Hey guys, I am new to the radio station creation scene, and was wondering if i could get some help. I'm considering building a school radio station for an area that isn't really all that saturated in radio stations, and would like the broadcast to be recievable up to around a mile away. As far as it seems to me, to get a longer range, i simply need a higher antenna, or is it a longer antenna?
Also, i was wondering if you could sugest transmitter units to me. I was considering buying the FM25B ( http://www.hobbytron.com/Synthesized-FM-Stereo-Transmitter-Kit.html ) until i read that it is dependable at only 1/8 mile radius broadcast range. I wouldn't object to going with AM if it provides a larger range for the same/lower price.
So, what i'm asking is: what (affordable) units would you sugest purchesing that don't require an FCC license, and how far can i get it to broadcast, legally, and how would i do that. FYI: the antenna would be placed on top of a three-story roof.
IF you're looking at AM I would recommend the AMT3000. That said, your expected coverage area may be unrealistic to cover from one single Part 15.219 transmitter. 30' up you may realistically cover 3/4 mile but it will fade quickly after that.
You could sync multiple transmitters spread throughout your chosen area...
hmm, thanks, well i was looking around Part 15 and came arcoss 15.221 i believe it is, where it is particullarily lax about 525-1705khz usage on educational campuses, so long as it doesn't excede field strengths at the edge of the campus. so, the entire campus can be considered to be one big antenna, and then measurments take place outside of it. of course, you can't have frequency drift or any of that jazz, so i'm pretty much able to do whatever i want on the college campus in terms of range, so long as it basically doesn't go outside the campus, right?
That's my understanding of it, I believe someone in the group is in a school system (can't remember whether it was tertiary or not).
Anyone? Bueller?
That's my take too, but be very careful of the spillover. And if your campus is oval shaped, I'm not sure how that would effect things since your radiation pattern will most likely be round. You might want to get one of the kits like the SStran AMT3000, then you could modify to meet your needs. Or campus isn't very large, so I can probably get the whole thing with the 100mw input power limits, unless of course you include the satellite campus that is a few miles away... Wonder what they would think of that????