Design of a Low-Power FM Transmitter for Community Broadcasting in Rural Kebbi State

Background: Community radio is a vital tool for disseminating agricultural, health, and educational information to rural populations in North West Nigeria. Many rural communities in Kebbi State lack access to FM broadcasting infrastructure. Aim: This project designed and constructed a low-power FM transmitter for community broadcasting applications in rural Kebbi State. Methods: The transmitter was designed around a BA1404 FM stereo transmitter IC operating at a frequency of 88.5 MHz with an output power of approximately 100 milliwatts. Antenna design employed a half-wave dipole for omnidirectional coverage. Circuit simulation was performed in Multisim before hardware assembly. The transmitter was evaluated for frequency stability, modulation quality, and coverage range. Results: Frequency drift was within 2 kHz over a four-hour operating period. Audio modulation quality was assessed as satisfactory by blind listener testing. Effective broadcast range was approximately 1.8 km in open terrain. Conclusion: The designed FM transmitter is technically viable for small community broadcast deployments. It provides an affordable solution for rural information dissemination, with recommendations for integration with solar power supply for off-grid operation. Keywords: FM transmitter, community radio, rural broadcasting, Kebbi State, low-power.