OK, so I know people have been listening, mostly because I've been downtown (a block away) pitching the station for the past 7 months, so I know I'm on in the city office, the library, the shops in town, etc. But it's exciting to find a random person who is listening in their home! Had a message on the station phone today from one of the ladies who organizes events at the senior center, and they have a "Sweetheart Dance" coming up next Monday. She had called to let me know this and ask me to announce it on the radio! I had already made up a spot for it that my wife actually voiced (we actually met in the radio business three decades ago) and was already on the air. I called the woman back to let her know I got her message and we had it on the air, and she said she knew because she heard it and she "loved listening to my programs on the radio"! So, random person who I don't know is listening. And since she's a "mover and shaker" in town, you know word will spread. I know, it's no big deal, but still feels good! BTW, they actually bring in a live polka band for this dance! Just one of the factors in my deciding to add a polka show.....
Tim in Bovey
Priving that Part 15 stations matter .. Well done Sir 🙂
Do you know how far away this lady
was from your transmitter when she
was listening?
Bruce, DOGRADIO
Feels good when you know you have listeners!
I know the people in the house next to mine are listening to me and also the 2nd house down too. Recently sent a flyer in the mail to 17 houses around my neighbourhood advertising my station, addressed to "occupant" so they would open it and the reaction(hopefully)would be to go to the radio and check it out. Trouble is, if the people at the fringe areas of my signal only have a cheapie clock radio or boombox they wouldn't be able to get it unless they sat in the car. My area isn't the typical area for oldies but you never know. Two people listening is good, better than nothing.
Mark
My whole town is only 1/4 mile long and 4 blocks wide. Everyone can hear me with a pretty solid signal, and the adjacent town (literally right next door) gets a good solid signal during the day, not so great when the interference comes in at night. In a small rural area there's very little interference/noise during the day.
But, yup, good to know they're out there other than the people I talk to all the time! They do play my station in the coffee shop/antique mall at the end of the block and I think that's some pretty good exposure.
Tim in Bovey
My favorite was the time two people from Pittsburg were visiting friends in Cleveland. They were into Part 15 radio. They decided to check out the Chapel Hill Mall, one of the first malls in the area. They did a quick check for Part 15 stations in the area and found mine. So, while driving into town they started listening.
They were able to hear my station, which is close to the mall, on their way in and while at the mall. They sent me a nice email with a detailed reception report. I was thrilled.
I play by a different rule.
I am the mysterious DX station from where.
By never identifying my station or its location listeners who find it can wonder how far away it is.
Is it in Kentucky? Oklahoma? Canada?
For me it generates a sense of mystery that unknown listeners might be tuned in right now.
Then there's the fact that certain neighbor types around here are known to report things they don't understand and investigations begin. Their ignorance is the best defense as long as they stay that way.
I'm listening!
A few people in houses now and then.
Probably within 1/3 mile with the AM
on 1690. At sunset, the transmitter
automatically switched to 1700, and
then automatically back to 1690 in
the morning. I guess most of you
guys have heard that story. 1690 was
best for day. 1700 was best for night.
A good friend heard my station all over
town during the day in his car.
It was very cool.
Bruce, DOGRADIO
Bruce, your self-built switching circuit to automatically move from 1690 to 1700 using ONE AND THE SAME TRANSMITTER is one of the great technical acievements in Part 15 history.
I think you said it was an AMT3000 from sstran.com
I know it was fun to go somewhere and listen on a radio to hear the switch take place.
Are there licensed stations today who still change frequencies at night? I thought I heard about one somewhere.
Yeah, I think there actually is a station left in
Chicago that goes daytime 690 to 680 at night.
I'll have to check.
It was fun to build my frequency switch project.
The AMT-3000 had a relay across one of the
frequency changing dip switches. That made it
possible to go back and forth between 1690 and 1700.
I was lucky because it only took one jumper across one
dip switch. Open the dip switch and the relay takes it's place.
The relay was controlled by a 12 volt power supply in the
DOGRADIO studio. That supply was on a multi-event timer.
A 12 volt line ran from in my house out to the SS TRAN AMT-3000
out in the backyard. Every month as the sunrise/sunset hours
changed, I adjusted the timer accordingly. It was so much fun
waiting for the thing to flip and then retuning the radio from 1700
to 1690, or visa versa.
What a blast.
If I ever get 1690 back on it will be a daytime only operation.
The plan is that the 1020 kHz carrier current would run 24 hours.
Bruce, DOGRADIO
Stick to the plan.
Build the radio station of your dreams.
Make tomorrow a better day for radio.
Join the ALPB along the way.
When I logged on to part 15 forum today and saw this I almost fell out of the chair! What a surprise! What were the chances there was a part 15 forum member right in my neighbourhood in Toronto,in my signal coverage area, who got my station ad!! I thought maybe I'd get a comment via email but to see it here!...this was a shocker to say the least.
I hope you are picking it up ok where you are.
Enjoy!
Mark
Cool
People will listen if they know you're there. There IS an audience for unique programming.
I know when I was broadcasting on Bowen Island, I had people tell me that they used to drive to the coverage area and park just to listen in.
And I've received e-mails from around the world commenting on my Internet Stream. It's pretty amazing when you think about it - many tens of thousands of internet radio stations, and somehow these guys managed to find mine. And not only that, but like it and continue to listen in.