I will go to 1630 AM from 89.9 FM in the next few days as soon as I get it set up and I inform my listeners. I hope I can keep my listeners. If they have any trouble I will give them, and show them, how to use a tuneable loop that can also suppress any noise interference by positioning it correctly. They are close enough that they should have no problem at night. I gave them good receivers. Picked up a couple of Talking Signs, the predecessor to the Procaster that actually performs as well or better than the Rangemaster or Procaster, as Artisan also noted, and certified with wire antenna so no voiding certification by changing the antenna it came with. Using the 3 prong power supply with ground is how it gets its grounding.
My programming is what made AM, standard broadcast, great and this is where it really belongs and what I grew up with. FM was only to be more attractive to listeners, no other reason. Back to old school I go.
But...
What I can't understand is why you don't do both.
@carl-blare Well, guess I could but a lot more involved. Would need a splitter from the computer jack for the two processors needed and possibly a headphone amp with two outputs as splitting one output from the computer into two would lower output in half to each. Then the two processors instead of one. Then the two transmitters and an array of cables and the space for this. Then I wonder what the point of this is especially for a simulcast of the two same programs. Listeners can choose either one, so can I. The commercial stations do this simulcasting but for different areas of coverage which are repeaters. But me, it's all in the one area. It can be on one or the other. As for the USA stations have translators to simulcast the same feed on FM and AM but again, other than keeping the AM coverage as it covers a much larger area than FM and translators are for a smaller area there's not much point to this.
One good reason is that in Canada, you're not allowed to broadcast the same programming on two different computers - it's one of the reasons for exemption from a CRTC license.
You can have 2 different programming streams feeding those two transmitters. You could have 2 separate computers with the same basic programming, just at different times. If you have random playlists, you're not going to have the same stuff playing at the same time.
So you'd basically have to have one computer running separate programming for each transmitter.
I am now on 1630 AM with oldies and OTR dramas. Reliving the golden age of radio. Talking Sign working fantastic. Was certified when Canada had 100mW at the output not the input.
Using Schlockwood AM processor. There is a modulation adjust on the board of the Talking Sign. Adjusting for more modulation depth will have the effect of less radiated power and range but more on air volume, and turning down modulation depth will boost radiated power significantly but have less volume on air but this is compensated by upping the output from the Schlockwood. Really surprised at the difference in output just by keeping the modulation trimmer right down. Also the transmitter on a metal surface adds to performance also.
Hi, Mark.....
Like you. I'm using the Schlockwood SW200 processor....SUPER nice unit!! Jim Wood really hit a home-run with this! His SW300 AM Mod Monitor is my next purchase.....
Because I like redundancy, I have 2 processors -- one for my main transmitter and one for my aux. Both transmitters are CyberMaxAM + BE 100 mw rigs. Right now the MAIN unit is being replaced with a new one under warranty --- the audio stage is FUBAR'd; input gain is "stucK" at maximum and I can't feed decent audio levels into it. The AUX is doing a GREAT job with a 10 foot wire. Being on the 2nd floor, range is about 1/2 mile --- I operate on 570 kHz.
My FM is a Ramsay, running on 91.9 MHz. For the most part, I simulcast --- 50s, 60s and 70s Oldies on Saturdays, News/talk/public affairs/Jazz on Sundays. Being a "one man show", I'm limited to weekend operation for the time being. I also stream when I'm on-air, using Radio.co from the UK!! Fantastic sound (192 kpbs!!) for $US59/month!!
Sounds great.
I'd never heard of Radio.co before, so did a bit of research. One word of warning for others who are also not familiar with them - they do not take care of copyright licensing fees for you (which I had suspected, given their pricing model). They're not really a music aggregator in the common use of that term. Here is the link describing their licensing model (or lack thereof). So unless you obtain that licensing yourself, you could be in violation of copyright laws.