Christmas Holiday Schedule AM 1700 WEFR

A little late but...Be careful not to draw attention of the media ,including newspapers about your station.   Many stations have been shutdown after drawing too much attention,  including WOCR 650 AM Ocean City , MD .  There's a website for the station and it's past . 

@1620am-w9xaz Maybe it's different in Canada, but I'd have to disagree with your statement.

If you're legal, and careful to demonstrate that you're not attempting to compete with any licensed stations in the area (and take away their revenue stream), then any and all publicity is good.  That's assuming that you want to attract listeners.

When I started Artisan Radio, someone in one of the local Vancouver papers (i.e., lots of readers) wrote an article on the station.  I actually got positive interest from other, licensed, radio stations after that (I was told we were hyped on at least one licensed station) and other media (including mentions on local TV).  I believe that Industry Canada did come to Bowen Island to check me out, but I never heard anything from them.

Personally, I'd rather let people know I'm out there, rather than continuously look over my shoulder and worry.  If you look like you're hiding, people assume that you really are doing something wrong.

Anyway, that's just my opinion.

Merry Christmas to everyone on the Forum!

I can say my station is legal and complies with the FCC rules and using an FCC certified transmitter demonstrates I intend on following the rules. And being Non-commercial my station is not in competition for AD revenue.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

  The reason the part 15 regulations are so vague is so they can shut down a station for any reason.  There's plenty of stations that have been shutdown by the FCC that used certified transmitters . If someone complains, especially another radio station. ...They'll  use any excuse to shut it down and have done so.  There was a station in Oregon,  called itself community radio , used two Range master transmitters.  It was shut down because a low powered FM station complained . The station was also profiled in a local newspaper.  The best thing is to not draw attention to any station here in the US that reaches more than a very short distance.  Go on the fcc site , and on the site it lays out the distance that legal transmission is allowed.... Around 250 feet , with the power level listed on their page .  It take too much time to type out every instance I know of but I thought I'd put it out there . Do what you think is best for your situation.  I made up my mind long ago based on what I discovered to not draw attention to either of my stations.   Better to be safe or safer than not be able to broadcast at all.  I wish we did have the right to broadcast beyond a short distance,  actually written in the regulations but that will never happen in this country. 

FCC 15.219 Revised as of September 1, 2021 § 15.219 Operation in the band 510-1705 kHz. (a) The total input power to the final radio frequency stage (exclusive of filament or heater power) shall not exceed 100 milliwatts. (b) The total length of the transmission line, antenna and ground lead (if used) shall not exceed 3 meters. (c) All emissions below 510 kHz or above 1705 kHz shall be attenuated at least 20 dB below the level of the unmodulated carrier. Determination of compliance with the 20 dB attenuation specification may be based on measurements at the intentional radiator's antenna output terminal unless the intentional radiator uses a permanently attached antenna, in which case compliance shall be deomonstrated by measuring the radiated emissions.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-15/subpart-C/subject-group-ECFR2f2e5828339709e/section-15.219

Notice Roy's post of the AM rules is not vague, it's quite up front and clear and the 200ft rule that keeps popping up is not there. Only power into the final amp(not including the filament if a tube amp) and the only mention of the actual radiated power has to do with harmonics not being above 20% of the carrier, and no distance is stated anywhere.

An inexpensive(relatively inexpensive) portable spectrum analyzer can accurately show you harmonics over the air from the antenna. These are available on Amazon. We should all have one of these. I have found 1 certified FM transmitter that has bad harmonics at the same level as the intended frequency, was scary. The Procaster which I have has a few harmonics that could be above that 20% threshhold.
I agree with Artisan about being up front and announcing you use a certified transmitter as per part 15 rules and Canadian equivalent and even posting it if you have a web site.
As for a newspaper interview...hmmm, a local radio station could see that as competition as a lot of people may read the paper and go to your station and turn off the commercial one...or even go to your area to listen. Is there anything in the FCC rules that say you are not allowed to advertise a part 15 station, or let people know in your area you are there?
And now that I think about it what about Canada? If we are following the rules are we allowed to make it known we are there by advertising it? If I got interviewed by a major newspaper here in Toronto like the Star the ISED employees also read that paper and I'd get a visit for sure. Do I have anything to hide..no..and nothing may come of it but I don't want to be bothered with a visit or worry that a write up in the major newspaper may attract attention from a commercial station thinking I am competing.

I respectfully disagree with the rules being vague on purpose just to allow them to shut someone down for any reason. The USA and Canadian rules are very straight forward.

@wefr Never intended to create  so much animosity.  I only wanted to point out risk involved with drawing public attention to any station in USA.  There's  no right to broadcast beyond a limited distance,  that's on the FCC site , in fact  they listed several court battles in the past about the issue.  Part 15 was never intended to be anymore than home broadcast service or a hobby station at the most .  It was not created for a back door way to get around regulations required to start a licensed station . The FCC is well aware of hobby radio stations using certified transmitters.  They're not actively searching to shut them down  .  The majority of part 15 stations only broadcast a short distance,  around their property,  not trying to cover a massive area.   The stations that have been shutdown using certified transmitters were covering entire cities or towns and that's where trouble begins. No longer a hobby station or home broadcast station , defacto community station , by passing all the regulations under the shield of 100 milliwatts and 3 meter antenna. ... Most stations like that eventually are shutdown,  especially when they draw too much attention.    This is my last posting on this subject.   I was on the FCC page a couple days ago.  On their page it talks about the massive amount of inquiries about low power broadcasting.  It's there they state FCC position and down further free speech and that there's no right to broadcast more than a short distance.  The total distance isn't specific, only the 200 foot coverage is mentioned.   The actual coverage is greater than that but somewhere under a mile .  One of the two reasons I posted my comment a couple days ago , is that we don't have the right to broadcast here in the USA , beyond a very short distance.    It would be better for all Americans if we did have the right to broadcast.   As far as my other reason , drawing public attention. ..   Do as you feel is best for your station but beware of what can happen....and the examples in the recent past of stations being shutdown.  Never over estimate your rights or protections .

@1620am-w9xaz It's all good. No harm done. I understand what you meaning.