Hi, I'm a student and I'm interested in starting a Part 15 station. I've tried to read up on the rules as much as I can, along with transmitters. I've had my technician amatuer radio liscense since I was 11, so I know some about radio, although that was a while ago and sadly I was tought to the test. I clearly know how to operate a radio, but have struggled with things such as building antennas.
Basically, even if I hit the Student Council jackpot, get the Deans to help, do a bakesale, and help out myself, the ABSOLUTELY biggest budget I could have is $250-$300. That in mind, I'm limited greatly in equipment.
Initially, I've been between the Ramsey AM1, the Talking House transmitter, and POSSIBLY the SStran 3000 kit. Some guy who seemed to know what he was doing did not suggest I go with the talking house, but it seemed the most novice-based transmitter. I need something that even trained highschoolers can decode and use.
Next, I was looking at getting a decent, used microphone for broadcasting football/basketball games. In addition, a couple $2 clip on mics with 3.5mm-1/4 in adapters.
Next, I've got a semi permanent studio in mind, needing permission from the Deans(likely). In addition, I wasn't sure whether an entry level audio mixer would be worth my small budget. Finally, what's your thoughts on antennas, one that would be mounted outdoors with 15+ feet of elevation, hopefully reaching the nearby town near the school, which by Google Earth is 3/4 mile away.
Thank you for your time!
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Hello, and WELCOME to part 15 us.
Of the three transmitters you mentioned I would recommend you start with the TalkingHouse since it is pretty much a "turn key" unit. Search this site (use the search function at the upper left) for information on this transmitter and the others. There are different versions of the TH and you will want to get one which gives good audio quality and if you can get one with an Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) it will simplify the antenna installation in a legal manner.
If you are willing and able to spend time learning the hardware, theory, and practice of radio transmitter/antenna technology then the Ramsey and SSTRAN are good choices. The SSTRAN has a built in audio compressor which would help if the broadcast crew are not technical types.
You mentioned elevating the antenna 15 feet. If possible, a ground mounted antenna with radials would be preferrable as this will avoid legal ambiguity regarding ground length.
Don't rush into this without doing some homework on the subject first. What you propose is doable but to do it right requires some research. It is easy to set up a station for limited range such as within a building but to reach out a quarter mile or so usually requires attention to the antenna system.
There are various ways to set up a "studio" with probably the simplest being to use a computer as the central component but there are also good hardware devices which can serve this purpose. Since I use a computer I will leave it to others here to suggest hardware for the "audio chain".
Best wishes in achieving your goal with this and check back here for more comments.
Neil
if you are located in the denver area i would be happy to help free of charge (usually charge for my services) since you are doing this for a school.
Thank you for the help from all, but to reply to the 2nd comment, unforunatly we're 2000 miles away in the mid-atlantic. Thank you for the offer!
I'd still love any more suggestions!
The Talking house is a good choice, but if you can stretch the budget a little, I would really recommend a Procaster or Rangemaster. You can probably get used ones in the $300-400 range, and coupled with a computer (along with the appropriate playback and audio processing software, all free), you've got yourself a station that should outperform cheaper transmitters (unless, of course, you want to get into building tuned antennas, which you indicated you did not).
I also think that the suggestion to ground mount your transmitter antenna is a good one. If you don't want the hassle of dealing with the FCC, you want to ensure that there is little question of your legality under Part 15 rules. Particularly if you're out in the open broadcasting in a school environment - there's always someone that will complain.
Again, thank you for the suggestions, but I've been talking to Student Council reps and I'll be lucky to get $150.. looks like I'm staying with Talking House... microphone suggestions? any suggestions once I get up and running besides keeping a steady schedule and getting everyone involved?
For a low budget operation, I'd start out with rugged, inexpensive microphones. You won't feel so bad when one is knocked off the table and broken.
MCM Electronics online store usually has cardioid dynamic mics on sale for $10 or $15. Right now they have a very basic 4 input mic mixer for $15. Granted we're not talking recording quality but it'll put four voices into the transmitter.
When I helped setup a student station, we approached several local vendors for donations. Radio Shack gave us a 4 input mixer. A Kitchen Cabinet shop gave us scratch&dent base cabinets which we turned into a very nice U-shaped console. It doesn't hurt to ask and being a School project they may be very likely to help out for some advertising on your station.
I have been using the Talking House transmitter for several years with their remote antenna. This makes it very easy to install and setup. You can buy the Talking House used on Ebay reasonably priced. You'll have trouble finding the remote antenna used but there again contacting Talking House and explaining your situation may aford you a healthy discount.
Once the station has been established and gained some recognition, perhaps the funding will be easier to obtain.