Equipment Reviews - Part15 Forum

Furman AC 215a power conditioner

Mark — Thu, 29 May 2025 02:04:21 +0000

With this no need to worry about lightning and unplug everything and go off the air. Also cleans up dirty electricity so you sound better on AM.
I think I posted about this in the past but is good to mention again as I keep hearing about having to unplug everything when a storm comes. I have the Furman AC 215a and here are a couple of demos to see how it works showing the exact model I have. Oh yes the protection is not compromised like "regular" protectors that sacrifice themselves and need replacing. In other words no built in obsolescence. With a portable AM radio with a AC power cord I plugged it into the wall and that usually adds noise but when plugged into this it was the same as it running on batteries.

https://youtu.be/tl5IcWbDOBY
https://youtu.be/Pt9EzC7q0U4

Schlockwood SW300 User Experience Article

Rugster — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 18:50:13 +0000

This doesn't really count as a review, but I did a write-up about my experiences with my recently acquired SW300 AM Field Strength and Modulation Monitor. Long story short - I couldn't be happier if I tried. I hope it's OK to post a link to my blog. I'm not trying to promote it, but figured that it might be of interest to some Part 15 folk -

https://aa7ee.wordpress.com/2025/01/26/the-schlockwood-sw300-an-am-field-strength-and-modulation-monitor-for-the-am-broadcast-band-and-amateur-use/

(PS - I have never really promoted my blog. It's not a marketing exercise for me. I just write about the projects I'm working on and like to share, in case the info helps anyone. I know how much I've been helped by reading about what others have been doing.)

HB adds SStran 5000 review

RichPowers — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 23:54:29 +0000

Today HB added a review of the SStran 5000 to its transmitter reveiws:

https://www.hobbybroadcaster.net/reviews/sstran-amt5000-transmitter.php

Procaster from indoors

Mark — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 01:28:02 +0000

I am using the Procaster now to replace the recent Talking Signs I was using.
I have it mounted on the wall in the kitchen and the 104" antenna horizontal across the room in front of the window. I have substituted the stock antenna with an equal length of wire as the 3 section aluminum is hard but not impossible to use indoors. Gerry at Procaster told me the 3 section aluminum is exactly the same as an equal length of wire electrically.
No ground. An electrical ground is had through the 3 prong wall supply.
I have the computer, studio interface, Schlockwood on a shelf under the window but I am currently using just the included studio processor compression and limiting giving power and audio to the transmitter with 5 ft of the 4 conductor shielded cable and a Fosi 3 band EQ headphone amp for extra audio tone control between the computer and studio. Working nice.
Audio is pristine. As good as AM can get and with a decent receiver with proper band width With a Sangean MMR-99 for example the Procaster can sound like FM or close to it with a bit of tinkering with EQ at processor.

Here's a picture of the simple set up and another of my tested range. Small circle is good and larger is weak but heard.
All plugged into a UPS backup and this will run for 4 or 5 hours in a power outage. The laptop has it's own battery back up so it's not in the battery supported outlets. The range is what can be achieved from indoors with a set up like this.

110 108 109 111

MY RANGE WITH TALKING SIGN AM TRANSMITTER

Mark — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 22:01:57 +0000

As posted in my radio station I am now on AM using a Talking Sign AM certified transmitter.
This was the predecessor to the Procaster and certified at 100mW at the output, not input, to final in 2000 issue 4 of RSS-210.
Took range with a 2022 Kia Forte which is not as good as older cars that had an outside antenna on fender. Had to back out on Google maps to get all, or most of the range and backing out more would be too much. Heard the station farther east and west on the 401 than was on the map at view I selected. Some of the area it was assumed it could be received as I can't drive into residential parks and back yards and properties but if I could get it on one street or another I assumed I could get it in between also. Same on the 401 as assumed receivable a certain distance on each side. I think this is quite accurate. Center circle in violet is strong reception and larger red area is fringe but could hear it. Scale of distance in meters is at bottom right. Note that small circle is a larger area than looks on map at scale I did this at to get all the fringe in. The red indicator is where I am. This looking south and the 3D makes the bottom of map look larger then foreground.

Place Any and All Equipment Reviews Here

ArtisanRadio — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 22:59:51 +0000

Currently, we have equipment reviews (transmitters, studio gear, even receivers) scattered throughout the Forum.

Putting them all in one place will make it easier for a potential purchaser to first, find the one you're interested in and second, make a decision whether or not to use it.

I'd like to see one thread per item (I was going to say box, but then realized that it could be software that is reviewed). Any comments and/or changes to the review should be placed in that thread.