My guess is most of us know that our p.15 stations have (mostly) very few, if any, listeners. That is mainly due to the fact that radio in general, yes even FM, is being destroyed by internet radio. Namely, pandora. Why would someone want to go to AM radio and deal with QRM, static and commercials just to hear music? Even on FM, with a poor reciever, the station might not come in stereo because of low sensitivity. What more can we do to gain an audience? Go on to some interstate billboard and put an ad up? It'd get views, that's for sure. But come on. If anyone's gonna save AM radio, LW radio, and even SW, it's not going to be the FCC. It's us. The part 15'ers and even the radio pirates. Remember, Reginald Fessenden didn't have a license when he went on 462 kHz and played his violin. Radio has been around for too long to let it die because of internet and crappy programs. This means, ANARCHY! No no no, we gotta keep letting the FCC know we mean business.
For starters, advertise the hell out of our stations. Second, petition the FCC change p.15 rules, extend the FM band to 80-108, so that the 80-87 area is for experimental and p.15 use. Also, extend the AM band from 1710 to 1740 so that the 1610-1740 area has more room for wider and stronger signals. That's where we ask for a wattage raise. How the hell are we supposed to get listeners if we can barely cover our backyards? I think 5 watts is more appropreiate. That's enough for a town, so when driving, the interference is limited. Maybe even just 2.5 watts could do the job. Why does the FCC even care that much? Who listens to that part of the AM band anyway?
And as for the FM band, we know damn well that 1/1,000,000th of a watt is absurd. I feel that 5 watts of FM is enough for a town if the antenna is high enough. From here, we stand together. Will these ideas change? Ovbiouisly. But we need to make serious changes to radio now. Look at Europe. They still use LW and SW all the time. Their radio bands are great. Full of good programs and pirates. If we want to get listeners and our voices (or signals as it is) heard, we need to get more room and more watts. Or, just throw out the rules and start cranking up the power and throw on a pirate hat. Naturally, I'm not advocating for that...
National Association of Broadcasters
Sign me in agreement with atrainradio... it all makes sense, officially and federally making small broadcasting legal for those who wish to use THE PUBLIC AIR WAYS.
Who are we? We are THE PUBLIC. What do we want? We want to use the public air ways.
But there is likely at least one bully standing in the way... just ask John WDCX... it's the NAB. They will get you NABBED!
But isn't it time for failing licensed broadcasters to resign their NAB memberships? Why? Because other than wearing suits and picking on small broadcasters, the NAB is not saving radio? Why aren't they saving radio? Because they don't know how to deliver their stated purpose of representing and advancing the business of broadcasting.
And the FCC... are they looking out for the public in their role as TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC AIRWAYS? No. Because the NAB takes them to lunch and remembers them at Christmas. Pets serve the one who feeds them.
Enter the ALPB (Association of Low Power Broadcasters). Will the ALPB even the playing field? No. But we will TALK about leveling that field!
Because the NAB takes them to lunch and remembers them at Christmas. Pets serve the one who feeds them.
And, shame the Devil!!
I don't think we should worry about the NAB. We probably have to worry about ourselves more.
Part 15 broadcasters are not going to get any relaxing of the rules if we don't clean up our acts first. Ensure that we are compliant with existing rules. And ensure that we are also compliant with copyright rules. In other words, demonstrate that we will be good corporate citizens of the airwaves if the rules do change.
And what makes you think that the FCC will change the rules if we don't have any listeners? I believe that listeners lobbying the FCC for change will do far more than Part 15 broadcasters. So go out and get those listeners. I know it's somewhat chicken and egg, but some stations have shown that it's possible. Even with limited power and antennas.
Shout from the rooftops that you exist. If you're legal, there's nothing to fear.
And maybe, just maybe, the FCC and other world spectrum governing bodies will listen.
Well said Artisian. If the listeners of Part 15'ers start lobbying the FCC as well, then they will understand that we are to be taken seriously. But, the public at large doesn't know about Part 15 and its rules. So we need to make them aware of it. To carl, that is also a problem. We need to start listing all the part 15 stations there are. I have no idea how many there are. 100? 1000? 10000? Nothing will happen in a year. But in five years, we could maybe have some more room by then. Higher wattage? My guess is not. But I could see the band expantions and experimental shortwave ideas passed. For now we'll just keep on keeping on. Get as many transmitters as you can. Start translating your stations through town, meaning that if you operate on 1700, have a few TX's around town on 1700 so that you can be heard throughout the area and not break any rules.
How many put out "big signals" for experimentation
but don't really tell anybody. By "big signals" I mean
the most of what a Part 15 AM station can do. Then
some people put out big signals and do get the word
out. On the other hand - there are people with
beautiful studios who don't transmit very far. Those
studios are almost models - like electric train sets.
Then I guess there is everything in between.
probably 10 years ago, a ham radio operator friend
of mine noticed that his neighbor had a small Part
15 FM station just for fun. It didn't go far, but my
friend could hear it. Then my friend put one on.
Again, it was on FM with low range, but the "studio"
was really cool. They both were yardcasters.
I'm sure there are Part 15 AMers that keep to
themselves and don't have any web presence
at all. Especially if they have the transmitter/ant
up on a tower. I guess they figure that are almost
Part 15 but don't want to take a chance being on the web.
In my case, I had one regular listener (my best friend
from high school days, who lived nearby) and a few
people here and there, but not too often.
I do miss my Part 15 AM operation very much.
Bruce
Yeah Bruce I remember reading about your operation. It seemed like a lot of fun! It is a huge thrill when you notice that you acatually do have listeners that aren't family related haha. It always gives me a rush and warm feeling. When people say "Hey, are you that guy with that radio show on 92.9?" With a big smile on my face, I proudly say, Yes, that would be me.
It wouldn't take that much more power on FM to make it useable. Canadian Part 15 rules are a bit more lax and it's possible to get up to 1km range with a good car radio.
Back when I didn't know any better I experimented with a Ramsey FM100B - somewhere between 5 to 10 milliwatts output. With an antenna up high I could hear my signal clear across Bowen Island in my car (about 3 miles). Somewhat less than that with a portable radio. Needless to say I shut it off rather quickly. But that shows what can be done with even a few milliwatts and a good antenna.
Perhaps something like that could be allowed, particularly if additional spectrum is allocated (put unlicensed stations there and you get no interference).
AM is more problematic but the band is already rather empty. It would make more sense to put enhanced Part 15 stations there - even removing the antenna restrictions while keeping the power levels the same would help tremendously.
Right now in The Homeland (former U.S.A.) the FM band is 87 - 108 MHz, even though until recently the FCC made very few assignments below 88.1.
There is still talk about opening former VHF-TV channels 5 & 6 for use as FM frequencies, but there are still a few LPTV assignments down there.
Some radios sold on the international market can be set to regional FM bands, one of these radios is the TECSUN PL-310.
In Japan the FM band is 76 - 108 MHz.
The best is whichever country (could it be Brazil?) has the largest band:
64 - 108 MHz!
Hello Washington. Are you receiving this message?
20 years ago, in 1994 - I built a Ramsey
FM-10 stereo FM transmitter kit. This
was a stereo transmitter kit, it was not
synthesized, but had a drifty VFO. There
were ways to stabilize the VFO. There were
many blogs on this transmitter. It was the
best thing we all had for FM at the time.
I put better caps in my VFO, put a fan on the
transmitter, and adapted it for mono.
It was on 91.9 MHz, which was clear at the time.
The FM-10 discussion groups all said that a
stock FM-10 put out about 5 or 6 mW. And
of course, at the time - we all thought this
was legal. At least I did. Because my children
were ages 3 and 1 at the time - there was no
time to make a radio station - so I didn't.
Good thing, I guess. I suppose I could have
been busted.
Bruce
Bruce makes me think of something that happened right around here, in the neighborhood surrounding the Internet Building in the Center of North America.
It was about a year ago, when one day, coming from in between a row of houses to the north, the loudest but clearest rendition of a drum set that I have ever heard.
Being an acoustic man (his secret identity - Acoustic Man!) - I realized that the loudspeaker system that was delivering the exceptionally loud but completely undistorted sound must be one excellent system, and I wondered what it could be?
Of course this only went on a few times because no doubt other neighbors complained and got it stopped.
But should that guy have been paying royalties to ASCAP?
He was safe with the FCC because transmissions below 10 kHz are legal.
Yeah I mean the rules that we must follow drive myself and us all nuts. But hey, wouldn't wanna interfere with the neighbors t.v and radio now would we? Who cares that their outdoor lights and flat screens put out so much QRM that the AM band is as useful as a pet rock.
I'm starting to think that the internet may be the best way to get our ideas and Part 15 stations to mean more to the public . Check out Dark Matter Radio Network and see how powerful an Internet based Station or network can be. It has many thousands of people who listen to it.
Take a part 15 station and then put really good stuff on it and then stream it VIA the alpb and the internet.
But as Artisan said we need to have our BMI - ASCAP etc in order to really push it to the next level.
I think AM Radio can be saved in the USA VIA Part 15 if we all work at it and don't let the evil get to us VIA people who try to take away what we are trying to do.
Lefty
Looking at AM radio here in the center of north america things have been in the dumpster for years, as in many other markets.
We have six sports stations that talk ONLY of sports all the time. Even the most retarded sports fanatic can't possibly listen to sports 24-hours a day coming from six stations. These stations have FCC licenses.
Worse, there are eight all christian stations that continuously repeat the same children's tales for the non-educated while entirely ignoring the realities of the world. Not even the most holy zealot could ever listen to all of it, but it's FCC licensed, blurring the separation between government and religion.
There are five small stations that run automated music for ethnic, country, oldies and variety fans, but there is no one on duty so weather and emergency information is not included. FCC licensed.
The NAB doesn't see a problem so long as membership dues are paid in full.
The conclusion is that the FCC and NAB are failed systems perpetuating low class performance.
While civilization is on the brink of collapse, humanity at risk of extinction and the planet nearing the end of life support, radio resides in a fantasy game world.