Best LPAM Transmitter

Sorry about the silly play on words. Hello Phence and welcome to our band of merry members.

There is no such thing as the best transmitter. There is only the best antenna, which is not something that comes in a convenient box that you open and start using. It takes real muscle work to design and build a good antenna.

The transmitter comes down to two best choices:

IF you want out of the box, already built, that would be the Hamilton Rangemaster 1000 (see add on this web page);

OR if you are a kit builder, the new and highly efficient ANT-5000 from sstran.com is the best kit.

LOL! Thanks for the reply Carl. So, not to put you on the phence, rather the spot, but, a built ANT-5000 VS Rangemaster 1000, who wins? And for what reasons? I respect your reply, like I said, I've been reading these post's and you seem to be one of the ("man's") here that know their sh@t.

Plenty of good RF advice on this site.

Right now, given the best possible antenna, it is possible that the AMT-5000 will give the advantage. We are still awaiting true field tests to prove this. The AMT-5000 is very new.

The AMT-5000 has a 98% efficient final stage and I think that is what gives it the edge.

Personally, I vote for the well established, tried-and-true, which also has the additional advantaged of actually being an FCC certified transmitter.. The Hamilton AM1000 Rangemaster.

The Rangemaster been deemed the leader of the pack amongst a majority of partt15 broadcasters for years.

Speaking as a layman (that's me)..
So far, all the AMT-5000 has going for it is potential, and then, to be able to harness that potential you are going to have at least a certain degree of engineering experience and skill, and possibly even specialized equipment to properly to tune it to it's boasted 98% efficiency.

Not knocking the AMT-5000.. it's little sister the AMT-3000 (which I also have) seems to be a fine unit, which indicates the new more advanced 5000 will certainly perform even better.. but both of those units also require the addition of a complicated construction of an antenna system in order to provide any meaningful range.

So again; my vote is the Rangemaster

There are 3 units with both ease in setup and FCC certification.

Rangemaster
Procaster
TH-II/iAM and ATU

As Rich noted, all the others require some engineering skills and knowledge of antenna and ground system construction along with appropriate measuring equipment.

RFB

I think it's amusing that some folks get a starry look in their eyes when they talk about how their part15 transmitter is FCC certified. FCC certification is required for pre-assembled transmitters, so for a manufacturer to sell anything other than a kit this is required. Buyer-assembled kits don't carry this requirement as there's no way to guarantee the buyer assembled it correctly, thus it's impossible for any kit transmitter to be FCC certified. And this is all fine and legal with the FCC. We're talking about a 100mW transmitter, no matter how good the Rangemaster is I could never be convinced to drop upwards of a grand for 100mW. While not apples to apples, you could buy a several hundred watt linear amp for ham use for that sum of money (you can't broadcast with that, but it's the principle here). If you've got the money to plunk down without batting an eye that's fine, but FCC certification is merely a function of buying a pre-assembled radio, lack of certification is not necessarily an indicator of quality.

"FCC certification is merely a function of buying a pre-assembled radio, lack of certification is not necessarily an indicator of quality."

Well I think it goes a bit further than just the purchase of a pre-assembled transmitter/radio.

Having that certification number guarantee's the operator/owner that the device has been through the FCC's ringer and given their blessing, so long as it is operated in accordance with the instructions, supplied accessories and of course the rules themselves.

But I fully agree that any lack of a certification number would be any indication of quality or lack thereof.

I know of two Part 15 FM transmitters with FCC certification and one of them deserves to be tossed right into the garbage can while the other performs very well, far better than the first. I will not name brands as this is not the appropriate place nor is it a product review or product rating thread.

To add: The high price of those certified units are justified IMO...simply because the buyer is purchasing not just an electronic device capable of emitting an RF energy field, but a device that has been fully tested to comply with regulations, hence the buyer is buying two things, the device, and the FCC's approval...and getting that approval for the device is not cheap..thus cost is passed on..as it always is in a Capitalist system.

For the average person who does not have the engineering skills to assure their "kit" is operating in compliance, these more expensive options are available which again if operated according to instructions and supplied accessories and to the rules, the average person can operate with confidence that they will not get tagged. A kit operator who does not know how to check for things or does not have even a simple DVM or know how to read one, well they will find themselves in a grey zone when it comes to compliance.

Convenience for the average radio tinkerer, or the sheer lazy...doesn't matter.

RFB

i just could never get paying close to a grand for a certified am. maybe $400.00 for a certified tx of similar construction to the amt5000. seeing the kit is 229.00 i'm factoring in a little extra for outdoor case, assembly and certification and you have something more reasonable.

Well SS could always have a version of the 5K unit that is pre-assembled and certified, nothing preventing SS from doing that at all....unless the cost of having a pre-assembled and FCC certified AMT5K would shove that 220 dollar cost through the roof..which it probably would simply because of the expense of having a device tested for certification. And of course there is market demand and supply factors that come into play if the thing will go through the ropes of certification or not.

Mass production and mass sales is the only way to keep that low price low while sporting a certification. I doubt there is enough mass sales taking place that would help keep the cost down to the end user.

RFB

Well said RFB

One other thing..
"...We're talking about a 100mW transmitter, no matter how good the Rangemaster is I could never be convinced to drop upwards of a grand for 100mW"..

Well, a new unit actually several hundred dollars under a a grand, and from time to time I've seen them go used on ebay in the $350-550 range.
- I can relate to you saying that you could never be convinced to spend that much on a transmitter, if part15 is indeed not enough of an enthusiasm of yours - if at all. But to suppose that what you deem as a worthy value is some kind of barometer to the norm is rather naive (for lack of a better word).

As for saving cost by buying kits, well that's not necessarily so;
It appears to me that, for example, purchase the new SStran unit, take the time to assemble it, then shop around for the parts needed to construct the coil antenna, and take the time to construct that, then find an properly designed weatherproof box to mount it in, then compile it all together for install.. and by the time your done you've spent just about the same as what a ready-to-go out of the box certified unit cost.

"It appears to me that, for example, purchase the new SStran unit, take the time to assemble it, then shop around for the parts needed to construct the coil antenna, and take the time to construct that, then find an properly designed weatherproof box to mount it in, then compile it all together for install.. and by the time your done you've spent just about the same as what a ready-to-go out of the box certified unit cost."

An excellent point! And well said too! 🙂

Convenience costs..in anything involving anything. It's cheaper to cook a meal at home than it is to walk into a restaurant ordering that meal.

Is that a good simple analogy?

RFB

Yes, some good points have been made, and one very important point that I forgot all about is that the Hamilton Rangemaster comes with a built-on whip antenna. That is a huge convenience for someone who wants to set up and start broadcasting without a major back-yard dig for ground radials and pole mounting.

I thought you had to run to Radio Shack and purchase the whip there or from somewhere else. As far as I remember, when I ordered my Rangemaster, there was no supplied whip.

The Procaster however, does come with the radiating element..as does the TH with its wire antenna, or the ATU unit with the supplied whip.

RFB

Duplicate post.