In these troubled times of Westwood One and Clear Channel, radio variety is at an all-time low (IMO, at least). What would be the scenario I’d face if I were to start a low-power station delivering a signal of, say, a 5 mile radius, broadcasting infrequently?
In the U.S., the maximum legal unlicenced power on the AM (mediumwave) and FM bands is 1/10 of a watt, which has about a two-block radius. If you use higher power, as soon as the Federal Communications Commission finds out about you, they will shut down your station, seize your equipment, and you would face criminal prosecution. (Although generally only repeat offenders get significant fines or jailtime). If you played music, even on a non-profit basis, you would also be technically liable for copyright infringement if you weren’t paying licence fees.
The FCC recently set up a very restricted low-power FM licence classification – for more information see Low Power FM Broadcast Radio Stations.
You might be interested in reading the book Rebels on the Air: An Alternative History of Radio in America by Jesse Walker. It gives an very interesting history of non-mainstream & public radio in the U.S.
It also gives a fantastic overview of the history & current state of low-powered radio in the U.S. He interviews many people who have owned and operated low-powered station, including both “pirate” radio & licensed radio stations. There are many people who have operated unlicensed radio stations for years, without ever being fined or shut down by the gov’t. It seems that the FCC only investigates a station if someone files a complaint. So, if you’re extra careful in not interferring with anyone else’s signal, you could operate comfortably for years.
Forgot to mention that there are a few resources on the web that can point you to sources for low-powered transmitters:
The Prometheus Radio Project: http://www.prometheusradio.org/
The Free Radio Network: http://www.frn.net/
And About’s Radio section: http://radio.about.com/