If I want to start my own online radio station, what licenses do I need?

In Plain English:

Based on the documents provided, if you want to start a radio station, you need to be aware of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992. This act requires you to have a license to broadcast. There are different types of licenses available depending on the type of radio service you want to provide, including national, commercial, community, and open narrowcasting radio services. Each license has specific technical specifications that you must adhere to, including frequency bands, transmitter sites, and output radiation patterns.

However, the documents provided do not contain information about online radio stations. Therefore, I cannot provide specific information about the licenses you need to start your own online radio station.

Detailed Explanation:

The documents provided focus on radio broadcasting services within specific geographic areas in Australia, such as Sydney (Licence Area Plan - Sydney Radio), Perth (Licence Area Plan - Perth Radio), Adelaide (Licence Area Plan - Adelaide Radio), Port Lincoln (Licence Area Plan - Port Lincoln Radio), Newcastle (Licence Area Plan - Newcastle Radio) and Griffith (Licence Area Plan - Griffith Radio - December 2001). These plans are made under subsection 26(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and outline the number and type of radio services (national, commercial, community, etc.) that are to be available in each area. They also detail the technical specifications for each service, including:

  • Transmitter site location (Australian Map Grid coordinates)
  • Frequency band and mode (e.g., MF-AM, VHF-FM)
  • Carrier frequency
  • Polarization
  • Maximum antenna height
  • Output radiation pattern

The Radiocommunications (Amateur Stations) Class Licence 2023 and Radiocommunications (Citizen Band Radio Stations) Class Licence 2025 outline the requirements for operating amateur and citizen band radio stations, respectively.

The Radiocommunications (Overseas Amateurs Visiting Australia) Class Licence Variation 2012 (No. 1) amends the Radiocommunications (Overseas Amateurs Visiting Australia) Class Licence 2008 by modifying frequency bands and operation conditions for visiting amateur radio operators.

None of the documents discuss the licensing requirements for online radio stations.