This a test! Trying to upload a picture of my station set up to see if it works as it didn't before. Looks like it worked this time.
Computer is an 11 inch laptop with Zara, a headphone amp with EQ, a compressor and the Decade MS-100 and running 24/7 uses about $8 to $9 a month in electricity.
Yea! it worked!
Thanks!
Haven't tried the changing the icon yet but the one that's there is OK for a while.
The station is too simple. It can't work LOL!! Are you really sure it consumes that much power in a month? That seems high.
Hey.. there's a lot of truth In K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid). To be honest I think a great deal of hobbyist part 15 station setups tend to be overkill with their equipment (myself included). The way I see it Marks station actually is all that's needed.
@ AM radiolegend...
Based on the cost of electricity in Toronto......13 cents a KWH in prime time 7 to 11 AM weekdays and 5 to 7 PM weekdays and all the rest of the time 10 cents from 11AM to 5 PM weekdays and 8 cents a KWH all other times. And it runs non-stop.
Measured the current drain of the transmitter, compressor and computer with screen on and multiplied by 120V to get the wattage total. I have the screen off most of the time(set to go off in 5 minutes so maybe a buck less a month).
This is all automated and jingles, music, id's are all MP3 files.
I only mentioned the electricity cost because Part 15 Engineer said a while back that he had to shut his station down because it was costing $150 a month in electricity and I can't for the life of me understand how a part 15 station can cost that much in power use. And you think $8 a month is high! my point exactly. I never got a response when I mentioned this to him. Electricity can't be that much in Colorado!
This is to show how a professional sounding hobby station can not cost that much at all. and it can all sit on a shelf by a window.
An $800 layout for the transmitter, compressor and computer with the headphone amp running off the computer is all you need. There are new Decades on Ebay now "new other" for $250, the compressor is new $250, an 11 inch laptop with celeron processor and 4 gigs ram new can be had for $295 or less.
@Mark: Just joking about the simplicity. Yes, less in many times is more. Thinking about buying a Decade just for fun. I suspect your coverage range inside your home is fairly limited - but would be curious. If I remember correctly Artisan also was a Decade Man.
@Part 15 Engineer: I looked at your station. With all that's running you would have to have a space heater running under your desk to achieve that power bill LOL!
@Mark again: Power here including all taxes is about 11 cents per KWH 24/7.
@ AMRadiolegend,
That cost Of 11 cents would be typical in most states give or take 10% I assume.
The Decade is operating at Canadian BETS-1 which is significantly more than FM is allowed in the USA and it covers the house and the surrounding neighborhood fine with a good receiver. Artisan and I are "Decade men" because it is BETS-1 certified and will last you almost forever with much better audio quality and is all "military grade" HI-FI components.
I know you were joking about too simple.
But Part15engineer also said his station is up and running again and has to only operate during the day due to the cost of electricity in Colorado....my question, how much is electricity in Colorado? Something just doesn't make sense.
@ Denver is 11.5 cents per KWH
Ha! That's what I thought. Something more to the picture I/we are not knowing.
Could it be the female of the household?