Hacker Friendly

Blistering heat. Sand storms. Vast distances. Lack of reliable power. These are just some of the challenges of operating an FM radio station in remote locations like Timbuktu. Where do you get an FM exciter that is up to the task?

Adapted Consulting has just released OpenFM: an open source 150 Watt FM transmitter specifically designed to survive the heat and grime while running on 12V solar panels.

OpenFM is a low power, affordable open source FM radio station created for use in remote areas. The system has been designed with harsh weather conditions in mind; it is able to withstand heat, dust and humidity with little manual intervention. It functions on solar power and so is particularly suited for rural environments that lack dependable electricity. OpenFM consists of a low power FM transmitter; antenna; low bandwidth, low power computer; mixing board; and open source audio software.

The construction is optimized for heat dispersion, and requires only a metal saw, drill, file, and soldering iron to build. The electronics consist of a few simple parts and off-the-shelf modules from Broadcast Warehouse. Schematics and assembly instructions are available from the project wiki, with antenna designs and more info coming soon.