Equipments form a major start up expense for building a radio station. I have seen people spending anywhere starting for USD 20,000 extending to millions of dollars for equipments to setup a radio station.
While a new startup need not spend millions, it will have to purchase certain basic minimum equipments to start broadcasting.
Listed below is a list of basic minimum equipments require to build a radio station along with a brief description of respective functions performed by each of them.
1. Transmission Equipments
a) Transmitter - Encodes the broadcast message as sine waves scr888 and transmits it across the region. The broadcast area would depend upon the power of the transmitter.
b) Receiver - Compliments the transmitter. While transmitter encodes as sine waves, a receiver decodes these sine waves received from transmitters.
c) Antenna - Medium for unhindered transmission as well as reception. To ensure no hindrance, the antennae is generally placed at high altitudes.
d) Transmission lines - Equipments used to transfer broadcast signals between two places.
e) Audio Processor - Used to fine tune the quality of audio that is to be transmitted.
f) Connectors - For connecting two or more equipments.
g) Interface panel - Interface panel is used to input feeds for onward transmission.
h) Remote control - This is used along with the the interface panel to be able to input broadcast data from long distances.
i) Cable - For connecting equipments located at a distance from each other.
2. Production & Studio equipments
a) Microphone - Used to convert the sound waves into electrical signals for onward transmission.
b) Boom arms - for holding and moving the microphone across.
c) CD players/Cassette Players/Computers or other music playing instruments.
d) Mixer -Used by the anchor or the radio jockey to manage songs play list and time various broadcasts.
e) Amplifiers - To convert Low audio signals to high audio signals for onward transmission.
f) Monitor Speakers with Mounts - Two different sets to monitor what exactly is being broadcast and what is on queque for broadcast. Mounts are used to hold these speakers.
g) Computer automation software - They have slowly replaced a lot of the functions earlier performed by heavy equipments.
3) Other equipments
a) Rack Mount - Cabinets to mount these transmission and studio equipments.
b) Power supply and Protection equipments
c) Uninterrupted Power supply equipments
Conclusion - This is just an indicative list of equipments required to set up a radio station. More functions keep getting added as a radio station develops.
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