Radio’s Radius:
Mini FM and DIY Networks

Teachers

Daemon (Bryant Wells and Miguel Gajdos)

Length

7 weeks

Time

Fridays 2:00–4:00pm

Full description

Radio Radius is a class and conversation series that explores the potential of low-power FM radio transmission as a tool for connection and artistic expression. This broadcasting method, colloquialized as “Mini-FM” by media activist Tetsuo Kogawa, is a DIY broadcasting method that serves as both a model and counterpoint to globalized media networks, emphasizing intimacy, ephemerality, and hyper-locality.

Throughout the course, students will hear from guest practitioners working at the intersection of sound, radio, and site-specific sonic production. These artists, musicians, and community organizers will share insights into the creative possibilities in sound and radio, the cultural significance of sound systems, and broadcasting as a medium for storytelling and social connection.

Students will build their own transmitters, capable of transmitting within a ~1 block radius, and create site-specific broadcasts responding to their environment and local communities. Together, we will explore the liberatory histories of sound and free radio, examine radio as an art form, and engage with the electromagnetic spectrum as a medium.

Expectations & Workload

• No prior technical knowledge is required, but students should expect to engage with some light technical work like the basics of soldering and building a low-power FM transmitter.
• Students should plan to dedicate two to three hours per week outside of class for hands-on building, project development, or assigned reading/listening.
• The class will culminate in a 30-minute broadcast, transmitted locally and archived in a shared communal repository.

Assignments

1. Sit Spot .MP3 (Weeks 1–2)
2. Narrowcast (Weeks 2–7)

Schedule (By Week)

1. In Class: Introductions, Sound Walk (in-person)

   At Home: Sit Spot .MP3

2. In Class: Sound and the City (online w/ Geng PTP)

   At Home: Workshop Prep

3. In Class: Workshop (Part 1: Mini TX) (in-person)

   At Home: Narrowcast Concept

4. In Class: Radio and Community (online w/ Babette Thomas)

   At Home: Narrowcast Draft

5. In Class: Workshop (Part 2) (in-person)

   At Home: Narrowcast Production

6. In Class: Site-Specificity (online w/ Lina Chang)

   At Home: Narrowcast Final

7. In Class: Narrowcast & Reflection (online)

Materials

• Laptop with a camera (for online resources, documentation, remote check-ins)
• Soldering iron (provided by the instructor)
• FM radio receiver (provided by the instructor)
• Mini FM transmitter kit (provided by the instructor)

Special Questions

• How does radio reconfigure our sense of “local” in contrast to the global internet?
• What are the ethical implications of broadcasting in a local context?
• Can sound serve as a tool for building more equitable and accessible networks?

Class Log

• Notes on Google Docs
• Recordings on Google Drive
• References on Arena