Whether you are a broadcasting veteran or NEW to Part 15 Radio, Welcome!

Here you will find a warm community to help get you going and answer your questions. Our name ‘part15.org’ is derived from the particular section of regulations that govern low power, license free broadcasting in the United States.  But we are not limited to this, since license free broadcasting is permitted in many other countries, and our membership and topics cover areas across the globe including Canada, New Zealand and several others.

We welcome you to join and bring your perspective from your corner of the world! You are encouraged to ask questions and share your knowledge on our forum.

What is Low Power, Legal, License Free Radio all about?

Around the world, broadcasting is tightly controlled by government regulations designed, among other things, to ration a limited quantity of available frequencies. In addition, broadcasting is a communications medium with incredible reach potential and governments maintain authority over broadcast media.

To become a broadcaster, one must meet all the regulations and in so doing, they get a ‘license’ to broadcast. In many jurisdictions however, broadcast regulations include a category for broadcasting that does not require a license.

This license free category is typified by restrictions which determine broadcast range – in essence, you can run a radio station without a license if you can’t transmit very far and if your transmission doesn’t impact ‘other’ broadcasters in your area. There are still regulations that you must meet to broadcast in the ‘license free’ category, but they are different and more limited in range due to technical restrictions than a licensed broadcaster and, in some cases, come with restrictions on the type of equipment you can use to broadcast. Despite these restrictions, license free radio can be a rewarding and useful endeavour which we support.