Hi everyone.
Hi everyone.
While looking for information about the free Zara Radio program I downloaded (legally from the company) to have an automated sound system for my house and work shop, I stumbled across this web site and have been reading it for a few days now. I felt the need to sign up and say Thank You to everyone on here for providing some great information!
Before I ask a couple of questions, here's a little information about me and what I want to do:
I'm a 43 year old ex mechanic that is disabled due to a lower back and left shoulder injury. I have been totally deaf in my left ear since birth which will cause a problem tuning something "by ear". I also have had a mild stroke which has caused a problem with my short term memory and as a result, I have a hard time learning new things if they're real complex until I've done it over and over a few times.
Basically I can't move well, can't hear some frequencies well, or learn new things well.
When my house was built, it had a whole house intercom system built in, so that part of getting the sound from the computer to the individual rooms was already figured out for me.
Thanks to your web site, I'm now thinking the Part 15 style transmitter would be perfect to get the signal out to my work shop instead of running wires out there and as an added bonus I could also hear the music when I'm working in the yard just by taking a radio with me.
With that said, I'm thinking of going with the I.A.M. Radio Talking House V.5 system that has been talked about on here.
Now for the questions I have:
Has anyone had problems with the system causing T.V. interference using one since everything went digital? The last thing I need is a friendly visit from a government official because a neighbor can't watch her soap operas. Trust me, I've had problems from her calling the cops over my mowing the grass with my lawn tractor while her soaps were on and don't doubt for a minute she would do it again if my radio transmitter was causing them not to come in correctly.
My "play money" is always tight, how well do these systems hold up in constant use? I don't want anything I'm going to have to replace every couple of months.
Is there a better Plug and Play system out there that wouldn't break my bank? I can get the upgraded Talking House system on sale for under $200.00 from I.A.M. Radio's web site right now.
I know this is a little long and rambling, but I figured I would provide as much information as I could about my situation and what I'm trying to do so that we don't have to play the 50 question game.
Thank you once again for providing such a great and informative web site!
-Scott H.
I have the Talking House II and use their remote antenna.
The antenna is mounted directly above my outside TV antenna. The base of the radio antenna is only a few inches above the TV antenna.
To date, I've had no TV interference problems on either Digital or Analog TV channels.
The AM signal used to get into our telephone line but as of late that has not been a problem.
You should have few problems with the Talking House.
If money is light, I'd go with the original Talking House, which they have for under $100. I highly doubt you'll hear the difference between the 2, particularly in noisy environments such as a workshop or outside.
Since I haven't used the Talking House except for testing, I can't speak to its robustness. But it will be inside, in a temperature controlled environment (at least, I'm assuming that) - much better than anything that goes outside in the baking sun or the cold of winter.
It's unlikely that any Part 15 transmiter will interfere with the new digital channels on the UHF frequencies. Even the analog channels operated on VHF and above and I've never seen any interference there. I've had some issues on the lower amateur bands (particularly 7Mhz and 14 Mhz - the 40 and 20 meter bands), but solved that by putting a low pass filter on the feedline for my amateur antenna.
One thing you could do is simply wrap the included wire antenna around a power cord and let the system carrier current the signal on the power line feeding the workshop. Guaranteed clean clear signal and the TX can remain indoors.
RFB
Welcome to the Part 15 board, Scott.
I've used a couple of different transmitters though the years and am also now saving up for the iAM transmitter and ATU from Radio Systems. I like the idea of having the transmitter indoors, because the Florida weather can be brutal, especially in the summertime.
I am also disabled due to my 20/400 eyesight, which is considered legally blind. Sometimes trying to match the tiny audio and power lines to the screw terminals can be a bit, well, challenging!
Alan
If your antennas are sharing the same mounting pole without reception problems, I honestly think I shouldn't have any problem what so ever from my cranky neighbor.
The transmitter will be in my spare room above the garage with the external antenna mounted on the peak of the roof if I decide to go that route. If I just use the antenna included with the unit, there are a couple of windows next to where I'm planning on setting everything up that I can put the antenna in. Either way, the main unit will be in a completely climate controlled environment.
When I get to setting up the outside portion of my radio system, I'm definitely going to give the power line setup a try! I know I don't want to run any more wires than I have to and if I can get away with using the wires that are already there, that's even better!
I completely understand about the brutal weather, we're running almost the same here. Usually, you get it about a day to two days before we do so I've been keeping an eye on what is going on there.
Thanks again,
-Scott H.
Glad to have ya! There's always room for new perspectives..
I would be a bit leary of FM broadcasting. That mode can rip a TV up! I use an antenna for my TV and there isn't much room between the antennas. I have to time share betwen the two. Farmer Vison isn't much fun with squiggly lines all through it.. LOL If ya'll have cable you might get away with it..
If I can be of any assistance, just ask. I ain't no brainiac but I can help ya get into trouble.. 😉
See ya around the campus!
I've been using a used TH v5 tx for nearly 3 years. I've had no problems with it so far. With a second one (I acquired both used on eBay for $50 each) plus shipping, bought about 9 months apart, IIRC.
Admittedly I get decent range for the one on my boat using the ocean for both ground and counterpoise. The engine block is the main ground, but it's strapped to a through-hull ground bolt with sacrificial zinc.
On a good day with an external 10' antenna I get oy 1.5 mi. and even more on some days on my car radio ... but only downtown at night due to skywave interference issues. It's been heard at S8 on a hi=end Icom ham general receiver with a long-wire (300') antenna at over 8 mi.
Here's what it sounds like, recorded on a Tascam DP-008 in the car, about 1/2 mile or so from the tx:
http://fhtinyradio.com/Library/AudioLib/FHTRTaxiAstrovan082211.mp3
I also was able to get 600'-1200' depending on direction from the standard 10' wire antenna that comes with another TH5, tucked into an arch window frame on the second floor of a friend's house.
I'm extremely impressed with the
recording of your station 1/2 mile
away on the car radio. It sounded
great, especially for an AM signal.
No noise at all - and I really liked
the song, too.
I've got to get a boat!
You other guys on the board should check
this recording out, if you haven't already.
The song sounds very much like a group I
used to like called, "Dan Hicks and His
Hot Licks." It ISN'T them, but it's very
close.
Best Wishes,
Bruce, DRS2
Ken,
You just sold me on the Talking House Transmitter with your recording!
If it sounds that good 1/2 mile away, it'll definitely work for my needs. I'm also sold on the fact that it's still working after 3 years of use.
If yours is working like that, with the part time use mine will see it should hopefully last just as long as well.
-Scott H.
"If it sounds that good 1/2 mile away, it'll definitely work for my needs."
Don't forget the fact that Ken has an advantage most do not have, a salt water ground and sitting on that is a boat with the TX and 3 meter antenna on board that boat sitting on the salt water in direct contact with that salt water.
You would have to set up a very very good ground radial system to barely come close to the ground conductivity of that salt water ground.
RFB
I'm definitely listening (reading as it were), taking it slow, and learning before I do anything. The last thing I need is the FCC knocking on my door!
I'm using the baby steps method; I figure I need to learn everything I can before I start doing anything. That way I stay legal and won't purchase things I'll never use or be able to get working correctly.
I only need to transmit a few hundred feet at the very most for my needs at the moment, that's why I was saying if his works that well I'm good to go. If I decide later to try to reach out farther than the edge of my property, I'm going to have to learn a whole lot more about antennas and transmitters. From what I have learned so far, the Talking House unit fits my skill level and needs perfectly at the moment.
Right now I only have the Zara Radio program barely up and running on an old IBM T23 Laptop that no one in the house was using. I don't care if it crashes or not during my learning curve, and it's honestly too slow and outdated for practical use other than for taking on trips to watch DVDs or playing the older games on. I figure I need to learn on a computer that I can take with me from room to room when I need to lie down or recline because of my injured back. When the time comes to put it on the real computer I'll have everything figured out and won't crash the hard drive with all my music files already loaded on it. Another positive to using the laptop to learn on is when I do have to take a trip, I can use it to play music on in my old RV and won't have to constantly channel surf or torture everyone in it with my singing.
I have a couple of questions about Zara Radio, but I'll start a new thread for that.
Thanks again,
-Scott H.
no problems at all man,
i have high functioning autism and was born mentally disabled, so its okay too.
pretty much everybody on here took care of things on here,
so welcome to the board part 15 traveler!
True, the ocean makes phenomenal ground and counterpoise ... nothing better.
But, the normal AM stations I've see on the mainland are 150' towers (about 1/4 wave at the center of the band) and all have 120 ground radials out about 100' or so.
If you can manage 1/2 that, say 60 bonded radials with ground rods at 20' you should have great nearfield ground to pull the signal back to complete the circuit from pretty far out, but it doesn't appear you need that much range. If you do, try to find a source of torn out copper wire ... even a pile of old 300Ω TV antenna wire could work ... cut the number of radials in half by twisting the outboard ends together
As mentioned before, I got a good solid 500' signal out of the standard TH 10' wire tucked into the inside frame of a second floor arched window.
But even my vessel station still gets a large chunk of interference at night ... means clear signal is harder to come by, i.e., shorter range for the same clarity. There is no way I know of (with a single station), other than illegally increasing power and antenna length, to overcome that.
And every day and every night is always different to varying degrees ... atmospheric conditions, traffic, lights - florescents are bad, but neons will make more noise than a freight train in a tunnel. Edge propagation around buildings will help, if you can figure out how to place your antenna to best advantage.
I'll be hauling out soon, so I'll have to build a land-side system soon, if I want to stay on the air. My plans will be in another thread ... see y'all there ... 😉
My experience with ZaraRadio...
I use it. But it has a few quirks, including that when it needs the CPU cyles, it NEEDS the CPU cycles. If it doesn't get them when it wants them, then your audio will skip and/or warble. One trick is to use the freeware program PRIO and to set the priority of ZaraRadio to AboveNormal, but even then that's only a stopgap measure.
If you're using an older computer, then it might be best not to run anything else on it except Zara - no audio processing, internet streaming, etc.
I've found that it runs best on Windows 2000, which is far less bloated than XP, Vista et al. Even XP on older computers doesn't seem to react fast enough to prevent issues.
On a computer running Windows 2000, I'm able to run the Icecast streaming server, Zara, VST with compression plug-ins and the Oddcast encoding software with no issues at all. On a faster, more powerful computer with XP, on which I wasn't running Icecast, I had to disable VST and only run Zara and Oddcast.