So you will know, I believe the FM Initiative is justified, given the tiny speck of power allowed by 15.239.
They are the "public airways," and we are the public!
Germans in the late 30s accepted "laws the way they were" and look what happened.
Fly an American flag and wave a copy of the Bill of Rights., "ie. freedom of speech and all that.
TheLegacy, you must continue to attend ALPB meetings or I, although attending, WILL NOT SPEAK.
I will attend the ALPB meetings. We still have the initiative channel. We can still do this and Carl for the record I sent you an Email thanking you for your hard work on the petition. My vision is not good. I have a sick wife and it makes it hard to construct a petition for me. Its not because I want to get out of the work. I have went on the “other site” think Free Radio that is their slogan. I posted immediately after posting my calm down. If I get someone who knows how to help construct a web site I want to try and make it profm with a domain name. It could be net, TK, FM. The think is that it will draw more folks to join. I have a vision of what I want to accomplish and I've already said I don't know how to write a petition. But I've got a few folks interested in the possibilities. Talking about it here seems to only be just talk and I want to see if I can attract people ready, willing, and able to get the tough task done and without lacking facts. I'm trying to not hijack any threads as this has been talked probably to death. Point is I'm here and I'll stay just forging ahead in a different approach for Micro Broadcasting.
My previous post #13 in which I mentioned some objectionable items was not directed at the "FM initiative" but rather at the negativity and bashing exhibited.
There is no problem discussing and promoting the initiative here as long as it remains civil.
Neil
Yes I'm trying to find more civilized slogans for this site too. The one I did for the other one was “Feel easier knowing what you do is legal” and “Lets Make A Change!” Those two slogans have no bashing in fact could be used to try and get an interest. What I'm looking for honestly is someone who is articulate, has a head for business and how to be very professional and to the point when writing a document. I do realize that grammatical errors, spelling errors, and not having the correct format just like writing a resume will get your ideas ripped up and thrown away to start. It is a once chance effort to get it right the first time and takes participation of all the members from the Pro FM web site which if I could get someone who is good at that I would have pictures of FM transmitters, Micro Powered stations from your basic plug your computer into a transmitter and running NextKast to a Johnny C type station. The site should really be professional which may require dues to be paid by the members of Pro FM. Pro FM may be the more aggressive version of the initiative which would have a pass coded forum that only members have access to. But again I have to start small and work up. Yes I have big dreams for a club or something of sorts all dedicated to FM and getting more legal power for it. I just need folks like minded as I am. I may even talk to some web masters to see how hard and how much it would cost for a site constructed such as that. Then and if we have a workable document it would be published on the ALPB for all to see for the final version does have to be curious to a point, professional looking and to make a valid point based on facts to compare with. I will start with the fact that the Whole house FM Transmitter is already past 250 uV/m out of the box and the sky has not fallen and try and get an accurate percentage of the folks who own them. Bring up the fact that many folks who own the chinese transmitters which can cause harmful interference would be minimized if 500 mW was legal. But also point out too that the Whole House FM Transmitter already puts out a nice 310 mW into free space. My idea is to point out that many folks are not asking for 20 miles , but a mile or two under excellent conditions. These points and a professional approach is the only way to get the job done. I'm also going to try and get the folks from the other site to look at the proposal for wireless mics and get the FCC to allow us to have an FM Stereo Transmitter locked to the channels of 87.7 and 87.9 asking for 1 Watt and making the transmitter scan first. The Belkin from Walmart though it goes 10 feet at best does this. That will help stop intentional Radio station jamming. There should be checks and balances through the document that shows sheer responsibility and determination of eliminating any possible harm to the spectrum in the process of having a Micro Broadcasting station. Its the only way to get the job done. Any other route will fail and the whole mess would be forever known as a complete failure and waste of time.
This topic as started got WAY off topic!
Anyway, Thelegacy, the rant you went on about the FCC did you no good in the initiative of getting them to listen to a field strength increase especially if they read this forum. Open defiance isn't the right way.
You are right about pushing boundaries, protesting, speaking out, petitions, get's change....eventually. Same sex marriage is the result of just that...an example. So is the right of women to go toppless in Ontario.
You are also right that everyone into this hobby and most on this forum wish that the rules were more relaxed....even Rich.
Change is possible! History shows that. A handfull of people changed the marriage laws so a small group of people can change the current field strength rules. If I could help I would but since I don't live in the USA and vote there, I have no way to contribute but I'm sure that others here and on other sites will join you in this cause....even organize a protest and take it to the doorstep of the FCC office!...it may get news coverage.
You have a year long election campain coming next year....that's when polititions will listen to you.
That well written petition that Carl did was good....what's happening with that?
But openly on this forum hinting defiance won't do anything and will just get them, if they read this forum, to put you on their radar.
But whatever, it won't change tomorrow....change takes time.
You won't send the FCC a letter of petition and next month the law will change.
Mark
Yes I may also put Car's version up for review on the “other” sites I've tried. My main goal here is to work hard till its done and I know it will be a long haul. Using New Zealand's 1 Watt is where I plan to try along with Canada's increased field strength. I'm really thinking between Carl's petition draft and some really good business thinking people we could forge some good hard work that could make that change. There is a few reasons to present to the FCC for change and I'm looking for more valid reasons I have not thought of yet. Even the folks at Light O Rama forums too could benefit from a change. I think looking at every ave of how this helps can do great strides to help get it passed. New Zealand allowed a few frequencies for Hobby Broadcasting to help with the Pirate Radio issue. It seems to help there. That could be the golden ticket in this case too.
A "movement," whether it's freedom to marry the person of choice or to get FCC rules improved, takes something more than "believers" who talk and talk.
A well organized movement needs someone to act as the record keeper, the secretary of the board, the librarian as it were, the stenographer, to collect and keep track of all the poistions expressed by everyone along the way, such as my several "manifestos" and Mark's inputs and the suggestions of many others.
Talking and talking simply casts sound into the wind which blows away.
Things need to be documented and dealt with in a semi-formal way so the Initiative is more than gab sessions.
It hasn't happened because that's not what we do. We are not a group of historians keeping track of the "era of the initiative." We are just radio hobbyists who have various reasons for enjoying radio.
Further discussion tonight at the ALPB Meeting.
Why would the FCC even consider a petition written by individuals who are involved in pirate radio. Particularly since they have vowed to go after and shut down pirate radio stations.
You have to look at the big picture here. Decisions are not made by organizations - they are made by people. If you attack them and call them names, however indirectly, they will not respond positively when you speak. If you are doing something that is against their mandate, and in this case, illegal, they will not listen.
Ideally, you need to find people to help who are currently involved in Part 15, and even more ideally, ex-broadcasters or current broadcasters. I am not knocking the knowledge or experience of the pirate guys - they obviously know what they are doing - but then, that is the problem as well. They are breaking the law intentionally. They are showing their disregard for the FCC in doing so. And the FCC is certainly showing their disregard for them with their own current anti-pirate initiative.
In my experience, the only way to get things done is to appoint, elect or volunteer a project manager to oversee everything.
You then need to create a project plan, with target dates and deliverables. The overall goal is to break the larger deliverable (i.e., the petition), into smaller pieces that can be worked on by small groups or individuals, and that can be more easily tracked.
While there is science behind project management, there is also art and creativity (which is why, in reality, most projects fail - either they run horribly over deadlines, or horribly over budget, or never complete at all).
All of this is some good advise as I have never managed a project as big as this. The only thing I had to go by was some other projects dealing with other things. The only thing I can say for the showing the FCC that such a petition if passed could actually help them rid the need for a Pirate would be to somehow use New Zealand and the guard bands. But this would have to once again be shown in graphs so that the FCC could get a better understanding of what could happen. Maybe before the petition would have to be public and government education of part 15 and what it is. If this antenna does work as good as I think it will for AM we could get some of the Pirates who want to gain more power on FM to try the 100 mW antenna with Station8's magic antenna/atu (its really not magic but just proving a point). Heck I must admit I would like to see it in action at my place. If there is a way to get more range following the rules tan gray areas would that be a possible shock? That could even open a can of warms as to where I may want to educate would be Pirates who really don't want 20+ miles. Some want 3-4. One was talking about a 15 watt FM TX to go only that far and If I could prove it works on 100 mW AM the initiative has done some good for all. I know AM won't work in all areas but it would show an educational willingness from the project I never thought of so much as now. Sometimes Pirates themselves do things because of the stereotype belief that 100mW on AM won't do anything. Just a thought.
I'm looking for group participation as project managers, librarians, a whole complete movement. Hopefully as big as Prometheus. There has got to be a way to construct such an organization.
Merging a few ideas:
49MHz from http://www.part15.us/comment/41205
The hobby aspect from http://www.part15.us/forum/part15-forums/general-discussion/why-bother
The modulation question from http://www.part15.us/forum/part15-forums/general-discussion/15219-and-15239-do-not-specify-modulation-scheme-use
If my goal is to see how far I can get a signal and I do not care about the content, I should get an amateur radio license.
If my goal is to broadcast something, such as music, I cannot do that on amateur bands, so I am back to part 15.
If my absolute goal is to get a signal out that it may be possible for someone to receive then I should pick the part 15 band that has the best range and pick a modulation scheme that is the most resistant to noise. It is unlikely a typical person would have the correct radio to receive it, but someone could, and I could put the right radio in my car to drive around and check the range to make myself feel good.
If I want people to hear what I am broadcasting I need to stick with frequencies and modulations people can receive. That is when the range limitations under 15.209, 15.239 and to a lesser extent 15.219 become so frustrating.
49MHz looks promising. The problem is someone would need a radio that can receive it. If it were 15 years ago, I could see building a bunch of 49MHz radios to give my friends so we could have a secret radio station in our neighborhood and play music on it. Now with the internet that seems silly.
Googling 49MHz on this site some neat hits came up. One sounded like the idea was to use a central 49MHz transmitter to feed a bunch of solar powered FM transmitters that operated under 15.239.
There are a lot of great ideas floating around. But I do not have the time I used to. If something is available in kit form or a ready to go off the shelf product, I am much more likely to use it. Even having someone sell an etched circuit board that I can add my own parts to will make me more likely to do something than being stuck with a parts list, schematic, and possibly a CAD file to get a board cut. That is just the reality of how my time goes.
I think being able to recommend a scanner that could get multiple modulations up and down the dial to our friends would make getting others interested in our hobby easier. If I am SSB’ing with 15.235 limits, I would want to be able to tell people how they could tune in. Getting SDR’s into people’s hands may help too.
It sounds like they want to try and bring back 49 Mhz as a way of communications such as emergency. Bringing back the 49 Mhz Walkie Talkie's is an interesting concept. But I do remember 49.830, 49.860 and 49.890 were very popular amung kids Walkie Talkie's and other 49 Mhz Walkie Talkie's back around 1979. The range was 1/4 to 1 mile. But the band was quiet for the most part. I suppose you could modify 2 49 Mhz Walkie talkie's one for the left channel and the other for the right. One could be on 49.830 and the other could be on 49.890 Mhz. These could be used to link many FM Transmitters so you could cover an entire neighborhood. An expensive way, but could have been done in a small neighborhood.
In the past I was able to pass AM audio through RC Car controllers. From what I remember the range and audio were actually pretty good. The RC Airplane controllers worked the best.
You guys need to puff and pass. Take a look at what the FCC has plans for the reorganization of the spectrum. Part 15 radio is not and will never be part of it. As anothet posted about amateur radio operators, deal with what you have and make the most of it it legally. You are wasting quality time.