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Decade only makes two models now. The MS-100 and the FM-800 and 850.
Ms-100s are out of stock till the end of May.
<p>Interesting. I wonder if this is due to the pandemic.</p><p>Too bad about the LX-75. It’s a good transmitter. Not legal for unlicensed operation in Canada or the U.S., but certified for RSS-123 in Canada (i.e., usable in spaces with delineated borders such as shopping malls, public spaces, etc. – with an Industry Canada land mobile license). Although for the price, it’s probably more cost effective to go with the FM-800 or 850 with the maximum allowed RSS-123 1 watt output, as opposed to 60mw on the LX-75.</p>
<p>If it wasn’t for the coronavirus I probably would have had the Decade MS-100 or the 800 and just turned it down to about 20. Which is what the broadcast vision runs at around 20 milliwatts.</p><p>I am curious to find out what the future of some of these transmitter manufacturers is going to be after the pandemic now.</p>
I was talking to Michael at Decade and this was before I saw the notice on site about the discontinued LX75. The reason the others are out of stock is because of covid 19 the company that makes the cabinets for him stopped production for a while and he has lots of orders waiting to be shipped. I was inquiring about the status of the company and I would get an extra MS-100 and he told me the business would be there for at least 10 more years so not to worry yet. Even if not to many are sold he would keep it open for at least that long. It’s a home run business and he said he has another day job.
Assume that the LX75 was not worth keeping as it can’t be sold in the USA as it cannot be certified for any use there. Guess not enough customers for it in Canada as it’s only good for RSS-123 and the FM 800/850 can be used for that also. The MS-100 can also be used for RSS-123 so it’s more versitile.
Not sure where some of the misleading statements about the Decades and Broadcastvision transmitters in this thread are coming from.
The MS-100 that I owned was tuned for Canadian BETS rules – 100uv/m @ 30 meters. Those in the U.S. are tuned for Part 15 rules, which will give you substantially less range.
The CM-10 that I own gets less range than my MS-100 got and it operates best at the lower FM frequencies. Range was much less on the higher frequencies. It is certified for BETS use in Canada as well, and is a Canadian model. I’ve somehow managed to damage it with a static discharge.
The LX-75 has switchable output power (not field strength) down to 1mw, and it uses a built-in 1/4 wave whip antenna (similar to the MS-100). That has nothing to do with field strength, and in fact, it gets more range than a BETS-certified MS-100 at that setting.
If you crank up the MS-100 (an internal pot), it can do 1mw output, and range is then comparable with the LX-75 at its lowest setting. That, of course, is not recommended.
Both the CM-10 and the Broadcastvision use smaller, 19 inch whip antennas, presumably in an attempt to reduce field strength to within legal limits. The Part 15 certified Broadcastvision that I have, a later model 3001 that looks identical to the AXS-FMT (less digital audio input) gets about the same range as my CM-10. Therefore, it likely is putting out more than Part 15 field strength (as found by Tim in Bovey’s review of the transmitter), but it’s not in the same league as either the MS-100 or the LX-75.
The LX-75 is built like a tank, and it sounds even better than the MS-100 (in my opinion in a listening test). I purchased the one I have for a steal on e-bay, and hope to eventually put it into RSS-123 use. There’s no way that it can be used for unlicensed broadcasting, even in Canada, as it’s just too powerful, even at it’s lowest setting.
The Decade 800 & 850’s are basically just more powerful LX-75’s. At their lowest power setting (I believe 10mw), they’re just far too powerful for BETS use, and even more overpowered for Part 15 use. They’re really meant for RSS-123 use here in Canada (which allows up to 1 watt output), or low power licensed use in rural communities (requiring a CRTC license as well).
Sorry to hear about killing the CM-10 with a static charge. All these can be protected by adding a 2.2uH coil across the antenna to ground. I mentioned this to thelegacy for his Broadcastvision. The MS-100 has this and the LX-75 would have this too no doubt.
If the one you have(Broadcastvision) is working fine discharge you static before you touch it especially the antenna! If you want the protection and you don’t want to or can’t, I would do the coil install for you but I would need you to send it to me and send it back. I wouldn’t want anything for doing it.
<p>Thanks Mark, but I’ll just be careful. The cost of postage alone would be more than I paid for either transmitter.</p><p>Normally, we don’t have all that many problems with static buildup here on the ‘wet coast’, but weather has been screwy and it’s been very dry this spring (weather patterns have been changing rapidly the past few years).</p><p>The one good thing with the pandemic is that the Earth is getting a break (I can see Mount Baker from my balcony sharp as a tack, when normally it’s barely visible from smog). I’d like to think that people will see the error of their ways with regards to climate change as a result of all this, but I doubt it.</p>
I doubt it too as only by governments forcing change will change happen as people don’t care. The carbon tax is not near enough. People sit idling their cars for hours on streets and parking lots with their phones and city bylaws on idling doesn’t work if not actively enforced. Gas is too cheap and if it was a lot more expensive than it is and it hits them in the pocket book then they will change their ways.
Unfortunately when the pandemic is over the pollution will go back to normal too.We’ve gotten off topic on this one!
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