How do you plan to tune it at the top of your tower?
RadioHam, do you have a field strength meter that will work for Part 15 AM?
If you are correct in your claims, then your transmitter field strength should not vary significantly at various heights, even if range is significantly increased. If your field strength increases as the height increases, then that is the cause of your extended range, and it is highly likely that something else is radiating in your setup.
Just of note, in relation to radiating grounds of a "ungrounded" transmitter, a 1981 highway instalation guildlines for TIS systems (which are very simiilar to our part 15 installs) the following mention is made on page 57 under the section about ground radial use:
".." If the system makes use of commercial AC power, as nearly all do, the power ground will unavoidably become part of the antenna ground system. This may account for the fact that some antenna installations have been found to radiate tolerably well with what would otherwise appear to be a rather inefficient grounding."
https://archive.org/stream/highwayadvisoryr00turn#page/56/mode/2up
Be sure you do not have the "sheild drain" connected at the transmitter end as shown in the Hamilton manual (which says it can be connected at either the transmitter or studio end). My money is on this wire being connected at the transmitter end creates a long radiating lead, which in your case would be very long indeed -- and elevated as well! It would be interesting to see what difference having this connected at the studio end vs. the transmitter end would make. I realize that with your tower that's a huge pain in the butt. But it would be interesting, especially if you have access to an actual field strength meter like a Nems-CLarke, Potomac, RCA WX2, etc. Then you would have numvers rather than just a reception report, as radio receivers are hardly a laboratory standard!
TIB
I invite anyone and even challenge you to a (((($500.00)))) reward, to come inspect my Hamilton transmitter install and find an FCC infraction. I will pay you if you find an FCC infraction that's how confident i am of my correct install and have only legal intentions.
I have followed the rules opted out of a ground and have installed it just exactly as Hamilton, had intended it just exactly like the inventor intended it to be installed minus a ground...
So anyone who wants to come visit my station and see if they can find any infraction at all. Becuase there is no ground wire and no cable run dipole leg or cheat or anything of an internal ground. The external lug is left unused, and the grounds inside don't cross cover from VDC -/+ side of AF or +/- side of the DC doesn't travel to the rf side either as well as the negative sides don't touch.
(( THERE IS A GROUND INSIDE BUT ITS LEFT ALONE)), and you guys
The cable is using four wires only (( AF +/- and DC +/- )) so you boys need to stop by for some lemonade and see how it is done in the good old black dirt of Iowa 🙂
Being a long time Ham radio operator and respecting the FCC for over 35 years as well an ARRL official observer understand the rules of communications and not only my license at stake but my pride as a legal station, and professional broadcaster now retired, so as you can see I have more to lose than money I have reputation and that's why i say the things i do with confidence in my over 35 years in radio..
((Youtube video))
MY drive test using NOAA as a constant audio source...
You can be very sincere bout what you believe, and you can be sincerely wrong...
At the ALPB meetings I have been a voice for keeping our nose out of each others legality and here at this forum I promote the same "mind our own business" approach.
The ALPB is not an enforcement organization and is not checking anyone out, and I don't think Part15_us is a snoop either.
At the same time the ALPB and Part15_US are both dedicated to legal operation, yet it's not our business to sniff around looking for violators.
The only problem with our "see nothing, say nothing" approach are the occasional folks who have promoted illegal operation or, and this is slightly different, "appeared to promote" illegal operation, which makes it ackward to tone them down without coming off as rule enforcers.
Another problem that I myself have caused is an occasional critique of the FCC for one reason or another, and this is especially true now with Chairman Aijet Pai serving his right wing corporate oligarch masters by throwing out rules that protect the public intserest. It is not easy to respectfully obey the little rules while having nothing but disagreement over large policy decisions.
But we're stuck because we can't secede from the U.S. and launch our own small nation with our own communications rules.
I was just getting to the matter of members who suspect other members of illegal operation. They are not actually accusing, and I don't know if it causes the moderators to pause or not.
For that matter I might be lying about having a completely clean operation with powers set LOWER than required by part 15. There is no lie detector, only occasional suspicion.
Heck, I think about violating the rules during long weekends just for fun, so is it wrong to think about?
Stand up for your side of the argument and we can get weeks of furom postings out of it.
Now that I am hatless I can say what's floating around my head. It seems that we follow a particular pattern here on the site and if you sidestep the old dawgs on the porch you become criticized and run off the forum on a rail. I have never done anything the way people have told me hence the in the air no ground approach and its gotten me further in life or at least happier, it seems a few want to gang up and play accusatory roles while others chime in like the lil bullies behind the loud mouth bully, if you suspect someone is stealing the eggs because they have better eggs or bigger eggs than you than maybe you got some bad eggs which lead to a lot of stinkers. I myself let people fall off the cliff without my help they seem to find the edges themselves you don't need to keep pointing it out..(( i submitted a coverage map of my town and the first two posts immediately said I was blatantly in violation of fcc rules.. wow really do you approach couples who are happy and immediately say you must be cheating on your spouses because I have never seen a happier couple than you.. What crock of poop you guys should be in supporting roles not greeters at the gate like you have been allowed in this forum where if you are getting any mileage at all your a tramp.
[Post edited by Moderator]
It's good to know your frienemies this way theirs no misunderstandings later
Radioham
Good advertising for the Hamilton Rangmaster.
Mark
RadioHAM Joe Dood please don't let the porch dawgs drive you away.
I understand everything you have posted and have no criticisms at all.
The ALPB is delighted that you have joined.
Maybe some folks didn't carefully read what you actually said and possibly jumped to the wrong conclusions.
We all have very small stations and tower envy might be a real thing.
That is up-to-date for the minute but there's one more thing...
I am Carl Blare. There is no one named "Clare". Yet I know you are speaking to me when you use the name "Clare", so maybe I should respond by saying, "Who?"
Actually I knew a very scholarly woman in high school named Clair. Oh, and later I met a law school student named Clair. They never met each other.
And now I am known as a "clarvoyent news caster".
This is only a suggestion since I am not yet a full dictator.
I believe it is fair play to tell another member that you don't think that his setup sounds legal. That would be an opinion.
But it is wrong to tell someone they ARE illegal because that would be an accusation.
If that is somewhat simple it gets more complicated when we read posts addressed to us and need to decide whether someone merely disagrees with our opinion or is accusing us of violating the rules.
The good news is that before we settle this problem the climate will totally collapse and human life will be wiped out.
My 2 cents: I may very well have tower envy! Beyond that I really don't care to call balls and strikes on whether or not a fellow member is Part 15 compliant. From all I have read it really comes down to what a FCC inspector says and apparently they are all over the map. If someone is getting great range and not generating complaints due to interference I think that's fine. That's just me. I don't work for the government.
The reason there are old dawgs around is that they know a thing or two, and have survived for a while.
I also begin to get very suspicious about a poster's intent when they start flying off the deep end and insulting those who don't agree with them.
It was YOU who made the claims about height mattering, and that an ungrounded, elevated installation can get extended range. Far more, in fact, than from what is generally considered to be a legal, ground-mounted installation. If you hadn't made those claims, then it's likely that little would have been said.
But you did, and as a result, some have disagreed that such an installation with extended range can be legal.
Now, you could have ignored those voices and continued with what you were doing. Better yet, you could have proven your claims by several of the methods suggested in this thread. But instead, you've doubled down without any sort of proof , and you've also now chosen to start throwing insults.
This Forum doesn't have many rules, but there are a few that are strictly enforced. One is that it is about legal, unlicensed broadcasting. And another is that ad hominem attacks are not allowed - disagreements and criticism can be positive, but name calling is not.
You're allowed your opinions. But correspondingly, others are also allowed their opinions too. If you're going to give them out, then you're going to have to learn to take them as well.
I suggest very strongly that you take a deep breath, and think a bit about how your posts will be received before hitting that 'Save' button.
I noticed your Canadian FM station I refuse to put up an FM station it's just an invite for the FCC to take huge payments in cash donations. No thanks. I will stick to my ungrounded high n mighty above ground install. But I do invite you over sometime to discuss efficient radiators and their propagation methods ...flying off the deep end lol really you're going with that... after you have attacked me repeatedly for what you believe is unsubstantiated claims that I am illegally transmitting content. Something doesn't seem right you say, it's this guy's cocky attitude I know he can't legally get 4-6 miles he must be dealing 5 aces somehow. Well here's 4 things you don't know about...
1. I have a 300 ft 8 tension high voltage wire super duper electrical path to propagation less than a 1/4 mile from the antenna which when it gained height I got out even farther. esp my east-west pattern that follows said wires. ( it is a known fact such wires carry AM signals farther, which i suspected.
2. Right behind me from my transmitting antenna all the way to the horizon is pure black rich farmland soil with not a house between me and the horizon the South acting as the perfect level path, how many AM part 15 old dawgs can honestly claim this perfect path to the horizon?
3. I am one of the highest points in town I am not the highest a few more have that distinction but I have almost the entire town sloping down the hill to me thereby making again my path to their AM antennas nearly line of sight down the hill of my xmiting ANT...
4. I live in a town surrounded on all sides by rivers that make up the North and the West of the town plus a railroad that cuts thru the bottom of town next to the amplified river system.
So now Artisan as you can read i have many natural features which more than enhance my signal but actually work for me full time 24/7 365 insuring I don't need to cheat i have Gods own hand at work ensuring my signal is amplified 10 fold 🙂
AND NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY 🙂
Copy and paste where I was being disrespectful and I will copy paste where
you guys were being naughty to me I am telling ma...
;P
oh the low power broadcasters meetings are gonna be a hoot Saturday I cannot wait
🙂
Did a few calculations:
Consider a high performance AM receiver like the CC Crane CCRadioSW. The AM band sensitivity of this radio is 0.2 mV/m (that's 0.2 millivolts per meter).
Now let's say that someone is listening to a part 15 station that is two miles away and that station's signal at 2 miles is just at the radio's sensitivity threshold of 0.2 mV/m. If you move the radio any farther away you lose the station.
Applying a few equations of electromagnatic field strength and power density, to achieve a field strength of 0.2 mV/meter at 2 miles, the field strength at the station antenna must be 6.55 volts/meter. This translates to a radiated power of 113 milliwatts at the station's antenna. Certainly well beyond part 15 limits.
Now lets consider a compliant part 15 station. The antenna, feedline, and ground wire is 3 meters total length. Given a frequency of 1680 KHz, this translates to a 1/4 wavelength of 45 meters (146 feet). The antenna is only 3 meters (10 feet) so that is only 0.068 of the wavelength. That works out to an antenna efficiency of only 0.12. So 100 milliwatts to the antenna results in only 12 millwatts actually being radiated.
For 12 milliwatts of actual radiated power, a field strength of 0.2 millivolts/meter occurs at about 1/2 mile from the station. This is more typical of what part 15 folks observe.
These calculations are based on the antenna efficiency, field strength and power density equations in the ARRL Antenna Handbook, 20th edition, pages 16-6 through 16-10 and 23-2.