Part 15 and Amateur Radio

by MRAM 1500 kHz

I was first licensed as a novice ham in 1973. I upgraded to Advance Class several years ago. I've had some type of radio since I was old enough to turn the knobs and I'm now 53. I also hold an FCC Commercial General Radiotelephone license.

My first Part 15 AM was at age 10, a Remco Caravell. Next a Lafayette vacuum tube broadcaster. Then I built a one-transistor broadcaster the out performed all the rest.

My childhood interests rekindled recently and I now own three Remco Caravells, two Wild Planet Radio DJ's, one Metzo, one Talking House TH II, various homebrew transmitters and for carrier current operation a Radio Systems Phase II 20 watt transmitter with an LPB TCU-30 coupler.

I've not been as active on the ham bands as I'd like but the Part 15 keeps me pretty busy.

My next Part 15 projects will be a shortwave station on the 13.56 mHz band and a remote final output stage located at the antenna co-fed from the carrier current AM band transmitter. This will keep the carriers synchronised and the coverage will be the combined effects of both. The remote final stage at 100 mW input is allowed per Part 15 when designed as part of a system.

I first got involved in radio, as a kid, by loading the aluminum window frame in my bedroom with an old tube type General Radio CB. When my mother walked in my room she stepped lightly for fear of leaving as a charcoal briquette.

In Junior High, I built a spark transmitter and darned near shocked the entire science class into another dimension during a demonstration; something about ball lightning traveling around the classroom and discharging on the heating radiator (kapow!).

When I graduated from High School, I went to work in broadcasting as a DJ, spinning the hits on vinyl discs. Back in those days you had to take an FCC test for a broadcast license and if the station was over 10 kilowatts or had a directional antenna system, you had to have a First Phone license. None of them are required anymore.

I eventually earned my First Phone (now the General Radiotelepohone license) and began working as Chief Engineer for one station and then several stations as a contract engineer. I actually had two broadcast licenses before I got my amateur ticket. First callsign in 1978 was WB7VQQ. I let it lapse in 1988. And in 1993 went back and retook all the exams finally getting my Amateur Extra in 2000.

Radio is more than a hobby for me, it's my passion. I have my Part 15 station, but my sights are on ownership of a licensed broadcast station. And believe it or not, I am getting closer to that reality.
I spend about 10-15 hours a week on amateur radio and about 50 hours a week on broadcasting.

Marshall Johnson, Sr.
Rhema Radio - The Word In Worship
http://www.rhemaradio.org
Amateur Extra Class - KK7CW

More by coincidence than design (well, except for the Great Designer's), my interest in part15 coincided with my getting my Amateur license in 2004. The art/political project here in Minnesota ,"Radio Re-Volt," spurred me to get a part15 transmitter and start my sporadically broadcasting basement station, Radio Free Klingon 🙂 http://radio.mrklingon.org

And, now that I'm a podcaster - when it is on the air, it broadcast "A Klingon Word from the Word" along with an eclectic mix of music.

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"The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our
enemies; probably because generally they are the same people." GKC
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joel anderson * * * * * JPA@MrKlingon.org *** http://www.KlingonWord.org

I was a hard-core 11 meter fan back in the 70's, but always aspired to get into ham radio. I worked part-time in broadcast radio as an announcer for 15 years. I finally got my Tech ticket in 98. Time constraints and family/career priorities have hindered my upgrade to General, but it's still on my "to do" list. I've wanted to build my own mini radio station since I was a kid, and finally got Copperhead operational last year. As far as ham radio goes, I mostly troll 2 meters & 440. I serve as the secretary and Field Day Coordinator for our local amateur radio club and lovin' it! Still got some 11 meter stuff too.

Don, NC4DF
1620AM Copperhead Radio,
Lucama NC

I, too, am a ham as well as a Part-15 broadcaster. I've been interested in both ham radio and broadcasting since I was in the fifth grade (which was a looong time ago!) It started when I got my first transistor radio and was further fueled when a friend and I put a kit AM transmitter on the air. After that, I was totally hooked. While I was in high school, another friend and I put a low-power station on AM, playing music from 45's and our spots on reel tape.

I got my novice license in 1973. I had to let it lapse because I went overseas and had no way to take the general test. I got my technician in 1978 and upgraded to general in 1979. I've been N7ACJ since then.

I discovered Part-15 radio by accident. That turned into my modest operation called East Hill Radio. Right now, I'm a one-Rangemaster operation, but I'm trying to grow to increase my coverage. It only takes money!

Frank
www.easthillradio.com

I'm an amateur radio operator too (KU7PDX) and hope to get my Part 15 FM station up in the next month or two.

--Chris