Discouragement

I love doing the Canadian equivalent of Part 15 radio.

However, I went through a similar level of discouragement approximately a year after I started Artisan Radio. I was attempting to establish a community radio station on Bowen Island, and with the limited coverage area required, it was actually possible with unlicensed radio.

Here are some of the realities that I found. Of course, they could be different, depending on why you started down this hobby path in the first place. I've found that once I accepted them, I could enjoy what I was actually doing.

1) People will talk about helping you out - few, if any, will. The ones that do are a joy. And they're the reason why Artisan Radio has so much original hosted programming every week (7 hours, of which I can barely do 2).

2) Don't let money enter into the equation, unless you're willing to take on a whole new set of problems related to business concerns, as opposed to radio ones. There is a huge difference between 'support' and money exchanging hands, particularly in the level of commitment for those running the radio station.

3) Don't expect many listeners. There are so many options out there. Appreciate the ones you do get.

4) Understand that the FCC (and Industry Canada) are not there for you. They are there for the licensed stations and to patrol the airwaves ensuring that those licensed stations aren't interfered with. After all, they're paying to do what they do. I'm sure that no one believed that the distances that are being achieved legally were possible at the time the Part 15 rules were drawn up. At best, the FCC and Industry Canada will leave you alone. And forgetting about those organizations per say, there are some nice guys working there who really do care.

5) And one I just learned, or relearned. You don't need a lot of money to participate in the hobby. In my recent experimentation, and I'm not a hardware radio techie by any means, I was able to get over a mile range by being creative with a Talking Sign transmitter - I'm sure similar or greater distances can be achieved with the inexpensive Talking House (less than $100 on e-bay these days, and $95 from Radio Systems directly).

Basically, I'm in this for the music. I love to listen to it myself - in my case, mainly in my car. Pitt Meadows is sufficiently small that I can receive, on AM, Artisan Radio in most places. And I love putting together the radio shows that I do do, researching the artists and the songs.

If you are feeling discouraged or negative, I believe that all you have to do to get re-energized is to 1) think about why you enjoyed doing it in the first place and then 2) just do that.

After that first year, I cut out advertising, replaced a lot of manual playlist creation with randomized playlists and automated voice generation for song & artist titles. I now do it for me - and if others can enjoy it, so much the better.

You guys put some - I would say - almost
perfect points in there. I really can't think
of anything else to say except for:

It makes me really happy.

It makes me feel like a teenager again.

I love the electronics gear, and I love the
old music and radio shows.

And I love the challenge of trying to get the
signal out there.

Bruce, DRS2

FM is too easy, IMO.. AM is an animal all its own!

I'm not an engineer and never claimed to be. I know enough of the basics to have some fun and learn in the process. I live so far out in the boonies and never expected to draw a crowd but I can try to stretch every bit of distance out of it that I can..

What I see is the fun has left and the focus is too much on the technology. I understand that things need to be as perfect as possible to get maximum range. If a new person just starting out should get a taste of broadcasting their own content across the yard, then maybe they would like to get more in-depth and strive for more range. Hobbies are suppost to be fun!

Quote good 'ol Wiki..

"A hobby is an activity, interest, enthusiasm, or amateur pastime that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, typically done during one's leisure time."

Part-15 Radio isn't a career nor a high-pay business venture. It's just 100mW. of freedom that we all get to play with. Bless the ones that have figured out a way to make some money with it but they are far and few. Bless the ones that have made it a community venture and give. Bless the curious that may choose to indulge..

Encourage the folks that string an antenna wire across the curtain rod just to see what happens instead of hammering them with all of the heavy stuff. Not everyone who wants to do this is a tech or an engineer so let's not forget that..

Many folks that visit here only know that Part-15 is licence free radio and not a whole lot more. I appreciate the knowledge around here and understand most of it but I'm sure that it could be intimidating to someone that doesn't..

That's how I see things around here and as for me, I love this place! I'm gonna tune my antenna with a beer can and I don't care who likes it or not.. LOL

Peace Out..

As awesome as having the entire village of Owensville tune in to Channel X would be, I know the odds are against me. Still I really wanna do it for 2 reasons:

1. The love of music- I love all types of music and there isn't a single station in town that caters to my musical tastes. I find myself flipping through the presets in my car all the time. Even if I'm the only listener, I'll be listening to a station that plays what I like all the time. I can even play my own requests, which nobody around here does. The lousy Clear Channel stations (corporation not 50kW AM) are nothing but iHeart radio automation on servers in Hollywood. They could care less about an average Joe in Ohio. By the way, this iHeart radio music festival they keep talking about sounds like a load of crap. It's just another marketing ploy by the 1% of America.

Sorry about that ramble. I just hate all these behemoth radio corporations. I miss locally owned radio. Nowadays, even the public stations are all owned by NPR.

Now, reason number 2.

2. Radio really mesmerizes me, and I wanna broadcast. Radio has been my dream since I was 8. I don't care if anyone is listening. All I care about is the fun of being a DJ and the bragging rights of owning a radio station. Sure, it won't pick up any normal chicks (It might actually work for nerdy girls lol), but I just think it would be amazing to start a conversation with "I'm John and I own a radio station.".

Some people might think part 15 is a lost cause. But I think it's an awesome hobby.

I've been tinkering with radio since I was 7 or 8 years old.

That old floor model shortwave in the basement, the Philco Tombstone that was my grandmas, the Tiny Tim Crystal Radio, the Cub Scout Crystal Radio, the Remco Caravelle, the Lafayette kit Broadcaster, the various home brew transmitters...

It's been me for over 50 of my 60 years.

I tell people I'm my own best listener of my Part 15 operation and I couldn't care less if anyone else hears it or not. Although I'll admit it was a thrill when I got an email from a couple people that were visiting in Ohio from Pennsylvania. They also have an interest in Part 15 and found my website. So they drove 30 miles from Cleveland to Akron to check out my operation and sent me a very nice signal report.

Lately I simply skim over the threads that seem mostly confrontational and carefully word my comments or suggestions.

I'm saddened to read the Carl has dropped the Low Power Hour. I can't figure where the idea of a lack of interest developed. Perhaps this is the outcome of recent events either directly or indirectly. Either way a very great loss.

Neil, thanks for squeezing this festering sore as the infection seems to be spreading. I hope a good cleaning will start the healing.

A quote to sum it up..taken from Star Trek - The Wrath of Khan.

"As a physician you of all people should appreciate the dangers of re-opening old wounds." Capt. Kirk speaking to Dr. McCoy in the turbo lift.

RFB

Nothing beats a period of discouragement better than having someone tell you, "I was scanning the dial and came across you doing a weather report. Then I stayed tuned because I liked the older songs you played. Thanks for running a good sounding station."

This was when I had 1160 on the air and did weekday morning program.

I'm rebuilding now, and eventually (as discussed in the Carrier Current Journal thread) may combine the Part 15 AM with a carrier-current system. For my particular location, that makes a lot of sense.

Sometimes a period of time away is good, and healthy. However, I've had my country station running continuously either via Part 15 AM, the Internet, or a combination of both, since July 27, 2003.

Perhaps old wounds healed should remain as such. Sores, however, need to be addressed.

The problem Neil brings up with discouragement seems to be a situation in the making for some time now if it relates to this forum. Over the last couple years I've observed this forum move from a fun exchange of ideas and experiences to one of scrutiny and confrontation over details and opinions.

After following threads ad nauseum that argue circumstance beyond our control it's only normal to become a bit disenchanted with the whole concept. I view it as discussions that are "poisoning the well."

So yes, I take a break from the bickering and simply enjoy my hobby. I continue to see what's being posted and cautiously join in.

Public Notice 14089, Issued on July 24, 1991 has been discussed in this Forum several times. This Public Notice states that the range of a Part 15 AM (and FM) is 200 feet.

The 200 foot range limit is nowhere in the Rules, and the range for Part 15 AM and FM transmitters is definitely not legally limited to 200 feet. What we see in this Public Notice, however, is the underlying philosophy of the FCC. They would LIKE to see the range limited to some small distance like 200 feet!

Range is a very vague concept that depends on many conditions, including atmospheric background noise. Maybe the FCC will be satisfied with limiting to twice the stated range, or 400 feer, or maybe even ten times, which is 2000 feet. The point is that the FCC really does not care to see Part 15 transmitter installations used that have significant coverage areas.

That's how it appears to me anyway, and I think it is this fundamaental attitude of the FCC that ultimately limits Part 15 tansmitter range.

i do the best of both worlds full service commercial & community oriented. my priorities are to number 1 serve the people of the community, the advertising dollars and underwriting for businesses are number 2 and number 3 if they're was a problem find ways to fall back on (even asking for donations and getting another job is just fine nothing wrong with that), and have more programming and try different things to make it better and see how they work out.

Perhaps it would do some good for newbies to restate the above, but also a reminder that a great deal depends on the receiver.

Besides the long distance to my ham friend with the extreme hi-end general class receiver and longwire antenna, there is also the perfect reception on a mid-cost C Crane inside a building about 1/2 mile away, with many other buildings in between and downhill to my TX on my boat.

Other than that ... at least for AM system range ...
Build your system carefully and well, paying attention to the three most important things:
1) Best RF ground possible,
2) Best RF ground possible, and
3) Best RF ground possible.

😉

Hi everyone once again.

I also got out of Part 15 due to the fact where my station was I kept getting parts of my Copper antenna wires ripped off.
That being said My wife and i have moved and I am looking at my TH thinking perhaps I should consider getting back into what I was doing.

Don't give up guys part 15 is the only hope for radio into the future.

Hey Lefty thanks for the call this morning.

Glad to hear you are getting back in the game.

I still have the archives of serveral of your shows when I was carrying it.

Perhaps we can link up again.

Welcome Back!

Ken, I am very impressed that your Part 15
transmitter was heard perfectly inside a building 1/2
mile away on a "mid cost" C Crane radio.

C Crane does make some very good radios, but
still - your signal got through whatever RFI
trash was around there. (I guess the radio had
to be pointed in the correct direction.)

Now I KNOW that your transmitter is on a boat -
but that is still very very good.

Best Wishes,
Bruce, DRS2