Introduction¶

RFree is free software for allocating FM radio stations. It uses the FCC's database of existing stations, as well as the rules about spacing between stations, to identify locations and channels available for new stations. RFree draws from contour software written by RF engineer Al Davis for this purpose and from the FCC's own fortran code.

The primary purpose of RFree is to support new and existing community radio stations that are using the airwaves for community expression and social change. The existing software options for FM allocations are proprietary and pricey, and are therefore only available to RF engineers with substantial resources. RFree will allow experienced but less resourced engineers to provide affordable engineering to community groups.

The RFree project is free software for free radio and is open to all contributors of all skill levels. Development is being supported by the Prometheus Radio Project http://prometheusradio.org.

Get Involved!¶

This is a young project, and you can expect more infrastructure soon! However, if you want to get involved, there are some steps you can take now:

• Sign up for the project discussion list at http://lists.prometheusradio.org/listinfo.cgi/rfree-discuss-prometheusradio.org
• Take a look at the code. You can view it in the repository tab. It's hosted at in a subversion repository at savannah.nongnu.org and can checked out anonymously by running svn co svn://svn.savannah.nongnu.org/rfree/. If you're interested in doing development on the project, you can create an account at https://savannah.nongnu.org/account/register.php and then request inclusion in the project RFree.

Other RFree Wiki Pages¶

Rules to Pay Attention to

Draft Outline for User Guide