This is an application that was written for a customer who wanted to see what broadcast transmitters were nearby. Ofcom produce a resource known as TXParams which offers AM, DAB and FM transmitter data (location, ERP, RDS and such). Their CSV files allow for easy handling of this information making a database (or map) quite straightforward – if you put in the coding effort!
My solution allows you to specify a frequency (or “all”) and select a range – you are then offered a list of matching transmitters/stations in order of distance from your location. Uses include: Identify a potential frequency for a new service (like a Community Radio Station) or simply to find out what stations are nearby and what services you can get from a nearby DAB multiplex. An option allows you to filter for nearby Community stations. You can also find for a specific service within a set distance, eg: Find all BBC Radio 1 transmitters within 100 miles and so on.
This was a quick ‘n’ dirty build and would work much better in a browser using PHP, MySQL and a mapping interface (such as OpenStreetMaps) – and I couldn’t find an existing solution (although this came close) that offered the data in a “human readable” form.
Results offered included: Distance, Frequency, Station/Service, Location/Site and In-Use ERP. Additional features available to the client included an ERP filter plus a “clear frequency search” offering potential “gaps” on the FM band. This works via the location+range filter plus removing frequencies +/-200KHz either side of the “offending” service – a very non-scientific method but provides a general idea of how cluttered the band is!
Download – offered “as is” without support
RadioLookup Setup
This basic version is FREE – the early version had a password on the installer which has now been removed.
Examples of use :
- Identifying potential frequencies for a new service on AM or FM
- Finding out how many Community Radio stations are within nn km/miles of you
- Finding all transmitters for a particular station within nn km/miles of you
- Seeing what services you can pick up when you travel to a different part of the country
If there is sufficient interest in the full version (with “spare frequency finder“), I might end up making it available for a small fee.