Years ago.. at least 8 - 10 years ago, maybe longer.. I recall a discussion which I believe took place here in these forums about some guy with an old pick up truck, or maybe it was an enclosed van, but if I recall right was a raggedy old thing (for some reason I think it was red) and he used it as a mobile part 15 station... There was something about a thing he would unfold out on the pavement to simulate a ground plane where ever he parked and then he would begin transmitting..
The discussion had linked to some article online and had a couple pictures.
My recollection about it and the details are vague but it seemed he had regular locations he would drive to and park to broadcast. I think it was Carl who had first brought it to our attention.
Does this story ring a bell for any of the long term members here? I've not been able to find it again.
Memory Match
End80 recalls a moment in part 15 history: "Does this story ring a bell for any of the long term members here?"
R. Powers, my memory matches yours exactly... the red truck, the portable ground-plane, one or more regular parks or parking-lots for I think weekly or maybe holiday broadcasts. And I think he put up a sign.
It was possibly Brooce MICRO1700 who originally posted about this, and it took place in his home state of Connecticut.
At some point I also was unable to re-locate the earlier links to the picture and description of the roving radio truck, but perhaps we'll be lucky and find them again.
I guess what I've been doing the past couple of years for ball games is "portable Part 15"...I've taken my TH 2.0 for AM broadcasts and my Prime Audio "Wireless" Transmitter (that's what they have printed on the manual) or my Scosche TuneIt for FM broadcasts. My "mobile vehicle only gets me to and from games. Sounds like the station van guy has to jump through a lot of hoops to do what he wants to do, while all I have to do is "plug and play" like they say in the computer world (more like "plug and broadcast" in reality).
I remember that post clearly. I also remember that some questioned its legality due to a long ground lead 🙂
I thought (and still think) it's a great idea. For a while, I toyed with the concept of a mobile FM station. Strap down something like a Whole House or a Decade CM-10 to the back of the vehicle (beside the back window). You could have a programmable scrolling LED sign in the back as well, displaying the station particulars and the name of the current song being played. Heck, you could even paint the station and frequency on the sides and back of the car if you want.
You might get a convoy going if your station is interesting enough and you're driving. Not sure about the legalities of that LED sign when driving. But the more interesting application is to take it to a mall parking lot (or a ferry terminal) and let 'er rip.
I googled what Carl described "roving radio truck", and this was what came up:
"..In 1951 Laboe built his own “roving radio” truck, a mobile DJ booth that had regular stops on street corners on Jefferson, Manchester, and Crenshaw in South LA, among other places. By 1956, he says, on the Los Angeles radio station KPOP he was the first DJ to play rock and roll on the West Coast. He was the inventor of the term “oldies but goodies,” which he used when kids requested songs by Big Joe Turner and other older R&B stars; he says people wanted “an old song, but it had to be a good one.”.."
https://boomcalifornia.com/2011/03/22/listening-to-art-laboe/
@RFCC.. Sounds cool. You got any pictures? Do you ground it? Is the van outfitted for the station or do you carry the equipment in and out as needed?
IMHO he would be just fine using the cab/body of the truck as a ground plane. No ground lead required.
IMHO he would be just fine using the cab/body of the truck as a ground plane. No ground lead required.
I suspect your right. However wonder how that would factor in to the 3 meters.
I tried using google advance search this site to find that old post about the part 15 red truck mobile station - still with no luck. Also still curious about more info on RFCCLebanon similar mobile broadcast operation.
Floundering Opinion
I understand why you'd wonder: "However wonder how that would factor in to the 3 meters."
By considering the truck body a ground-plane it would represent true ground and not be part of the 3-meter measurement.
But because the truck body is not buried in the earth and not of a symmetrical configuration, the question rises over whether it will radiate.
You'd need a truck shaped like a flying saucer.
I wondered that because it seems it would function as an extended dipole antenna more than as an artificial ground plane, although most of the frame is situated horizontal.
Either way, I doubt it would face any legal ramifications for operation.
Carl: The larger body of a vehicle capacitively couples to earth.
I like Artisan's idea as I have thought of that also. Going to a mall parking lot and setting up. Easy enough to have the Decade MS-100 or Cardiotheater(Waio) transmitters taped to the roof with the computer and compressor on the back seat all running from an inverter but the sign would be tricky. Could make a large roof sign somehow but how to anchor it there?
I think this would be better done in a smaller town than Toronto.
Like I said in my earlier post, the "van" is just there to get me from my home studio to the gym or the field. My setup includes the following:
** Laptop with Windows 7 Operating System (Switching to a tablet with an Android 5.0 Operating System by the end of the year)
** USB Audio Interface (My main one is the Behringer Xeynx 302USB but I use others)
** Part 15 FM Transmitter (People didn't flock to my broadcasts using the TH 2.0 on the AM dial, so I use the Scosche TuneIt as my main transmitter and PrimeAudio as my backup)
** One or two microphones or headsets (one during the regular season broadcasts, two during any postseason broadcasts)
Just imagine all of that hooked up on a table in a press box overlooking a ball field or courtside at a basketball game. Doesn't take up a lot of space.