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Low power FM broadcasting
With this licence you can operate an FM radio station, and broadcast to an audience over a small area in your local community, student campus, or at a public event.
About this General User Radio Licence (GURL)
The licence you operate under is a General User Radio Licence (GURL). This means you can transmit without the need to get a licence in your own name or pay licence fees.
You share the spectrum with other people who are using the same frequency and power at the same time as you. If someone else operating within the parameters of the GURL licence causes interference to your service, you have to accept that interference.
Licence
You can view this GURL in the Register of Radio Frequencies (RRF) under Licence number 224695(external link).
For the terms and conditions and operating frequencies for this GURL, see the Gazette notice(external link).
Restrictions
The maximum radiate power that you are allowed to operate is 1 watt. If you need any more than this then you will need get a commercial or non-commercial FM broadcast licence.
See Broadcasting licences for information about these.
There are restrictions on broadcasting the same programme content from more than one LPFM station within an area. The licence conditions will tell you more about this restriction.
Fees
$0.00 — there's no fee for a General User Radio Licence (GURL). All fees associated with this licence are paid for by Radio Spectrum Management (RSM).
Your responsibilities
You must follow the technical parameters of the licence, which include:
- operating on a permitted frequency using the correct emission, and up to the maximum power, and
- broadcasting the contact details of the person responsible for transmitting at least once every hour.
You must not operate in a way that causes interference to other radio services.
Your equipment
Your equipment must comply with the relevant radio standards and relevant technical parameters for this licence.
Compliance labelling
If you bought your equipment in New Zealand, and it's labelled with an RSM-approved RCM mark or R-NZ label, you can start using it immediately. If it's not labelled with an RCM mark or R-NZ label, go back to your supplier and get New Zealand approved equipment.
If you bought your equipment online or overseas, you may not be able to set it up to operate on New Zealand frequencies. Go back to your supplier and ask for equipment with an approved RCM mark or R-NZ label.
Useful links
LPFM Society of New Zealand(external link)