# Broadcast Regulations

Part of the Radio Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/radio/guide/index.md)

*8. Option B: Radio Broadcasting*

> **8b1.** Discuss with your counselor FCC broadcast regulations. Include power levels, frequencies, and the regulations for low-power stations.

## Power Levels

The FCC assigns maximum power levels based on station class and location:

- **AM stations:** Range from 250 watts (Class D, daytime only) to 50,000 watts (Class A "clear channel" stations like WSB Atlanta or WGN Chicago). Many AM stations must reduce power or change antenna patterns at night to avoid interfering with distant stations.
- **FM stations:** Full-power commercial FM stations typically operate at 6,000–100,000 watts ERP (effective radiated power). Non-commercial educational stations may operate at lower power.
- **Low Power FM (LPFM):** 10–100 watts. Created by the FCC in 2000 to serve local communities — churches, schools, and community organizations.

## Frequencies

- **AM broadcast band:** 535 kHz – 1,705 kHz (MF band). Channels are spaced 10 kHz apart.
- **FM broadcast band:** 88.0 – 108.0 MHz (VHF band). Channels are spaced 200 kHz apart. The range 88.0–91.9 MHz is reserved for non-commercial educational stations.

## Low-Power Stations

**LPFM (Low Power FM)** stations are a special class created to give local voices access to the airwaves:

- Limited to **100 watts** (LP100) or **10 watts** (LP10)
- Must be **non-commercial** — no paid advertising
- Coverage area is typically a radius of about 3.5 miles
- Licensed to local non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and government entities
- Cannot be owned by entities that already hold other broadcast licenses

**Part 15 devices** are unlicensed transmitters allowed by FCC rules with extremely low power (a few hundred feet of range at most). These are sometimes used for localized broadcasting, like a holiday light display with a synchronized FM station.

> **Did You Know?**
>
> "Pirate radio" — operating an unlicensed broadcast station — is illegal and can result in fines of over $100,000 and seizure of equipment. The FCC actively hunts pirate stations using direction-finding equipment. LPFM was created partly to provide a legal alternative for communities that wanted local radio but couldn't afford a full-power license.

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