Connecting a Radio Station

When a radio station needs a wireless connection, you have some extra options. The ISP-Wireless list discusses the details.

[June 30, 2000]

On the ISP-Wireless list in June, R asked about possible solutions for a radio station's broadcast needs:

"I have a radio station that needs to get its broadcast 30 miles to the broadcast tower. They cannot go with a T-1 line way because of the cost. Has anyone out there done this with wireless?"

A number of respondents suggested using existing technology to solve this dilemma:

[GD wrote] "Radio stations have licensed frequencies available in the 947-951 Mhz range. They should use those bands and the equipment there to make those kinds of links. Check the studio transmitter section at Broadcast Electronic's site. Marti Electronics also makes affordable studio transmitter links (STL) for radio station use."

[RB wrote] "Are we really looking for an ordinary STL to a remote transmitter from the studio or a wireless T1 data/voice link between the studio and transmitter? If they're looking for a wireless T1, they've got to choose between licensed frequencies and spread spectrum. If I were the radio station, I'd not want to chance my business' operation with unlicensed frequency. If they want to take a chance, Western Multiplex or P-Com would be the good choices for making the 30 mile trip. Check out these links: www.moseleysb.com, www.wmux.com, www.p-com.com and www.qei-broadcast.com."

Other respondents suggested a wireless solution:

[MS opined] "The radios don't care what you put over them. As long as the station can find a way to put the signal out to an ethernet connection it should work. This stuff is good enough for the cell phone companies to use for backbones out here."

[MC chimed in] "You should be able to set up a solid link using Western Multiplex gear and some real antennas."

[JS disagreed] "We have installed WM 5.8 GHz T1 links for this purpose. But you need professional studio quality stereo audio multiplexors, which the radio station we've worked with use to run their live phone feeds. Ethernet radios are not going to work for broadcast audio feeds. If they need data, however, then ethernet radios would be okay."

One respondent drew on his experience in broadcast engineering for his point of view;

[GD wrote] "Believe me, 25 years in broadcast engineering says use a traditional STL if you can, and consider the 2.4GHz unlicensed band only if you need to do something special with more channels or data. The problem is that usually you are sending the audio of the station (which in FM is two 16KHz feeds). There are companies which make Digital MUXes which will allow the use of 2.4GHz radios, but they are almost as high as a traditional STL, so it's a cost trade off."

Another respondent pointed out that there were some licensing matters to take into consideration in resolving the problem:

[DB wrote] "Depending on the license, there are several methods of transmitting ethernet. Most radio and TV stations that use some microwave use it in a PTP method to carry a broadcast signal from the studio to the tower for amplification, frequency conversion and broadcast. However, most of these licenses only grant them permission to use a small frequency range, ERP, and path."

 —End