the community radio toolkit

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help?

I’m currently working in Umeå, Sweden on a number of sound art projects. One of which is radio-based and is intended to be transmitted over FM for a full weekend (hopefully more than one) during the period when Umeå is European City of Culture in 2014.

I’ve worked in and around the content/production end of radio for a few years but have no experience whatsoever when it comes to hardware/engineering end of things. It only needs to transmit over a range of 3 or 4 km. Could anybody point me in some direction where I can find out:

1. what basic hardware I’d need to broadcast with
2. the possible cost implications of this (just a rough estimate)
3. recommended place to get this equipment from (UK)
4. any literature (online or in book-form) that I could use as a kind of ‘do-all bible’ to help in setting this up?

It would be preferable if it could be portable(ish) as it will hopefully be used in other areas in the future (toured if you like). Many questions I know but any help is very much appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Martin

6 Comments | In: News, Q&A | tags: broadcasting hardware, portable broadcasting, q&a, soound art, Umeå. | #

Dear Q&A

We run a small but well supported station in the South of England. Thanks to some imaginative and diverse programming we are pleased not to be short of volunteers but there’s a problem. We only have funds for me (station manager) and a very part time finance officer who also deals with grants. This means there’s no one to answer the non studio phone, answer letters, look after the running of the office etc apart from me and I’m doing everthing else aside from a little volunteer training.

I feel like I’m being pulled in several directions and know we really need some volunteers to help with back office duties.  We’re very good at attracting people who want to produce a show, be a DJ or write some news but no one comes forward to help with adminstration. I am skilled enough to train someone and know at the moment these are valuable new skills for a volunteer to have…but how canI attract a suitible volunteer or two? Is there anything else I should consider?

Thanks

A very tired manager

3 Comments | In: Q&A | tags: administrator, adminstration, back office, training, volunteering, volunteers. | #

Dear Q&A

We’ve been troubled by some questions recently; perhaps other members can share their thoughts.

• When we do not know how many people listen to a station, how can we say it is serving the community?
• The danger is shortage of volunteers leaving a few people to be the stars of the show. How right is this?
• In these days of credit crunch etc and shortage of money for community projects,  should money be wasted?

Thanks in advance

M.O.

6 Comments | In: Q&A | tags: community projects, credit crunch, justification, listener statistics, volunteers. | #

Dear Q&A

No matter how hard we try we just can’t get funding. We’ve applied to so many funds and send a first stage appplication in yet no one replies. We’re trying all the media and community type trusts. We’re not sure what we want to fund yet, just that we need some more permanent staff. Help

Yours

Confused.

8 Comments | In: Q&A | tags: agony aunt, Funding. | #