Thanks for shareing that info I almost won a bid on the older one pictured above the other day. Glade I got outbid. I did win a new VCR model though ... and if I can get some time away from work this week I plan on getting it all set up.
Thanks also for the find on the reads ... some interesting info on how to operate the unit. I better watch out and not touch the antenna while the TX is on !!
Thanks Again
Jim
Having read this I went out and scooped one off of eBay just to test. I love my SSTRAN so this should be an interesting comparison.
Will follow up within a few days of getting it.
ISS sells what looks to be the same transmitter as Talking House. It's called the Infomax. If you check the price list, the external antenna is $395. Here's the link to their website: http://www.theradiosource.com/products-infomax.htm. They also have a page ( http://www.theradiosource.com/products-infomax-illustrations.htm) that shows common setups for the transmitter. (These links are now dead. It looks like ISS doesn't sell this transmitter any more.)
Right now, East Hill Radio is using a Talking House as a temporary transmitter until I relocate the Rangemaster. I'm getting about 1/8 of a mile on just the supplied whip. I'd sure like to experiment with the external output to see how that will perform.
Frank
www.easthillradio.com
Which output are you folks using? Are you just tapping the port that the wire antenna feeds from or the ATU port that has the "F" Type connector?
EDIT: I just saw where one user is tapping the ATU connector.
Mine just came in today and I have to say it's a pretty simple, yet impressive box. It sure doesn't get any simpler than that. Will test tonight some and see what the audio is like.
Also, thoughts on converting to mono audio? We feed an SSTRAN now and it does it's own internal mix to mono.
SaGR,
You asked:
Also, thoughts on converting to mono audio? We feed an SSTRAN now and it does it's own internal mix to mono.
You might consider something similar to what I did with my SSTRAN. I tapped the audio out of the SSTRAN unit at the junction of C18 and R17 using a 2.2 uF capacitor to a RCA jack. Since the SSTRAN converts the stereo signal to mono and applies compression it worked great for modulating another AM transmitter.
Neil
I use the "wire" antenna port for temporary setups with the supplied wire antenna.
At home I use the "F" connector to feed my outdoor antenna using RG-58 coax.
I don't use the "wire" antenna port with my outdoor antenna as the auto-tuner is designed to work into a high impedance which the wire antenna provided would have. The auto-tuner usually can't find an adequate "tune" when connected to the lower impedance outdoor antenna.
I suppose if a "wire" antenna of the proper length was used, it would present an impedance high enough for the auto-tuner to work with. A wire somewhere between 3/8 to 1/2 wavelength would probably work. Of course at these frequencies that gets to be a fairly long antenna.
*Disclaimer - The comments in this post are my opinion based upon practical experience with the Talking House transmitter. I am in no way claiming any scientific study or recommending any particular usage of that device. Responses to this post are accepted regardless of their intent.
Those of you who are using one, what are you inputting from?
I'm finding that the sound card output doesn't seem to be enough to drive a sufficient level to the Talking House.
It lists input as 1Vpp/600R which I thought was the same as the sound card level.
In the house listening on two other radios it sounds pretty good.
If I go outside to the car and listen there's a noticeable warble, it sounds kind of like a heterodyne but the frequency (1630) is dead here at night and there's nothing on 1620 or 1640 that's really audible.
The shortwave receiver can pickup a station on 1640 but it doesn't even break S1 out of the misc scatter.
Hmmm, with it set to 1700 it's tuned at 1690. Maybe it's in need of service...
Does anyone have a manual by chance?
I've had mine for more than a year...sound is good...range with the wire (I took a nine-foot PVC conduit, taped the wire to it, clamped it to an old camera tripod, and set it up on the front lawn to see how far it would go...)?
1/8 mi tops...sound kinda goes wacko before that, though...it sounds best a house away, MAX on either side. It truly was meant for selling houses! LOL!
The SSTran is clearly superior...I tired the same thing to test it, and sound-wise, I find it "beefier", and the range is two to three times farther...still less than a 1/4 mi, but no degradation of audio until you reach the range limit.
I have yet to try the ext. ant. I don't have a Kenwood Ant. tuner....but I do have a fifty foot length of RG-58...
What do you do, just attach a 10-foot whip? Hmmmmm...I need to investigate this further...I'd like to improve the sound/range from my TH-II...I paid dearly for it!
As far as the old silver TH units go... you are RIGHT...they are USELESS!
Radio Doug
My program material runs on my PC using ZaraRadio automation and the SoundSolution processing plug-in. The audio processing really makes a difference particularly the pre-emphasis and shelving filters.
I use the speaker output from the sound card and seem to have sufficient level for the Talking House input. I haven't tried the "line out" of the sound card as usually they provide low level output to a 10K impedance, much higher than the Talking House input. Trying to drive a 600 ohm input with a 10K ohm output doesn't work very well.
As for the "noticeable warble", that is something I mentioned in my post describing my Talking House transmitter. From mine, it's not really noticeable while the audio is loud or when the signal strength is high. Where the received signal is weak it does become more noticable when the audio is low and especially noticeable if another weak station is on the same frequency. Instead of a "beat" note (the difference between the two frequencies) it is a warble. But in my case it's not so bad that you'd prefer not to listen.
As for the frequency error, when I checked the Talking House output on a commercial station monitor, I found the frequency to be high about 800 Hz when tuned to 1500 kHz. The error was less at lower frequencies and more at higher frequencies. I was able to "pad" the reference oscillator with a capacitor and reduce the error somewhat. Close enough that I didn't want to bother buying an assortment of NPO high tolerance caps to zero it in. Maybe a small variable cap of sufficient size to zero it in is the way to go.
I use a General Electric AM/FM/SW receiver at my desk to monitor the signal. It has a digital frequency readout but even commercial stations read high in frequency so just because it has a digital readout doesn't necessarily mean it's correct. Using a PLL digital tuned radio (like most newer car radios) I have no problem locking onto the signal so that's close enough for me.
If you get a schematic I'd love to get a copy of it. Mine came with no manual either.
My audio comes from an Orban 424-A Compressor/Limiter, so I'm getting clean audio to the Line-In...
My tx frequency is 1510-AM...and I'm using the calls, WDCQ...
My neighbor like the oldies, so that's what I'm currently playing...
About me:
I work full-time on-air at a Country station. I've been an on-air jock since 1970...you'd think I get enough of this at work! Confidentially, it's not really "work"...LOL!
🙂
Doug
I use the speaker output from the sound card and seem to have sufficient level for the Talking House input.
And that turned out to my boneheaded fault. I used an out put on the mixer that was faded down and I didn't notice it. DOH!
As for the "noticeable warble", that is something I mentioned in my post describing my Talking House transmitter. From mine, it's not really noticeable while the audio is loud or when the signal strength is high. Where the received signal is weak it does become more noticable when the audio is low and especially noticeable if another weak station is on the same frequency. Instead of a "beat" note (the difference between the two frequencies) it is a warble. But in my case it's not so bad that you'd prefer not to listen.
OK, that could be the case here then and I'll test it some more this weekend.
Right now the TH is just upstairs in the loft with the supplied wire antenna hanging down over the loft rail.
I'm wondering, since my read seems to indicate so from another post here, the built in tuning section also works on the "F" connector?
If so, I'd be interested in a couple experiments with some antenna ideas we've been yacking about in another thread.
===
As to the using Zara and Sound Solution to feed it, I'll give this a try after I test the above. My issue with Sound Solution and Zara was also posted by someone else, you can't do any fade (overlap) between tracks as Sound Solution stutters something fierce on over lapping tracks. But for testing purposes I can deal with it.
I also want to test Stereo Tool ( http://www.hansvanzutphen.com/stereo_tool/) with Zara as well. We use Stereo Tool for live remote shows on our internet stream.
The newer versions of ZaraRadio don't support plug-ins. You'll have to get the v1.4 or earlier and yes, the SoundSolution plug-in can't process more than one signal at a time without the clicking sound. I simply don't use the overlap. Otherwise you'd have to skip the plug-in and go with an outboard processor.
You can get the v1.4 ZaraRadio and the SoundSolution plug-in by following THIS LINK to my Yahoo Briefcase. Sometimes the Yahoo site is a bit hard to open but keep trying, it will. Something to do with their security, refreshing the page sometimes helps.
The Talking House auto-tuner does not work through the "F" connector. The manufacturer supposedly offers an antenna/tuner package for that. I find that the "F" connector works well into a 50 ohm load. So, if you have a resonant antenna (3 mtr with loading coil) fed with RG-58 or RG-8 cable it should work fine. You can use the supplied "wire" antenna but you would need some kind of tuner (coil) at the antenna to match the 50 ohm transmitter output.
When used with the supplied "wire" antenna with the transmitter on the 2nd floor of my frame home, I'm doing good to get 1/4 mile radius.
I have both installed in parallel on the machine that feeds the streams. I normally use 1.6.1 to feed the stream.
OK, I was hoping it did tune on the "F" connector. But I think we can go with a 50 ohm load.
In the loft I'm only getting out about 200' but that's not the optimal position. Will play with that this weekend as well.
I've been watching the Talking Houlse auctions on ebay, and jsut encountered an odd situation.
Check out this bid history
I discovered this after I bid on, and did not win, a transmitter being sold by the same seller.
That bid history is here
And then I got a second chance offer at $112.00
Did someone make an honest mistake with the autobidding option or was I getting shilled and conned?
Experimental broadcasting for a better tomorrow!