Was just re reading another thread where we talking about compressor and on it Mark had commented:
@richpowers Half a mile from indoors is not bad. It's like what I get. That Alesis nano compressor/limiter is similar to the FMR one you were talking about before but they stopped making that one too except used. I should look into that DNR noise reducer to see what it is and does.
The focus here on his first line "Half a mile from indoors is not bad. It's like what I get" I'd say that's pretty damn good for a legal install. That translates to a one mile radius (not necessarily though). But the question is what are your surroundings in that one mile radius where your signal is receivable? I've always had problems with the buildings in the immediate area blocking or attuning the signal by the time it crosses the street. In open areas it's an entirely different ballgame, you can well exceed a mile radius with a legal installation..
That's what I was getting with the procaster using a wire instead of the stock antenna, inside from the basement, no external ground lead from the procaster attached to anything, I did the little counterpoise inside the cabinet I posted about, and used a 3 terminal power supply(earth grounded) with a ground obtained from the house electrical ground which is a copper stake, what, 6 ft down? I did my drive around and in a previous post mapped out my daytime range. In North York in Toronto. I did a screenshot of the google maps of my area and drew two lines...one for the strong signal range and the other for the weak and fringes and where it could still be heard close to a km(1/2 a mile to 2/3 of a mile or so) east and west on the highway from my house as the RF travels or "the crow flies" The post should be there if you go far back to last year. The stock length of the procaster antenna was 104" and I found the sweet spot was shortening it further....yes shortening not lengthening...to about 98 inches, well short of 3 meters. Going by how high the meter peaked all else being equal.
This on 1630.
Here's the post.....I only drew one circle here which includes the weak and fringe areas.
https://part15.org/community/your-radio-station/an-updated-view-of-my-range-with-a-procaster/
@mark Right I remember your map and was always intrigued with your indoor install (Carl's was an indoor install too with his "wintenna" taped to the window). But really what I was pointing too was in what conditions, as like what immediate vicinity conditions allows a signal to travel so it's is receivable a half mile away?
For example, when I had my transmitter installed in a business section of the island, I couldn't overcome the buildings of the area, as soon as I turned the corner a few hundred feet away the signal disappeared completely as soon as turning the corner. I could move the transmitter down a few build8ngs to the intersection and improve signal reach considerably because it opened a clear line of sight for the signal, but it wasn't my building.
What I mean is despite what Richard Fry said buildings in the immediately vicinity killed my signal. Fry insisted the signal according to physics might be attuned by the buildings but it does recover again beyond the buildings, which is probably true, but more often than not there's another building and another and another beyond that, so the signal never has a chance to recover.
My point is, yes, a part 15 AM transmitter, with an entirely legally install has been proved can achieve up to about a 3 mile radius of reception.. but that's generally only if in a wide open unobstructed area.. So I guess that's what I was asking, what's your immediate area conditions that is allowing your indoor install installation an approximate 1 mile radius of reception?
@richpowers I don't know. Mostly residential. But houses are still small buildings. On the 401 hi-way it''s out in the open.
I think the house wiring was helping, grounding with the electrical ground which is actually a physical ground. It would be a bit less than a mile. I km is only 2/3rds of a mile. On that circle on the map look at the bottom right to see the distance scale.
Here's some info on grounding in all homes....
https://www.thespruce.com/choosing-the-best-grounding-materials-1152287
@mark I wasn't really focusing on you perse, though I'm sure it certainly sounded like that, but it's just for example. It's kind of a question of, realistically, physics aside, what should the average hobbyist broadcasting from home with a legal install part 15 AM transmitter realistically expect in reach? - Your's is an approximate 1/2 from your transmitter, so about a mile coverage -- that's outstanding, I've achieved similar in a residential area with a legal install in the past, but certainly not around the main street district, the signal always gets confined. In National Parks ever since the early 1970s, part 15 AM range has always averaged about a two mile radius - but that's because it's wide open surroundings, the intended audience being tourist info for car reception.
I don't know what I'm saying, I'm just wondering... Speculating .Trying to formulate a discussion. AM range.