAMP' is exactly 8 digits, which is the limit for RDS programme ID)
  • Matched folded dipole and 25M feeder cable.

Pretty good little setup and does everything we need and reasonably good value too - good alternative should we be unable to have anything donated.

Online Streaming

We need a PC and a sound card (preferably a good one), as well as a server on a reletively fat pipe to serve the stream (both internal and external)

DAB?

You can get event slots on some DAB muxes, we'd need to hire space at the mux and get some sort of codec, and some sort of transmission method (IP or ISDN, maybe microwave link)

Really expensive, and not so easy to sell radios at the site to pick it up.

Studio

Mixing

Microphones

Condensers ideally. Also need stands.

Outboard

Gate/Compressors would be good for the mics, plus a limiter on the output of the mixer.

Playout

Some potential solutions for free PC based playout, Windows or Linux based.

Not free but cheap

  • DARP - clone of P Squared Myriad
  • mAirlist


Outside Broadcasts

We might want to broadcast live from outside of the studio (and gain audience participation)

  • UHF mic/belt pack tx + IEM? (depends on range required)
  • Broadcast RF Tx/Rx?