LPFM is the abbreviation for low power FM. LPFM refers to transmitters under 100 watts that can generally cover about a 5 mile radius.  Distance of transmission will also be affected the height of transmitter location.

Before an LPFM station is allowed there must be a survey done by a broadcast engineer (probably less than $1,000) to determine that there is availability for radio in this area.  Issuance of LPFM licenses has been in hiatus since @2000 when full power stations sued to stop LPFMs. The FCC and Congress have resolved issues from that suit. The House passed the Local Community Radio Act (LCRA) in December 2009 to reauthorize licensing of LPFMs. We are still awaiting action by the Senate.

The following is speculation on my part: the LCRA is a popular measure and if it makes it to the Senate calendar, expect it to pass and be signed by Obama.  Expect that there may be action on this after the election in November, but it may come sooner.  Senator Leahy was quoted as saying that action will take place “Soon.”

Possible timetable

Once the Senate passes the LCRA, and the president signs the bill, the FCC will open a window for application.  Based on previous application windows we can again speculate on what a new LPFM window may look like.

The FCC will issue a statement via their website that the window for application will (for the sake of argument) be from October 1 to October 31. They will also list requirements for community groups that wish to apply. More on that later.

So, if they place a notice on their website on Jan. 2, a group will have from Jan. 2 until midnight (local time?) on Oct. 31 to meet requirements, get engineering studies and to fill out and submit applications.  Accuracy is extremely important on these applications. The FCC has been known to throw applications out that do not follow prescriptions for filling out the paperwork. By the way, applications are done online now.

Applicant Requirements

Requirements for groups to be eligible to apply will be set at the time the notice is posted on the website. I have not been able to find a copy of requirements from the full power window a couple of years back, but I can remember the most important pieces:

1)The applying group must be a non-profit group existing within the community where they are applying for the license.

2) The groups must have been in existence for 2 years. It cannot be put together for the purpose of applying for a license.

3) Member of the board of directors must reside within a certain area of the stations given address. I believe the area was 25 miles.

4) The group must show financial viability. That is, that they can start the station up within 3 or 5 years and keep it on the air for some period of years. Licenses are limited and they want them to go to groups that will use them. In the past there have been groups that have hoarded licenses just to keep other groups from getting on the air.

That is the best I can remember. No doubt there will be some differences between the full power requirements and those for LPFM. I expect the requirements for the applying group to be very close to what I have written.

Costs

For an LPFM costs can vary widely. There is used equipment available that can get the job done to start out.   Here are some of the things that we will need to budget for:

 Let me first refer you to the Prometheus Radio Project website for some excellent ideas:

 Some ideas that have worked in other areas include memberships, grants, fund raising parties, sponsor ‘underwriting’ etc.   Once we decide to go ahead, fundraising could start and money could be put into escrow.

An alternative or practice radio: Internet radio

Internet radio can be put together over night. It is as simple as signing up to a webhost, getting some equipment and having bandwidth large enough to handle traffic. Instructions are easily found online. But of course the customer must have a computer to receive the signal. A computer is not portable either.

The reason I mention internet is that this would be a relatively cheap way to test some programming ideas and gain experience.

Summary

1-Timeline – Many expect congress to act on the LCRA yet this year. If they do, we can hope the FCC acts with speed. There could be a window open in around a year or possibly two.

2-Requirements – As listed above the big thing will be (based on previous history) a LOCAL, NON-PROFIT group that has been in existence for 2 years.  Also, commitment to the project.

3-Why Apply?

Most of us are here because we have a familiarity with radio and feel that a station would be a great addition to our community.  Radio is a very personal medium that can be a glue for a community.
    
It would be a good idea to discuss some basic goals that you would like a radio station in your community to achieve. Then based on that discussion you can decide whether you wish to go ahead with pursuing a license.

Most discussions usually end up with discussion of programming.  Do not discourage that. That is the fun of a station. But such a discussion can go on forever. Before we get there we have some serious work to do.

Let me strongly encourage you all to spend some time and read the website prometheusradio.org.    One last thing, there is a LPFM true community radio in Fairfield, Iowa, KRUU-FM.  Visit their website at kruufm.com and see what another town has done.

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