Community FM Radio Takaoka Begins Broadcasting at 20 Watts [25 Years Ago Today]

 

Community FM radio station, Radio Takaoka (headquartered in Takaoka City), started broadcasting with an increased output of 20 watts after receiving a license from the Hokuriku Telecommunications Bureau. The power increase improved the sound quality within the broadcast area.

Q: What is 20-watt broadcasting?

As the wattage increases, the transmission power from the antenna becomes stronger, affecting both the coverage range and reception quality.

 

Radio Takaoka, the 51st community radio station in Japan and the first in Toyama Prefecture, increased its output from 10 to 20 watts on December 1, 1996 (with its transmission site at Futagoyama). They later broadcast a special program to celebrate the power-up. The station currently broadcasts at 20 watts.

 

In comparison, traditional FM radio stations have much higher wattages: FM Toyama (Toyama FM Broadcasting, headquartered in Toyama City) broadcasts at 1,000 watts (from Mount Kuwaba), J-WAVE (headquartered in Minato, Tokyo) broadcasts at 7,000 watts (from Tokyo Skytree), and TOKYO FM (FM Tokyo, headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo) broadcasts at 10,000 watts (from Tokyo Tower).

References:
Hokuriku News
Radio Takaoka Official website
FM Tokyo Official Website
FM Toyama Official Website
J-WAVE Official Website