The Strange Red Thing on Your School Roof? It’s Not What You Think
July 20, 2025
Source: Reddit
Ever gazed at the top of your local high school and seen a 60-meter tower with an odd red funnel-shaped object mounted on it? You were not alone. It may seem like some sort of weather instrument. Or perhaps a satellite connection… But that outrageously bright red thing is actually something far more rudimentary — not to mention cooler. It’s a low-power FM broadcast antenna.
That’s a low-power FM broadcast antenna. That red “funnel” is a radome, a protective covering designed to protect the antenna from the elements.
Broadcasting the Old-School Way
Long before our ears were taken over by podcasts and Spotify playlists, schools and neighborhoods would frequently turn to low-power FM (LPFM) radio stations to disseminate local news, music and educational resources. Many schools, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s, ran these stations through media or communications classes.
You may never see the antennas for those stations, as they are often placed as high as possible, ensuring the low-power FM broadcast antenna provides better signal coverage.
That Red Funnel: More Than a Mere Gimmick
The large red “funnel” you see is the antenna’s radome. It houses a little Shively 6812B (type) low-power FM broadcast antenna for when the gang gets set up. Keeping the sensitive broadcasting mechanisms within, and the essential elements therein, protected from wind or weirdos (lame attempts … but you get the idea).
The radome’s mesh design also keeps the signal clean and clear by protecting it from weather interference. ” So, while it might seem strange, or even whimsical, it fills a crucial technical role.
Despite erroneous captions published online, it is not a satellite communications dish. It doesn’t communicate with space or beam data through the clouds. It just shoots out old-school FM radio waves, the same ones you hear on a car radio — only over a very limited distance.
A Blast from the Broadcast Past
There’s something nostalgic about LPFM antennas. They represent a time when school radio was a rite of passage—a place where you could hear classmates read the lunch menu, play local garage band demos, or broadcast play-by-play commentary for school sports.
Many schools still maintain these stations today, even if the audience has shifted to online streams. The low-power FM broadcast antenna on the roof still does its job day in and day out. Humming away in the background while most of us walk by without even noticing.
Why You Might See One Today
You may wonder why such an old-school system still exists. But for rural areas, local emergency alerts, or student media programs, LPFM stations offer hands-on learning and real community service.
And that’s exactly what the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had in mind when it created the LPFM class of radio in 2000—to empower non-commercial, local voices. That red antenna isn’t just a piece of hardware—it’s a symbol of community storytelling, old-school radio waves, and school pride crackling through the air.