How Far Can You Transmit Am Legally?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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On the AM broadcast band, these devices are limited to an effective service range of

approximately 200 feet (61 meters)

. See 47 CFR Sections 15.207, 15.209, 15.219, and 15.221. These devices must accept any interference caused by any other operation, which may further limit the effective service range.

How Far Can AM transmit?

Useful daytime AM service is generally limited to a radius of

no more than about 100 miles (162 km)

, even for the most powerful stations. However, during nighttime hours the AM signals can travel over hundreds of miles by reflection from the ionosphere, a phenomenon called “skywave” propagation.

How far will a 100 watt FM transmitter reach?

For a broadcast of 6 watts, the transmission range will be 3 miles. At 15 watts, the range increases to 5 miles, at 40 watts to 10 miles and at 100 watts to

15 miles

.

How can I legally broadcast radio?

The operation of an unlicensed station, sometimes called ‘pirate radio,'

is illegal

. Illegal broadcasters use equipment which may cause interference and have the potential to disrupt the communications of critical services like air traffic control.

Can anyone broadcast AM radio?

So, as you may or may not know,

broadcasting a radio signal on AM and FM bands over a distance of 200 feet is illegal

. But there are cities in the US, like Miami and New York City, where unlicensed radio stations are broadcasting to large neighborhoods or even entire sections of a city in an underground community.

How far will 25 watts transmit?

For example, a 25-watt marine radio will roughly have a maximum range of

60 nautical miles (111 km)

between antennas mounted on tall ships, but that same radio will only have a range of 5 nautical miles (9 km) between antennas mounted on small boats at sea level.

How far can a 50000 watt FM radio station reach?

The most powerful 50,000 watt AM radio stations can be heard

within a hundred miles or

further in the daytime.

What is the most powerful radio station?


XERF

is the most powerful commercial radio station in North America and the third most powerful in the world. With its mammoth transmitter across the Rio Grande in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, XERF can increase its signal up to five times the 50,000-watt limit allowed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

Do radio stations need permission to play songs?

As a noncommercial broadcast radio station (that might also stream over the Internet),

you cannot simply play any music you want legally; you need permission

. Fortunately, you don't have to go around cutting checks to every band whose music you use. Rather, you can pay to license music in bulk.

How much does it cost to run a radio station?

Many stations get on the air for

under $15,000

and can stay on the air for less than $1,000 per month. The main start-up expenses for a radio station are engineering fees, studio equipment for producing radio shows, and transmitting equipment for sending your signals out to the world.

Is AM radio dying?

Traditional AM/FM radio is still around, but with

a dwindling audience

. The graph below, from online statistic site Statista, shows the average daily media use in the US over the past four years. Radio usage, represented by the green trend line, has been steadily declining.

Why is AM radio so bad?

AM stands for Amplitude Modulation and

has poorer sound quality compared with FM

, but it is cheaper to transmit and can be sent over long distances — especially at night. The lower frequencies of the band we use for AM signals creates a wavelength that is extremely large.

What's the purpose of AM radio?

AM broadcasting is radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation (AM) transmissions. It was the first

method developed for making audio radio transmissions

, and is still used worldwide, primarily for medium wave (also known as “AM band”) transmissions, but also on the longwave and shortwave radio bands.

How far will 5 watts transmit?

The 5 watt radio can reach up to

12 miles or more

. Some handheld radios have 6 watts which can reach up to 20 miles in the right conditions.

How far can a BaoFeng transmit?

To make contacts hundreds of miles away, you need a high-powered, high frequency (HF) radio and a General license. A BaoFeng handi-talkie using VHF maxes out at

about 30 miles

under ideal conditions and with a few tricks and tweaks.

What walkie talkie has the longest range?

1.

Motorola T470 2-Way Radios

. The T470 is a powerful option from Motorola; it boasts an up to a 35-mile range, and it has 22 channels and 121 privacy codes to more easily stay in touch with your party. The channels include FRS and GMRS.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.