Spent a few hours today looking up some EDM info, and it led me to a rather interesting bunch of folks, Christmas light people. Apparently they use several of the same transmitters we use in our broadcasting hobby, and man they are a crafty bunch! One of the transmitters they use can be found on eBay really cheap http://www.ebay.com/itm/260498966512 and before anyone starts a rant, it is NOT made by HLLY. The Christmas light bunch has adapted miniRDS to this little thing, used old ATX power supplies to run it, used Breakaway to feed it, and even set their lights to flash with the music. They build antennas, share info, and even have group buys. Check out one their forums at http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?70-Radio-Waves and you'll see these people are serious!
Tommy J.
AM-580 The Bull!
I have seen many home owners over the years put up elaborate light displays with music and synchronized "light to music" flashing, even a few setups where ol Saint Nick up on the roof in his sleigh move around by actuators and servos, even Rudolph's red nose light up and breath effects as if all of the deer were breathing while waiting for Santa to come back up the chimney.
There are very impressive displays out there. Some a bit over kill and so bright with super bright LED's that they light up the entire block, some even a bit too bright to get cited for excess lighting when they exceed the brightness of even the street lamps!
IMO, its not necessary to over kill the house and yard just to impress the neighbors. Although these kinds of displays are pretty and bring in the holiday cheer, the cheer and joyful time is suddenly thwarted when that nice fat electric bill comes in the following month...along with the tax bills and credit card bills from all that Black Friday shopping!
Im glad someone out there has money to throw away...how about throwing some of it my way. I could use a new porch light.
RFB
The UC_Davis and Oakland Police pepper spray the manger scene and a gunship helicopter goes after the sleigh and reindeers.
All with happy part 15 music from an ebay transmitter.
The Christmas Light Bunch mentions the
Vast Electonics VASTELEC FM-02.
It's a kit. Looks like 30 mW out to me.
Vast Electonics mentions Part 15, and quotes the
"200 feet range language" for AM and FM that we
have all heard before. Vast also lists the
various Part 15 regs, such as 15.239, but does not
have them written out.
So probably most of these Christmas Light Dudes
have bought them as kits, or assembled by somebody.
There is also mention of J Pole transmitting antennas.
So most of these installations will probably go too far.
More in question to me, though: what is the spectral
purity of these transmitters?
Bruce, DOGRADIO STUDIO 2
On a side note... I think these are the same as who used to be lightoramasequences (now ultrashows). Their original website used to also have a good tutorial on Zararadio, but it's not there anymore. Their Zara tutorial is how I originally came to visit their website earlier this year, but now my bookmark to those pages no longer valid.
But.. Somebody put up a copy of the original Light-O-Rama websitesite, and the Zara tutorial is still there, it's missing a couple of screenshots, but still very useful to someone who's never used Zararadio before.
Here's their archived link:
http://s169552314.onlinehome.us/content/view/59/82/
Actually the wayback machine has a more complete copy of it at: http://web.archive.org/web/20100808084704/http://lightoramasequences.com/content/view/59/82/
Actually it is not a kit in the sense of a "kit". It is pre assembled in two parts. The display/control board and the motherboard containing the 1415 chip, crystal and audio circuits.
Its a good TX with a fairly clean output. But regardless of how well it puts out a clean spectral signal, always use a low pass filter and don't forget to change or install the capacitor from ground to Pin 19 with a 220pf cap to properly set the 19khz pilot level.
On some TX units using the 1415 chip, that pilot level is WAY too high and causes a hissing noise in the audio. Pin 19 is the pilot level adjustment.
RFB