Are we aware that professional radio stations have backup transmitters?
They are prepared for the event that the main transmitter may break down, and the spare tranmsmitter lets them get back on the air within seconds.
In some cases the backup transmitter is located alongside the main.
Just as often the backup is located at another building or tower somewhere nearby.
Here at KDX Worldround Radio we expect to have backups for all our stations. Over 20 transmitters!
2 Rangemasters, 1 AMT-3000 & 1 "Enhanced" Talking House...
A couple of Decades, a Waio/Cardiotheatre, a Broadcastvision which the company is looking after getting the problem of the Canadian certification worked out.
Have a feeling the Decade will work indefinitely without ever failing.
I like the dip switch method of selecting frequency as no extra IC's needed to work a display which can and does fail sometimes.
I have just one back up for the Procaster, an AMT-5000.
Worldround Radio has added a Scosche FMT4 FCC Certified Transmitter as FM translator station K198ZZ.
The translator relays vinyl recordings from our Closet Turntable to the ROLLS FM Tuner at the Control Desk for digitizing.
When not in use the signal is turned off.
...For experimentation, here's
what I have.
For FM: 2 Scosche FMT4Rs. A
C. Crane version 2, (I think it's 2)
modified for mono, a Ramsey
FM-10 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
modified for mono, a North Country
Radio MPX-96 and a Maxell P-13.
For AM:
A broken LPB carrier current transmitter
6 watts carrier current on 1020 kHz. Vacuum
tubes and model number...???? (I'll
check the model number later... a Ramsey AM-1
modified for crystal control on 1590, 1670, and 1700
(it actually works pretty well...,) an SS-Tran AMT-3000
- -I love it- - and 2 Talking House 5.0 units
that need audio mods- - actually though -
one is alive and one is dead.
Ummmmm.
For 13.560 MHz shortwave -
a "Big Talker" from Carl's
website-- which I built. It
works fine but is very sloppy
construction - - it should be rebuilt.
Each of these transmitters has an
interesting story.
Brooce
Brooce sez:
"Each of these transmitters has an
interesting story."
Another thing that has a VERY interesting story is the history of Brooce's station names...
DOGGRADIO STUDIO 2
MICRO 1700
and many others.
Currently, the studios of Artisan Radio contain:
- A Landmark FM-350 RSS210 certified FM transmitter
- A Decade CM-10 BETS certified FM transmitter
- a Maxell P-13 Part 15 certified FM transmitter
- a Decade LX-75 RSS123 certified FM transmitter (currently unused). Kept for if and/or when I decide to make a venture into semi-business (i.e., tourist area/shopping mall) broadcasting
I'm thinking of reaquiring a Decade MS-100 FM transmitter. The Landmark has similar sound, and the CM-10 is OK, but the Decade is just superior all around, including range.
Finally, since it looks like I might be ending up in a house with a yard (and the possibility of an antenna), I'm looking at getting another ProCaster. I'd go for the Rangemaster, but it isn't certified here in Canada (and any transmitter used in Canada does have to be IC certified).
Isn't the Maxell P-13 a funny
little transmitter?
It's sort-of shaped like a hockey puck
but the edges are curved. There is an
audio plug that folds into a little
"slot-area" in the case. It's built well
and the case is made of thick plastic.
You could put it into your pocket and
leave it there forever until it is needed.
The power indicator is a very bright blue
LED that one can see from a long way off.
The range is "normal" for a little unlicensed
FM transmitter.
But then there are the things that aren't
so great: Only 4 frequencies (88.1, 88.3
88.5, and 88.7.) 88.3 just barely works
where I live. I don't think my P-13 does
100 percent deviation. I think my unit
does only about 80 percent. If the audio
signal to the unit stops - the carrier goes off.
The carrier comes back on when the audio
signal into the unit resumes. I guess some
people would like that - - some might not.
Still - mine was a workhorse for a long time
because it is so small and sturdy.
The price was great - 8 or 10 U.S. dollars.
I guess the P-13 is no longer being made.
But I'm not sure.
Brooce
Yup. That's the P-13. Decent sounding. I got it for $1 on e-bay (plus shipping) so you can't beat the price. I get 100-200 feet range on my car radio before it fades away. Not so much on a portable, but it does cover the house. The biggest problem is that it only supports 4 frequencies at the lower end of the FM band - if they're used, you're hooped. There is one somewhat open frequency for me - it has a Seattle NPR station faintly coming in (I imagine that range might be better if it weren't there). It was an interesting experiment, but I wouldn't use it on a daily basis.
Thank you Mr. Artisan for the
comments on the P-13. The
FM transmitter that I forgot about
Is just a - - circuit board for
a Whole House (Version 1.0)
FM unit. I got it for about
35 cents on E-Bay. (Not
really but it wasn't much.)
The range is about right for
U.S. Part 15.239. Audio is OK.
This particular unit has a strange
instability. The attached wire antenna
is about a foot or two long. If the antenna
is moved around the circuit board when it
is operating - - one will hear funny squealing
noises in the transmitted audio.
Also, only the top 7 FM BCB channels
are available. That's only 106.7 through
107.9. I have no blank channels
here except for 107.9 (sort of.)
I keep stuff - so the thing is sitting
around here. Somewhere.
Brooce