Final (Re)design of My Part 15 AM Station

[Bill]

Final (Re)design of My Part 15 AM Station

After eliminating the Ramsey PPM3C from my plan, because it is deficient in several things, including not having a two-way telephone connection, another device was needed to provide audio compression and limiting. After a separate compressor/limiter was considered, I realized the cost of the station was becoming prohibitive.

Then when I accessed this forum not long ago, I accidently clicked on the SSTRAN banner at the top. It was then I realized the AMT3000 also had audio compression and limiting. So, that transmitter became my choice, saving me better than 90% from what I had planned for a transmitter and a compressor/limiter.

During the redesign, besides making some other improvements and enhancements, I also prepared detailed instructions and a pictorial diagram for using the AMT3000 outdoors with a full length CB whip antenna, my antenna of choice for where I live.

Because many pages were changed, no attempt was made this time to identify the changes from previous versions. Treat this final presentation anew. Please see:

http://members.aol.com/K5BY/MP_Radio/MP_Radio0.htm

Best regards,
Bill in SE Texas

[mlr]

you have way more patience than I do… I can’t do these kinds of diagrams (A.D.D.?).. but boy are they nice 🙂

[Bill]

<< you have way more patience than I do… I can’t do these kinds of diagrams (A.D.D.?).. but boy are they nice >>

Thank you, MLR. If I had more patience, though, I would have broken out my drafting aids and made nice circles and squares.

On quadrille paper, I make the initial drawings in pencil. I then use them as guides for the inked drawings. The wiring diagram is a third generation. The pictorial should have been redrawn, because of all the changes and corrections I’d made to it, but I ran out of patience. 🙂

As it was, the drawing had so much Liquid Paper on it, had I dropped it, it would have shattered like a dish. 🙂

Bill in SE Texas

[Bill]

Well… I just couldn’t leave it alone. 🙂 I was looking at my system diagram and I saw that there were three discrepancies in my system. There was no cue speaker (all cueing would have to be done with earphones on), there was a now-redundant artifact from the original design, and switch S10 really didn’t do anything useful. So…

I eliminated the link from the Broadcast Monitor Panel and rewired switch S8 to select between the headphones and a (second) speaker for cueing and program input monitoring. I changed S9 to a toggle switch, to select between just a speaker and a flashing neon lamp. And I expanded S10 into four toggle switches, to be able to find and disconnect a bad audio channel, should one occur in the studio or transmitter, and thus be able to finish a broadcast day.

On the Comment and Change page I added to my Web site last time, I make dated notes of any change, including the above, and then rework the relevant text(s) and diagram(s) to reflect the changes.

But this tinkering is not bad. Early in my professional career (I’m retired now), I learned — probably the hard way — that it is much easier to make changes on paper than it is to change stuff after it is installed. It’s called “thorough planning.”

Too, although I don’t know whether it is an art or a science (I seem to have thought this way my whole life), I “think system.” And I don’t mean just making components of a “system” (which is really a “unit”) act and react well with each other. Besides the “What ifs?,” I also ask the journalists’ questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?

In other words, a real radio broadcast system includes consideration of who will use it (operator friendly), what will be used (component quality, compatibility, and cost), when it will be used (schedule, mode, etc.), where it will be used (location, environment indoors and outdoors, etc.), why it will be used (purpose), and how it will be used (program type and management).

Eventually I will develop a parts list and add it at my Web site. Ditto a pictorial of the station layout, including switch panel details. I’m looking forward to the day I can add photographs of my station.

(I’ll be ordering the AMT3000 this coming month — December)

My updated Web site is at:

http://members.aol.com/K5BY/MP_Radio/MP_Radio0.htm

Best Wishes,
Bill Shoots
Bacliff Radio
1670 AM
(Still UC)

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