The Arduino platform has inspired countless makers to build interesting projects. Among them, building an FM radio with Arduino is a classic and beloved beginner project. This article covers everything you need to know about creating an Arduino FM radio module, and introduces how Coral RF high‑performance RF modules can take your project further with long‑range wireless communication.
The FM radio project remains popular because it touches multiple electronics domains: wireless communication, audio processing, and user interface design. It offers moderate difficulty and great fun. When completed, you’ll have a fully functional FM radio of your own.
FM broadcast stations transmit audio signals by modulating a carrier frequency between 87MHz and 108MHz using frequency modulation. The Arduino controls an FM radio module to receive and demodulate a specific frequency, then outputs the audio via an amplifier to headphones or a speaker. Buttons and a display allow channel switching and volume control. The core of the project is the FM receiver module itself.
Several FM modules work well with Arduino, each with its own strengths:
TEA5767 – The classic choice. This single‑chip FM stereo radio from NXP (formerly Philips) uses an I²C interface, operates at low voltage, and requires no manual alignment. Only a few external components are needed. Many community tutorials are based on the TEA5767, making it ideal for beginners.
RDA5807M – Another popular option from RDA Microelectronics (China). It also uses I²C but adds volume control and better audio quality at a very attractive price. The RDA5807M has become a top choice for DIY radios. It even offers a TEA5767‑compatible mode for easy code migration.
SI4703 – A high‑performance solution from Silicon Labs, fully controllable via I²C. SparkFun provides detailed getting‑started guides and Arduino examples. The SI4703 supports RDS (Radio Data System) , which displays station names and song information on your radio’s screen.
SI4735 – The most powerful option. It receives not only FM but also AM, shortwave (SW), and single‑sideband (SSB) . It supports RDS and is a true all‑band broadcast receiver. The open‑source Arduino library by PU2CLR has been used in thousands of projects worldwide, offering high reliability for advanced builders.
Quick comparison of the four modules:
| Module | Interface | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEA5767 | I²C | Simple circuit, no alignment, ultra‑low voltage | Beginners |
| RDA5807M | I²C | Good sound, volume control, high value | General DIY radios |
| SI4703 | I²C | RDS support (station name & song info) | Information‑display radios |
| SI4735 | I²C | FM/AM/SW/SSB all‑band reception | Advanced receivers |
Arduino’s official documentation includes a unified Radio library that encapsulates control for TEA5767, RDA5807M, SI4703, SI4705, SI4721, and other FM tuners. Developers don’t need to worry about low‑level register differences; the same API handles frequency setting, volume control, etc. Maintained by developer mathertel, the library has over 300 stars and is actively updated. It greatly lowers the barrier to building an Arduino radio.
The official Arduino blog once featured a tin‑box portable FM radio project: an Arduino Nano paired with a TEA5767 module, small enough to fit inside a metal candy tin. This shows just how practical and portable an Arduino FM radio can be.
Other examples include a watch‑style FM radio based on the RDA5807M and an advanced all‑band receiver using the SI4735. There are plenty of resources for makers at every skill level.
Once you’ve mastered FM radio reception, you might want to go further – for example, re‑transmitting received FM audio, or sending data wirelessly over long distances to other devices. That’s where Coral RF’s high‑performance Sub‑1GHz modules come in.
Coral RF (a brand of Shenzhen Heyan Technology Co., Ltd.) specializes in designing and manufacturing high‑performance RF modules covering Sub‑1GHz and 2.4GHz bands. They are widely used in IoT, industrial telemetry, remote control, drones, and other professional applications. Key features include:
Flexible frequency bands 169MHz, 315MHz, 433MHz, 868MHz, 915MHz, and more, to meet regulatory requirements in different countries.
Stable long‑range communication – Based on proven TI chips such as CC1101, CC1120, and CC1201. In open areas, reliable communication over 800 meters or more is achievable.
Excellent Arduino compatibility – All modules provide an SPI interface and work with Arduino’s official and community CC1101 driver libraries. You don’t need deep RF expertise to get started.
| Model | Chip | Frequency | Output Power | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N503AS | TI CC1101 | 434/868/915 MHz | +10dBm | Low‑cost IoT nodes, smart home |
| N511AS‑B | TI CC1120 | 169/433/868 MHz | +15dBm | Narrow‑band long‑range, industrial sensors |
| N518DS | TI CC1201 | 169/433/868/915 MHz | +33dBm | Ultra‑long range (15km+) |
| N704CS | TI CC2674R10 + CC2592 | 2.4 GHz | +22dBm | High‑power Zigbee / BLE / Thread |
Coral RF’s website provides detailed Arduino example code for every module. For the N503AS CC1101 module, for instance, complete transmitter and receiver sketches are available – just compile and upload to an Arduino board to test communication.
The modules use an SPI interface with clearly labelled pins, making wiring simple. For development, you can use mature community driver libraries like SmartRC-CC1101-Driver-Lib, which offer high‑level APIs for initialisation, frequency configuration, and data transmission, and even support direct parameter settings similar to SmartRF Studio. This dramatically simplifies RF development.
The Arduino FM radio focuses on receiving broadcast audio, while Coral RF modules excel at long‑range data communication. Combining them opens up many creative possibilities:
Long‑range wireless audio transmission – Use an Arduino + Coral RF module as a transmitter to digitise audio and send it wirelessly on 433MHz or 868MHz. Another Arduino + Coral RF module receives and reconstructs the audio. This can achieve ranges of several kilometres in open areas, far exceeding traditional Bluetooth or 2.4GHz solutions. With the N518DS, even 15‑km range is possible.
FM broadcast reception with RDS forwarding – Use an SI4703 or SI4735 to receive local FM broadcasts and parse RDS data (station name, song title), then transmit that information wirelessly via a Coral RF module to a remote display. This is useful for campus broadcast synchronisation or multi‑room audio system metadata sharing.
Multi‑channel broadcast signal monitoring – Deploy several Arduino Nano + TEA5767 nodes to measure RSSI on different frequencies, then send the data back to a central node via Coral RF modules. With Coral RF’s long‑range capability, such a monitoring system can cover several square kilometres – ideal for broadcast coverage evaluation or interference detection.
Remote‑controlled all‑band receiver (SI4735 + Coral RF) – Use the SI4735’s FM/AM/SW/SSB capability together with a Coral RF module. A remote controller can send commands (channel change, volume, mode) over long distances to the receiver, allowing you to explore new stations from kilometres away.
LoRa wireless FM radio – Choose a Coral RF module based on the Semtech SX1262 LoRa chip, pair it with an Arduino and an FM tuner like TEA5767 or SI4703. LoRa’s excellent interference immunity and penetration make it suitable for challenging environments like mountains or basements.
Remote selective listening of multiple FM broadcasts – Deploy multiple Arduino Nano + TEA5767 nodes at different locations, each receiving local FM signals. Each node sends its received audio back to a central controller via Coral RF modules. The user can then remotely switch between broadcasts from different geographic areas – perfect for large campuses, tourist areas, or industrial parks.
The Arduino FM radio project is a classic, fun, and practical entry point into wireless electronics. From the TEA5767 to the RDA5807M, and the feature‑rich SI4703 and SI4735, the wide range of modules combined with the mature official Radio library lets anyone build their own FM radio in no time.
At the same time, Coral RF modules extend Arduino’s wireless capabilities from FM broadcast reception to general‑purpose long‑range communication. Whether you need simple wireless data transfer or long‑distance forwarding of FM audio on Sub‑1GHz bands, Coral RF provides reliable, high‑performance solutions.
Whether you are a beginner maker or an experienced embedded developer, you can easily build an FM radio with Arduino and then go even further with professional RF modules like Coral RF. Build your own radio and let your wireless applications reach farther than ever before!