I thank you for your reply. I'm totally new to this. Could you please explain in laymans terms?
PLL = Phase Lock Loop (form of frequency synthesis)
Crystal = Single Frequency Needs to be changed out everytime you want to change frequency
125% modulation = commercial transmitters can be positively modulated to 125% it helps when using a processor capable of modulating it to 125% to bring you above the noise and extend your perceived fringe range.
any of these things are going to need to be installed over a good ground plane and have a good solid low impedance ground to perform well.
if you are new to this i recommend downloading the ebooks in library and reading up.
you will be better prepared to ask questions here by reading the material there.
when i first got on the internet i had to pay for all that kind of information. your lucky getting into it when you did, because of me and others here you now have free easy access to that info. so make good use of it and read up as much as you can on it all. there is a treasure trove of info you will never find at any other site or any public library.
Thanks Rev!
"I'm totally new to this. Could you please explain in laymans terms?"
For simplicity, compliance and all that jazz...minus the requirement to read tab music and the proper amount of lip and air pressure to the reed, go Procaster.
Simple, on board tuning meter, comes with radiating rod, certified for BOTH the US and Canada, comes with simple and common audio/power interface on a 25 foot cabling, enclosure is weather proof and made of cast aluminum (stronger and shields TX), automatic RF final stage power limiter to prevent exceeding 15.219, labeled to regulation requirements, easy to install, tune up and operate.
You cannot get any closer to plug n play than that with an outdoor setup. The other option to the plug n play outdoor setup is the iAM/ATU combo. The only decision then is which one because both iAM/ATU combo and the Procaster come pretty close to neck n neck price range.
RFB
the i.am from my understanding can be modulated 125% in the + range where the procaster cannot. the i.am and procaster all things equal i believe have the same kind of range when properly installed and grounded over a large groundplane. the i.am only has an ubalanced audio in option where the procaster does both balanced and unbalanced. i looked up the procaster it appears to be only certified for 1.29-1700 where the i.am covers the entire band. i would email both i.am and chez radio. get the specs on both. see which looks better spec wise.
Well operating the lower part of the band, be it through a iAM or Procaster or anything else, into the 3 meter stick always results in less than expected results when it comes to range. The 3 meter stick is simply way too short for the lower band and just barely works in the upper band due to wavelength differences..one of the reasons why the Procaster did not waste time in building their unit to cover the lower portions of the band.
The Op might want to keep that in mind while sifting through all the available info.
RFB
A comment you made RFB, reminds me of a very good point that could be added to the wishlist we made of hoped-for improvements to the part 15 rules.
You just said that a 3-meter antenna "barely works" on the upper portion of the AM band, perhaps from 1300kHz to 1700kHz.
Therefore, theoretically speaking, the antenna length we should hope for would "barely work" all the way down to 540kHz..... maybe the part 15 rules should allow up to four different antenna lengths based on the frequency band portion used for transmitting.
"maybe the part 15 rules should allow up to four different antenna lengths based on the frequency band portion used for transmitting."
Not a bad idea. In fact it would most likely eliminate a lot of guess work and improper designs which could cause problems like....INTERFERENCE! ACK that darn word again..just can't get away from that sucker now can we! 😉
The reason why most Part 15 on a 3 meter stick prefer the upper band is the shorter wavelength. But even with the shorter wavelength, the 3 meter stick is still highly inefficient, but works far better than those frequencies below about 1200Khz, and no comment on the lower sections of the band and results out of a 3 meter stick.
(BLLLAAAHHHH)
Ok so I had to comment...or at least make an honest noise.
RFB
well depends on area. here 1550khz works better than 1700
Friends, have a look, just discovered this one http://www.vcomp.co.uk/spitfire/spitfire.htm