Broadcasting From a Boat

I watched it all the way through, it's kind of drawn out but actually very interesting stuff. He talks about 4th of July last year during the event he was showing 450 listers which he was enthusiastic about, and his working with the Fire Department to provide synchronized music to the fireworks which he's done before with terrestrial radio but is trying to work out the kinks doing it with internet radio.. other stuff too, I know I'm forgetting something.. 

I wanted to send him a message but couldn't find a contact, so just tried sending it to Mike at his laksideradio.com website. This is what it said, not sure if he'll receive it or not:

I just watched a YouTube video of you. You might consider adding a AM transmitter (Part 15) to your boat so people could actually listen on their radios. In open water your signal could cover a few miles radius legally. I'm a hobbyist in it, I own a couple Hamilton Rangemasters, but the Chez Procaster cost less and have a good strong reputation too, both are FCC certified, both produce good audio, the Procaster has an advantage of a built-in processor which can be bypassed.

BMI has a reasonable priced yearly "Part 15 Rider Licence" which would cover your royalties for OTA broadcast.

Anyway, that's the first thing I thought as I watch your video. Very cool what your doing.

Regards,

Rich

@richpowers I like that. With a small set up as I have. Computer, Salamadra, small processor(Cuthbert or Shlockwood) and transmitter you can do it from anywhere. I guess he gets power from the boat.
Yeah, he should be over the air out there as you suggested.

@mark Too bad that's a freshwater lake he's on though, saltwater would provide better range. Not sure how ground conductivity is with fresh water, but certainly better than ground rods in dirt (I presume, seems so). It seems to me at least the properties bordering around the lake would receive good reception.

He talks a lot about his programing and how he ultimately went with a wide variety of genres, I listened for awhile, good stuff, I actually prefer listening to various genres over a set format, but he painstakingly structures it well, which he talks about to. He talks how Suno saves him what use to cost him heavy and now done for pennies instantly (jingles and such), it uses it extensively for that and has a bigger variety now than he ever could have hoped for when he was in the business.

I really need to get off my ass, here's some more broadcast from a boat. They are however all streaming stations:

"...These days, anyone can become an audio broadcaster via podcasting, and my interviewee in this video has done just that, telling tales about his life on a narrowboat on the UK canals. Tune in to Nighttime On Still Waters at www.noswpod.com"

And this one broadcasting not from a boat but from the dockhouse for boaters:

More at:
https://docksidelive.com/about

"Where the Music Meets the Water
Dock Side Live Radio is more than just a station — it’s the soundtrack to the boating lifestyle. Broadcasting 24/7, we connect marinas, boaters, anglers, and marine-minded adventurers with the music, stories, and brands that fuel life on the water. Whether you’re casting a line, cruising a river, or gathering dockside with friends, Dock Side Live delivers the ultimate boater’s playlist and a lifestyle experience that follows you wherever the water takes you."

And with the help of Google AI found a few more:

Present-Day Examples

Sailing the Great White North: This is a small independent streaming station operated by a liveaboard sailor on the West Coast. It broadcasts a mix of random music, sea shanties, and local weather for other liveaboards and fishermen in the area.

Classic Mara (Golden Globe Race 2026): Mara, a Norwegian sailor, provides a "real and raw" look at boat life by live-streaming her journey 24/7 as she sails 4,000 nautical miles across the Atlantic to qualify for the 2026 Golden Globe Race.

Casting Off: This is an audio and video podcast recorded by Jamie and his partner from their canal boat in the UK. They transitioned from blue-water sailing to living on a narrowboat and use their "audio journal" to document the challenges of boat maintenance and life on the inland waterways.

Radio Caroline (Modern Era): Though it now holds a legal land-based license, it remains the most iconic example. It still conducts regular broadcasts from the Ross Revenge, its historic radio ship anchored in the River Blackwater. These broadcasts often occur during boat tours and are hosted by DJs who worked on the station during its 1980s pirate heyday.

Everybody and their brother is streaming these days.

I'm really coming to the realization that 1) Streaming isn't Part 15 and 2) Even if it was, how do you get recognized and even found with the literally millions of streamers 'out there'.  there's also 3) potential copyright fees, which are more onerous than the over-the-air ones.

At least if you're broadcasting over the airwaves, there are limited number of channels, even if there are limited numbers of users within your listening range.

Plus if you're boatcasting, you already have a range advantage over the rest of Part 15 broadcasters.

Artisan said: I'm really coming to the realization that 1) Streaming isn't Part 15 and 2) Even if it was, how do you get recognized and even found with the literally millions of streamers 'out there'. 

This is what I have been saying for a long time. Unless I am told about it how would I know. And what would make someone listen to one stream over another of the millions doing what you are doing.

To Rich, broadcasting from a boat could be nice and easy to do as long as you are sheltered from the weather, have a power source you need.

@artisan-radio To me it illustrates that hobby broadcasting is no less popular than part 15 AM was 20 years ago. It simply shifted to online as online radio has become more popular.My perception is that part 15 AM seems to have exploded again around the time Napster took a nosedive -- not that I see any real correlation there, but that's when several part 15 AM forums were formed and still going strong. Also appears most part 15s also had an online stream too, until streaming cost took a tremendous increase and most hobbyist dropped their online simulcasting but part15am still thrived until Richard Fry had stepped in and incessantly debunked the supposed legalities of the actual installation methods of these transmitters everywhere, and continued to consistently do so for at least a decade, which eventually resulted in hobbyist being unable to ignore or refute the facts and all those 5 and 10 miles of range being regularly achieved dropped down to maybe a mile radius if your lucky. So hobbyist had to either comply with the ground lead limit or step out of the Internet limelight and continue their operations in stealth.

I'm just speculating, have no real point. But will say setting up a streaming station is probably cheaper and easier that part 15 AM to implement, and though streaming does involve paying ongoing royalties, so does part 15 AM, it's just that most hobbyist ignore it (just like we use to ignore the ground lead).

Posted by: @mark

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Artisan said: I'm really coming to the realization that 1) Streaming isn't Part 15 and 2) Even if it was, how do you get recognized and even found with the literally millions of streamers 'out there'. 

This is what I have been saying for a long time. Unless I am told about it how would I know. And what would make someone listen to one stream over another of the millions doing what you are doing.

To Rich, broadcasting from a boat could be nice and easy to do as long as you are sheltered from the weather, have a power source you need.

It's highly unlikely anyone would ever find your part 15 broadcast too unless you promoted it. Any part 15 station is just as hard to find as any of those "literally millions of streamers 'out there'. I wager that most people within a mile of your station know that it even exist even if it had been in operations for years - unless you locally advertise it. 

As for a sailboat station it's fully sheltered but natural condensation inside can be problematic at times. I've been intending to insulate my hull for years now but haven't actually done it (yet), because it entails at least $1,000 of materials for an effective insulation on a 30ft boat to stop it, and the process of installing also entails tearing out interiors first as well as employing circulating tactics for enclosed spaces like closets and cupboards or whatever - It's a bigger undertaking than it sounds.. I am going to get on it this summer though, because condensation can be by far the biggest inconvenience of living aboard.

Who was it here that used to broadcast from a boat positioned at the docks? It was years ago, a regular poster here years ago but I forget who specifically... Artisian?

He was located in the U.S. Gulf Islands (off Seattle).  San Juan Island I believe.  Can't remember his name either.  It will probably come to me when I'm thinking of something else, of course.

It was Ken Norris, he operated Friday Harbor Tiny Radio (and still does I think) on San Juan Island.

@artisan-radio Was that his? I remember him. Curiously it seems he was also involved with the 16mm film hobby too about twenty years ago when I was still in that hobby (unless I'm confusing something)

Although I never really trust it, I do talk to Google AI often and it says it is one in the same Ken Norris, which also revealed things about him I never realized....:

Primary excerpts from the conversation:

Ken Norris is a longtime Video Coordinator at UCLA Athletics, notably recognized for his extensive career in sports cinematography.

Connection to 16mm Film
Norris's professional background is deeply rooted in 16mm film production and editing: He began his career at age 13 working for the Los Angeles Rams, where he specialized in splicing and editing 16mm film. He joined UCLA in 1989, succeeding the legendary cinematographer Stan Troutman. In this role, he was responsible for filming instructional and highlight footage for nearly every UCLA athletic program.

While he started with physical 16mm film, he later spearheaded the transition to digital systems, such as the I2 Internet Exchange Program, which replaced traditional film and videotape for scouting and coaching exchanges.

Yes, it is highly likely that Ken Norris from UCLA Athletics is the same person who was an active poster on part15.org (formerly part15.us).
In the low-power broadcasting community, he was a well-known enthusiast who often shared his technical expertise. ... He was known on the forums for discussing the nuances of transmitter setups and legal low-power broadcasting.

Yes, it is the same person. Ken Norris, the retired Director of Video Operations for UCLA Athletics, is indeed the operator of Friday Harbor tinyRadio (1650 AM) on San Juan Island. Ken Norris launched this station in August 2010 after receiving a business license to operate as an FCC Part 15 low-power AM community micro-station. *The Journal of the San Juan Islands

Programming: The station serves the local Friday Harbor community with content featuring local musicians, sports, weather, ferry reports, and special events.

Basketball Coverage: He remains very active in broadcasting local sports. As recently as 2026, he has been involved in broadcasting Friday Harbor High School basketball games live on 1650 AM and online at fhtinyradio.com.

Digital Presence: Beyond the AM dial, Norris simulcasts games on YouTube and manages the station's presence on social media