Part 15 in France !..
Hello, sorry for approximative English.
Just to tell you there's a part 15 transmitter now somewhere in Paris France : Radio Bon Esprit, the Random Diversity Radio. Radio Bon Esprit means "Radio Good Spirit". Part 15 law does not exist in France, and it's a pity. There's only 2 am stations in Paris, and nobody listen. Nobody use am band in France, but a few FM repeating state stations. So I broadcast my own program with a SSTRAN. At night, you can ear all Europe, but not the 1512 kHz (9 kHz spacing here). I work to have a law authorizing the small radios in here, but it's a hard work ... Or another story.
Read you
Larry Tmixon
Hello Radio Bon Esprit
I like your AM activity there in Paris and your description of how empty the AM band is.
Is it true that Europe, and maybe France, not long ago had a very strong Long Wave radio band down around 400kHz ? Is that now gone ?
The advantage of long wave is that one radio station can cover a very large area.
Of course also world shortwave is becoming rare, while at one time it was the main thing.
Hello Carl,
The Long Wave station still exist, it's France Inter on 162 kHz, we have RTL (Radio Télévision Luxemburg) on 234 Khz and Europe 1 around 180 Khz, germans too, around 200 kHz, BBC Radio 4 on 200 kHz, Czech around 280 Ireland, Algeria .... Many long waves stations. I tried myself with an AM 88 but it was for the living room only !..
Thank you for telling us about your
station; Radio Bon Espirit. It's great
to know that you are also broadcasting
just like we are.
I have a good Long Wave receiver and
have heard France many times over the
years on 162 kHz. I am located in
West Hartford, Connecticut.
The French 162 kHz transmission sometimes is
one of the strongest LW signals here on
the east coast of the U.S. I really enjoy
hearing the Long Wave Broadcast Band.
I have an old battery powered radio that
came from a boat. It was used for
navigation many years ago. I have to
take the radio outside to hear the LW
stations.
Thank you for telling us about your
station Larry. The SS Tran is a very
good transmitter.
Also, I think it's great that you tried
to send out Long Wave with the AM88.
That must have been very hard to do.
Best Wishes,
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
Hey Bruce !
Thanks for your comment ! France Inter is like a "NPR" Radio in here, the transmitter is located in the main center of France and the power is 2000 Kw (!!!). At home, I listen to it with an old french tube receiver "Lemouzy" from 1936, it's a real pleasure. I have 20 old radios, beacuse i'm a AM fan. Here it's forbiden to broadcast anything on any band, but for the AM band, the CSA (eq FCC) doesn't care. I hope one day I'll live at the 8th floor somewhere to make "international" broadcast (a mile or two) on 1512 kHz !
Thanks again and meery Christmas !
Larry
Since U.S. or Canadian-style unlicensed AM is not allowed in France, what happens when the French version of the FCC comes calling? Or don't they care?
Sorry. I see that you already said that they don't care. How much power would you have to use for them to care?
I can get caught. My power is 100 mW SSTRAN with a whip antenna. Since it is not authorised to broadcast anything on any band ... My goal is to show that personnal broadcast is not dangerous in any way.
As you said, they don't care about the AM band, so we can trust that they are not roaming around looking for small milliwatt signals, and because there are no interested licensed users of AM, there is nobody to complain about you. So therefore it seems extremely unlikely anyone will even notice your transmission.
Another side of the law is the concept of "permission by omission." That is, if what you are doing is not expressly forbidden, it is therefore allowed.
Instead of part 15 rules, which you do not have, the most important part of the French broadcast rules for you would be those sections that prohibit all forms of AM broadcast, what I would call "negative law."
It is time for a change in the regulations so that France comes pace with the modern electronic age.
What happens to people charged with violating the radio laws in France?
I don't really know ... May be you are expected to stop at first, or directly seized ... May be you should pay a big fine ... Something like that.
Not to belabour the point too much, but Canadian unlicensed broadcasting is very different from that of the U.S. I thought I'd give my experiences here, for those in Canada reading this Forum, as it is very confusing, and the manufacturers only confuse it more.
The complicating factor for us in Canada is that there is an additional government agency involved in radio broadcasting - the CRTC. Industry Canada is responsible for the technical aspects of a radio station, and the CRTC is responsible for the content, or programming. Ordinarily, you need licenses from both if you are transmitting in the broadcast bands.
There are 2 sets of regulations for unlicensed transmitting in both the AM and FM broadcast bands. If you are NOT broadcasting (i.e., experimentation ONLY), then the rules for AM are pretty much the same as in the U.S. (you are allowed 100mw to the final), and transmitters are certified for use by Industry Canada. You do not need a CRTC license, as you are not broadcasting.
However, if you ARE broadcasting, and that is what most of the people here on the Forum do, then the rules are much more restrictive, at least for AM (identified in the BETS-1 circular on the Industry Canada website). You are limited to a field strength of 250uv/m at 30 meters, period. If that signal requirement is met, then you do not require a CRTC license.
The manufacturers of AM transmitters conveniently ignore the differences between experimentation and broadcasting. And adding to the confusion is that broadcasting really isn't adequately defined in the rules. Would running a real estate talking sign be broadcasting? Maybe, maybe not. It all would boil down to if someone complained (at least, according to Industry Canada).
As a result of all this, broadcasting on AM is problematic in Canada, as the allowed field strength just doesn't get you very far. You can ignore the rules and use a 100mw transmitter, but you run the risk of being shut down (or more) if someone complains.
FM is another matter. Unlicensed FM broadcasting is actually useable in Canada, as we are allowed 4 times the field strength of the U.S. - 100uv/m at 30 meters. Under ideal conditions, that can get you a range of 1km (or over 1/2 mile) or more; ranges of 1/4 to 1/2 km (800 to 1600 feet) and more are very doable even with obstructions and less sensitive receivers. Industry Canada certified transmitters are few and far between (the Decade MS-100 is the one I used) but the difficulty and expense in getting one is offset by the clarity and quality of FM broadcasting.
To conclude, in the U.S., AM unlicensed broadcasting is the way to go. In Canada, FM will get you far greater range. Go figure.