FM broadcasting station "Pocket FM" that can be carried and capable of broadcasting radio within a range of up to 8 km with sunlight

Radio broadcasting is used as an important source of information and entertainment than newspapers, TVs and the Internet in areas where infrastructure such as developing countries and conflict areas are not maintained. For that reason, stopping information transmission by radio stations in disasters and wars is a matter of residents' lives, but they can be carried with one hand, can operate with sunlight, can transmit FM radio waves up to a radius of 8 km FM radio transmitter "Pocket FM"Has been developed for developing countries / conflict zones, beta testing has started in Syria and Tanzania aiming for practical application.

Pocket FM
http://www.pocket-fm.com/

Pocket FM is designed to be easy to operate by anyone with an easy-to-use interface, and it is a shoe box size that can be stored in backpacks, etc. It operates with power supplies such as solar panels, receptacles, power generators, and automobile batteries.


Even if you connect with any antenna, you can send radio waves, you can connect playback equipment with headphone jacks, connect USB memory as sound source. Satellite radio broadcast receiver is also built in. Even if the equipment of the radio station can not be used, if it is prepared to a certain extent, it can transmit radio broadcasts outdoors. Also, since Pocket FM can be protected with PIN lock, it can be safely used. If frequency can not be found, it has the function to automatically detect new frequency, listenerRDSIn addition to being able to detect broadcasting, it is also possible to display a short message on RDS.


The interface looks something like this. On the screen, radio wave frequency and current power consumption (volt) are displayed, and power indicator · radio wave indicator · physical button is attached.


I developed Pocket FM is working on the problem of the conflict zone "IXDS"When"MiCT"The development cost per machine was 25,000 dollars (about 3 million yen), and we succeeded in lowering the cost to about 5000 dollars (about 600,000 yen) through joint development I will.

Even in situations where communications, transportation and power infrastructure are destroyed, we aim to support local residents living in danger zones, developing countries, local journalists and NGOs by enabling radio broadcasting. Pocket FM is composed of parts that can be procured anywhere as much as possible so that repair can be done on site even if it breaks down.


Operation has already been started in Tanzania and Syria's "Syrnet" as a beta test, and a documentary movie showing the actual operation of Pocket FM has also been released.

Syria Radio Network - YouTube


Although the Pocket FM at the time of writing the article is "Version 2.0", the next update will improve the stability of the FM radio transmitter and the transmission radius will be extended to 10 km. In the future, it is planned to provide internet connection via GSM · 3G line and remote operation system via cloud, it is possible to link multiple Pocket FMs and to identify broken terminals in the network of cooperating terminals It is to become like.