Carl Van Orden, antenna guy writes “It is no surprise that FM part 15 broadcasting creates more interest than AM part 15 broadcasting…”
Carl Van Orden, antenna guy writes “It is no surprise that FM part 15 broadcasting creates more interest than AM part 15 broadcasting…”
I guess that if I were not acquainted with broadcasting at all I’d want to be on the FM band, provided I wished to supply a broadcast service.
With both AM and FM part 15, you can broadcast very easily about 200 feet. The difference between the two bands is that with FM, you can only broadcast about 200 feet legally; that is the FCC limit in range.
All part 15 AM transmitters will achieve that range with a simple wire antenna and without any kind of ground system. Since I build AM part 15 antennas, I get more emails that ask questions than I get actual orders, but that is ok.
The main question I get is about range: “how far can I broadcast?” With a SStran transmitter and one of my coil-loaded antennas we can guarantee 1 mile at least, but there are things you can do to improve that range, all 100% legal!
Remember, AM (to most people’s surprise) is basically a ground based medium, meaning most of your listenable signal will be heard via a ground wave.
Based on your particular soil conductivity, and the availability of a clear frequency at the high end of the band, you may immediately see a better signal than 1 mile, albeit perhaps not clear.
Using a transmitter kit like the SStran, and my antenna with a properly installed ground system, I’ve had reports of up to an amazing 4 mile radius of range! Even in the poorest conductivity areas, I’ve had reports of solid, 2-mile signals!
For my money, I’d rather have a superior strong signal in a 1-mile contour than a poor signal over a 3-mile radius. As the FM band continues to clog, the AM band actually continues to open up, and with the onset of HD AM radio, surely more channels will open up in the future.
The key to being successful in part 15 AM broadcasting is to provide programming that no one else is doing. If you can do that, you can not only provide a great community radio station, but maybe even make a little money using your station as your own “on the side” business.
Don’t forget, your community has people providing lawn-mowing services, there is garage sales, perhaps you close to a church that would like to broadcast their services, there are baby-sitting services too.
Do you live in a community whose people are mostly retired? Or an apartment building with more retirees than working people? Perhaps a big band format (instead of the rock and roll you prefer) could be an option!
Again, the key is to find an open frequency, or as clear of one as you can, build your ideas of format for the people you live close to, and cater to them.
As an antenna builder, I’ve been thinking of offering part 15 antennas, but the truth is that overall, I feel most people are not satisfied by the range of the FM transmitters you are allowed to use. On even a stereo system, some of the best AM kits sound FM like, and strong, and you will have range if that is what you want.
The most important thing is that we get more part 15ers on the air, to promote community radio, to provide for potential listeners, and to do it in an economical way.
Carl Van Orden,
antenna guy
[email protected]
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