this is the best certified fm transmitter. gets really good range (Maximum legal) and is certified. it is the Waio BR8000 available here...
in my opinion it is a little better than the decade and a 100 dollars or so cheaper
May I ask, better how? Sound quality? Durability? Features?
build wise the decade is better quality. sound wise they are about similar. range wise the waio get slightly (about 50 or so feet) further than the decade. at least here it does. and it is about 100 dollars cheaper msrp.
I would never use anything other than the Decade, particularly if I was installing the transmitter in a weatherproof enclosure. Mine ran 24/7 for several years on a rooftop, through winter and summer, rain or shine (lots of rain, i.e., dampness, actually, since I'm in the Pacific Northwest). It just kept on ticking. That, to me, is worth more than saving a little on the price.
I actually don't believe that there is a 'best' transmitter. It all depends on what you want to do with it, and your budget (even the crappiest sounding transmitter is better than nothing, if that's all you can afford).
Since eveyone has an opinion on which Part 15 certified transmitter is the best, maybe it is time to do a shoot-out? Keep the transmitters at a fixed height with open range between the TX and RX. Granted one could use a FIM, but maybe go for worst case and use a home stereo receiver with a folded dipole suspended 3 meters above ground . Horizontal polarization and gather signal strength on the receiver's s-meter.
Question for kc8gpd....Checked this out but toll free # doesn't get through as dialed. Are these still being sold? Is company still in business? Do you have one of these and do you know the actual price? No prices on the site, or order info.
Thanks
Mark
The thing about Part 15 FM is that range will be the same if all are tuned to the maximum legal field strength. Of course, not all will be, but if you're paying upwards of $500 or more for a high end FM transmitter, they should be. In speaking to Decade, I know that each transmitter is tuned and peaked individually.
In other words, a shootout for FM transmitters wouldn't really mean all that much, unlike AM.
However, other than range, the other factors are price, sound quality and durability. And there, it's really getting the best bang for your buck, depending on your application. Not sure how you could quantitatively measure those.
try this here...
he was still in business as of a few months ago.
i don't know the exact retail cost.
It might still be fun. Audio-wise, one might be able to listen to under deviation, lack of or incorrect pre-emphasis, etc..
A proper 'shootout' has to be able to quantitatively measure what you're looking at. Audio quality is so subjective. And durability is difficult unless you're willing to spend a couple of years having at it.
But you're right, it would be fun playing around with multiple transmitters. I try to do that as much as possible, time permitting.
Hi everyone. I was ill for a while but I am back. Anyways I talked to the FCC about
the correct Field strength meter and I bought 2 of them. I am planning to check
the transmitters to see if they are really outputing 250uv@3meters
As far as the Ramsey FM100B transmitter. I did all the solder connections to mil spec
2000,so it very well done. Now the FCC told me even if I do place the Ramsey transmitter
at the correct compliance output it is illegal to use. See you can make up to 3 to 5 transmitters of your own design ,but kits have to be also compliant to the FCC rules
part 15 and yes the kits have to have a FCC ID on them. Trust me I tried to talk them
around this in everyway . I told them I would mail them pictures of me and test equipment
with photos showing that the transmitter did not emit more than 250uv@3meters.
Did not matter,and they said that Ramsey was not making legal devices.
The kits fall under part 15.215 . I am going off of my memory and need to find all my paper
work on this that I had out the other day.
Well if I am wrong I need to pull out my FCC blue folder with ever rule and law made
for Part 15 rules. And it not good for me to mis place it since I do run a AM
broadcast station.
I find it but look it up and see what it says under part 15.215 and let me know if I have the wrong one.
Anyways I saw it did say kits need to be certified as well as regular transmitters
being sold unless you build your own. You are also only allowe to build up to
5 transmitters for personal use.
Anyways give me time and I will find my folder.
Thanks Guys
Glad to hear from you. Seanwk40, happy you are feeling better and back to the fun of radio experimentation.
Please tell the make, model number and price of the meter you bought two of.
I think kits qualify as self-made transmitters if you put them together and do the proper measurements of them.
I think that you can make five transmitters of the same design, but then if you design a different version, you can make five of those.
We cannot sell home-built transmitters unless we get them certified, but you can put them in a box of surplus parts and sell them as "spare parts."
Don't believe anything a federal agent tells you. If you ask another federal agent, he might give you a different answer. Some of them misunderstand their own rules, some of them have self-righteous deliberately wrong opinions, and there are some who actually know what they are talking about and respect the caller.
If Ramsey stuff were really illegal they would be raided and fined.
Seankw40 wrote: Anyways I talked to the FCC about the correct Field strength meter and I bought 2 of them. I am planning to check the transmitters to see if they are really outputing 250uV at 3 meters.
Would you mind sharing with us the manufacturer and model number of those meters, and from where you purchased them? Many thanks !
doesn't pass the smell test on both items. what rich said on the meters and i would call that fcc guy back up and ask them to give you the exact rule part that bars unassembled uncertified kits from being sold.
if selling kits were truly illegal then ramsey and other rf kit makers would have been busted and fined up the rear a long time ago.
Yes, please share the make and model of those meters. It would greately help us all to become more competent in the compliance arena even if it it is a bit off topic...