Hello!
I like playing with radio a lot, and I keep coming back to running a part15 station. I live in Tacoma, WA, so I don't think I'd do particularly well-- the environment is hilly, I can't put an antenna on my house, and the RF environment here is pretty noisy.
But I like playing with the technology, so I think I'll do it anyway. I think I'm going to try to make an SDR transmitter as a way learn stuff about SDR.
Also, I forgot to put an h in my nickname-- any chance that could be fixed, or should I sign up for another account?
Also, I forgot to put an h in my nickname-- any chance that could be fixed, or should I sign up for another account?
Done, but you will have to use the new nic or your email address to login.
There is much to be learned (and also plenty of fun) by going on the air with your own station even if it is not your intention to broadcast to the neighborhood due to limited range. For many, broadcasting is the goal but for others, such as myself, exploring the technology and listening to my own "station" around the house is really neat.
You didn't mention AM or FM or both. A simple way to get started is to get one of those FM units designed to connect to a player and transmit in a car. This way you get on the air easily and you will gain experience setting up an "audio chain" which, for many, is just a computer with a sound card. Search this site for Zara Radio for some nice software. Don't push the range, which will be small, by attaching antennas not supplied with the transmitter.
Read the FCC rules. Search on FCC Part 15.209, 15.219, and 15.239.
AM operation gives greater range than FM but it will be mono and be subject to electrical noise. For AM you can build from a kit (Ramsey or SSTRAN) or buy a certified transmitter such as the Talking House. Procaster, or Rangemaster. The easiest one of these to set up is the Talking House.
My best advice is to read the rules, start small, and build your station as you learn more about Part 15 operation.
Neil
If you know how Carrier Current could work.
Thanks for changing it!
I had a little FM dongle for a while I added an ersatz jpole to when I had an office on a rather tall building in the area. I only ran it for about 20 minutes after I could get a clear signal about two miles away. I had LoS to the building, but after looking at part15 I figured it was too hot.
I suppose I should introduce myself a bit futher. In addition to being into community broadcasting (and thereby part15), I'm also a ham and I (try to) work in commercial broadcasting.
Compared to FM, AM is pretty quiet in the PNW because propagation kind of stinks given the terrain. That, plus the much simpler compliance rules for AM make it attractive to me.
Also, I kind of collect transmitters. In addition to all my ham gear, I've got a few in-car things, two talking houses, an old radio shack car device that retransmits NOAA WX and TV audio to AM, and an assortment of other weird stuff.
I've not been impressed by the talking houses, tbh. The range doesn't even cover my house, and the modulation even when I can hear it leaves a lot to be desired. I picked these up at garage sales and flea markets, and I figure they're probably not the versions people use here.
Oh-- I just picked up one of them Wild Planet DJ things with the built in tape player. Got it at the labor day sales I was dragged to over the weekend. Thought it was going to be FM, turns out it's AM and crystal controlled. Thinking about pulling the crystal out and modifying it with one of the DDS modules I got off ebay. In addition to part15 I could retune it for 160m qrp. 🙂
Also, given how clumsy I am, carrier current terrifies me.
Sam,
The intro and your background helps. You are not a newbie to radio or electronics and I didn't know that when I posted earlier.
You will find folks here with expertise in many areas of the hobby...programming, FM, AM, technical, software, etc. so if you have specific questions please jump in and post them. There will be forum members falling over themselves to help you.
Feel free to share your experiences with us so we all can learn together.
Neil
Which talking house have you used; a grey one only with a recorder or a black one with a recorder and a line in? The grey ones have poor audio quality. Depending on the model of black on, good audio can be coaxed out of them. Part of the challenge of AM is many radios do not sound good when listening to AM.
My suggestion is that you consider the AMT5000 transmitter kit.
This (my opinion) is the best of the AM transmitters with very professional and satisfying features, high-efficiency RF output, outstanding audio quality with built-in NRSC pre-emphasis to compensate for high-end roll-off on modern AM radios.
Amazing things can also be done with the AMT3000 AM transmitter by rolling your own loading coil and following the free instructions for modifying the transmitter.
Right now I am listening to Glen Hauser's "World of Radio" program at 1550 kHz from an AMT3000 feeding a triangular shaped loading coil I made.
Later today I will be working outdoors listening to the AMT5000 on 1670 kHz providing the Chicago Symphony Broadcast while I clear over-growth.
Do-it-yourself broadcasting is the mark of superiority.
My talking House AM Transmitter gets out further than my house. I have version 5.0 with a wire antenna. I actually have it beside the window. My house is wood so that makes a huge difference. I have a friend that is making me a metal antenna for the Talking House (iAM 5.0). The audio is not going to be FM quality but its really not bad at all. I'm thinking about using Breakaway Broadcast and setting the EQ for NRSC standards for AM. This way it may have better sound. Even on this crappy AM radio on the boom box I hear it more than 300 Ft and I was not able to walk any further as its close to a busy highway and I'm legally Blind. I have not crossed streets like that in a while. I probably should either do that or get someone to try it with a car Radio to see what that Radio gets. I did start out on FM with a SainSonic AX-05B and I could get out to ¼ mile on a car Radio and the FM transmitter was transmitting into a rubber duck antenna on the first floor of the house. There was a gray area as to if it was legal so I figure if I want to advertise my station I need to be 100% within the law. I found out that if your not 100% complaint and advertise your station the FCC will inspect you and it could land you in trouble. My AM Transmitter is Brand New and fully tested by Danial Braverman to be 100% legit and running at full 100mW power when he had this transmitter sent to me. As a customer I'm pretty happy with it. The only thing when you buy these refurbished Talking House transmitters from Ebay you never know what your gonna get. Some have so much residue on the board and some have been modified to be more than legal and some tried to modify them and failed terribly and then put them up for sale. One of my friends have seen this. A new unit can cost almost $300. It is easy to set up for it has the antenna tuner built in so you don't have to worry about a high SWR. Also note that some of the older ones were only transmitting at 92 mW. I know its less than 10 mW difference but can make all the difference on AM.
Hey, I think you carry my show!
Sam Mulvey! Wow! I do carry your show and look forward to it every week.
How amazing that you are looking into low power radio! It's more fun than it is!
You absolutely came to the right place. The real radio brains post here and the advice and tips given are the best!
Maybe you'll decide to join our talk group at The Association for Low Power (ALPB) Broadcasters that meets on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month at 9 PM EDT.
Here's an inside joke for you Sam...
We are the answer to your prayers.
Maybe you'll decide to join our talk group at The Association for Low Power (ALPB) Broadcasters that meets on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month at 9 PM EDT.
I've also mentioned (politely, I hope) that while TeamSpeak is great, Mumble is better. Easy to work with, easy to set up, uses OPUS, and is open source. I've been using it to really positive effect in the studio as a PA talkback circuit and Skype bridge.
We are the answer to your prayers.
Yeah, but TeamSpeak is a cooler name, so it Trumps a program called Mumble by name already, I feel like I'm part of a Team and get to Speak my piece, not just Mumble it, which is the which is the problem with most teens now. Linux people and their half witted names, like what the heck does Ekiga mean? Ekiga Softphone. You could almost say Skype is a meaningless word too, but it's too popular for Microsoft to change now, I'd bet. Then again, they've entered the race with their own Bing...
Nate 9 would sound good for some as yet unknown software.