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I ordered me a Rangemaster! I’ve experienced the SSTran unit pretty much so now I’m going to see what the Rangemaster will do..
Total posts : 4536612vman, I have always heard great reviews about the Rangemaster. Hope you enjoy it and have many years of quality service with it.
TRAVIS ALLRED,Real Country 1600
http://www.geocities.com/wbgrradio/index.html
Total posts : 45366I’ve read many reviews over the last couple of years but never had the chance to talk to anyone directly who owns one. Seems if you ask about them, noone really wants to talk about it or is very vague..
I know first hand what the SSTran will do using the outdoor antenna. I’ve spent countless hours on the set up and I’ve learned a lot. I totally understand how important the grounding is and it’s more than just a stake in the ground..
I have a ground area built and tested the SSTran on it today. It’s not complete but I’m not going to change anything untill I install the Rangemaster in the same exact spot and do some testing. I plan to see what all of the hype is about first hand. I will post here with the results..
At present, I have 6-400′ radials spread from the base of a wooden platform 20′ in the air connected to 4-8′ ground rods connected togather in a halo fashion at ground level. I have a piece of 4ga. copper wire dropped dead center of the platform to the ground to yet another 8′ ground rod (5 in total) connected to the halo in 4 places at the corner posts of the deck via 4ga. copper wire. The radials are connected to the halo. I have a metal roof just next to the platform that is 14’x46′ that is connected with the ground. I also have a frame that holds my solar panels that is made with aluminum angle that is around 10’x10′ that is connected too. The roof and the framework for the panels are below the antenna/xmtr so it’s acting like an above ground plane. I believe that this amount of ground area gave the SSTran something to work with..
I expect the Rangemaster will be here in a few days. The wait will drive me nuts..
Total posts : 45366It really isn’t necessary to run 6 four-hundred foot radials elevated off the ground. Plus, under the Part 15 rules, this “elevated” ground system would not be legal (too long). Remember, the two Part 15 rules concerning AM stations; 1) the maximum field strength allowed – 250 uv/m at 3 meters, or 2) the entire length of the transmitting system including the antenna feed and ground system must not exceed 3 meters.
The FCC has, however, not made any substantive ruling about ground “radial” systems on or in the surrounding earth. In fact, on several occasions they have recommended the use of safety grounding using a “dissapative” radial and ground rod system. These systems attach to the transmitter ground with 12 awg or larger wire and travel the most direct route to earth. Otherwise, the FCC considers the system a blatant attempt to subvert the rules.
And finally, grounding everything in sight that is metallic can either be very productive or shoot your signal in the foot. It all depends if the reflected energy from the metal surface remains in phase or out of phase with the main transmitted signal. Sometimes its out of phase and cancels a substantial part of the transmitted signal. Removing the grounding conductor from each one, one at a time, and test the signal strength will tell you right away what going on.
The Rangemaster I use is the best sounding AM station in town. I drive it with SAM3 automation digital processing and final process with an NRSC compliant Inovonics 222 AM broadcast processor. It extends the signal area and makes the station louder without unpleasant audio processing artifacts. And its all 100 percent legal. My Rangemaster is 30 feet in the clear with a single ground conductor to a ten foot chemcial ground rod and twenty buried ground radials around twenty feet long. My range is about 1 1/2 miles in soil that is almost solid rock (Columbia River Gorge). One thing the Rangemaster can do that most other Part 15 transmitters can’t do: modulate to 125 percent positive peaks and still sound crystal clear. I look forward to your review.
Marshall Johnson, Sr.
Rhema Radio – The Word In Worship
http://www.rhemaradio.org
Total posts : 45366[quote=kk7cw]It really isn’t necessary to run 6 four-hundred foot radials elevated off the ground. Plus, under the Part 15 rules, this “elevated” ground system would not be legal (too long). Remember, the two Part 15 rules concerning AM stations; 1) the maximum field strength allowed – 250 uv/m at 3 meters, or 2) the entire length of the transmitting system including the antenna feed and ground system must not exceed 3 meters.[/quote]These beliefs are rather garbled, sorry. The 250 µV/m field at 3 meters is a rule applying to Part 15 FM, not AM. And the 3-meter AM antenna does not include the “ground system,” only the conductor(s) leading to the ground system.
The applicable Part 15 AM rules are either 15.209, or 15.219. Rule 15.209 does not define anything about the tx or antenna, only that the field strength in microvolts/meter when measured thirty (not 3) meters away from the antenna cannot exceed [24,000/Operating Freq in kilohertz].
As an alternate, Rule 15.219 can be applied in place of 15.209. It limits the DC input power to the final r-f stage in the tx to 100 mW, and the total length of the antenna, feedline and ground lead (not “ground system”) to 3 meters.
Of these two rules, 15.209 is much more restrictive.
[quote=kk7cw]The FCC has, however, not made any substantive ruling about ground “radial” systems on or in the surrounding earth. In fact, on several occasions they have recommended the use of safety grounding using a “dissapative” radial and ground rod system. These systems attach to the transmitter ground with 12 awg or larger wire and travel the most direct route to earth. Otherwise, the FCC considers the system a blatant attempt to subvert the rules.[/quote]It almost sounds like these statements proceed from an official (written) FCC rule or policy applying specifically to Part 15. If so, would you please provide the reference? But if they are just someone’s belief based on what they think is a “reasonable” idea of the FCC’s official position or “intent,” then they should be identified as such, and not presented authoritatively. Then readers will know that they need to investigate this for themselves, or at least understand that there is some risk in blindly following those beliefs.
The part of your quote just above about using a 12 AWG or larger wire to connect a Part 15 AM tx to an r-f ground by the most direct route is a virtual invitation to install an elevated Part 15 system having a total radiating length greater than 3 meters — which length is prohibited by 15.219. That may mean to an FCC inspector that you are operating under 15.209. But the field strength that a tx with 100 mW input power to the final r-f stage can produce 30 meters away from an elevated, long antenna will be far above the limit allowed by 15.209. So such a system would be non-compliant under either rule.
I invite you (Marshall Johnson) and all other readers to verify what I’ve written here. My goal is always to present factual and technically correct information that can help others to better understand Part 15 systems.
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Total posts : 45366I run a Rangemaster and am thoroughly satisfied with it. Right now, my unit sits about 10 feet off the ground with a single four-foot ground rod. My audio sounds as good as any other station on the dial, and in some cases, better than other stations. With this simple ground, I still get between 3/4 and a full mile of coverage, and this is with poor ground conductivity. My previous transmitter was a Metzo and I could never get really good coverage with it. Plus, the audio was not anywhere near that of the Rangemaster.
As far as powering the unit, I use a filtered power supply. I am, though, very interested in solar power for remote applications. I would like to put up at least one more transmitter, but I want the package to be self-contained with both STL and power capabilities. That’s so I can put the remote on a water tower or like structure where there is no power. If I use a some sort of building, then I don’t have to “borrow” power from the building for the transmitter.
Total posts : 45366.. On how my ground radials are.The 6-400′ electric fence wire radials are at or in the ground. (Not Elevated) Just the metal roof and the frame for the solar panels are above ground..
Total posts : 45366Rich,
From official enforcement records available to you and any interested party, the interpretation and opinions I offered are just as valid as your science and legal interpretation. Before you begin to lecture anyone on this forum about legality, check your walls for your law degree. If you don’t have one or have not pracrticed as an engineer or technical consultant before the commission, I would ask you tone down your rhetoric. Frankly, its borish. All I have tried to do is offer my informed opinion to those who have questions. I am NOT the definitive guru of radio broadcasting as some here have implied.
I, too, am on the same journey to understand the proper operation of a Part 15 radio station. By its name, as defined in Part 15, it is neither a broadcast station nor a radio station. It is by classification in the same technical category as wireless telephones as far as the FCC is concerned. If you don’t think so, read the enforcement log of the FCC.
And on the FCC website is a Part 15 narrative explaining much of what you find it necessary to be critical about. For those of us who are trying to be of service to our communities through the use of low powered transmitters, I challenge you to do the same before you gain the technical bully-pulpit again. Don’t bother to respond to this written offering. I am through trying to be light hearted and opine with you. It is fruitless.
Marshall Johnson, Sr.
Rhema Radio – The Word In Worship
http://www.rhemaradio.org
Total posts : 45366[quote=kk7cw]And on the FCC website is a Part 15 narrative explaining much of what you find it necessary to be critical about.[/quote]Probably you are referring to FCC OET Bulletin 63. Here is a clip from the FCC website about it, “This bulletin has been prepared to provide a basic understanding of the FCC regulations for low power, unlicensed transmitters, and includes answers to some commonly-asked questions.”
The URL to the FCC download page for it is http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins/#63.
Another useful FCC reference for Part 15 users is found at http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/decdoc/scandoc/910724/1.jpg.
[quote=kk7cw]For those of us who are trying to be of service to our communities through the use of low powered transmitters, I challenge you to do the same before you gain the technical bully-pulpit again.[/quote]However such a goal for a Part 15 setup does not entitle its operator to disregard the rules applying to its use, and/or to encourage others to do so.
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Total posts : 45366Dear Marshall,
Apologies to all if this is off topic for this thread, but Marshall, you have made some statements that I need to challenge.
You asked Mr. Fry about his law degree and implied since he is not a lawyer, he is not qualified to comment on the part 15 rules. I offer that an engineering degree is much more useful than a law degree when interpreting the technical aspects of the FCC rules. For example, ask your attorney what -26 dBc means. To imply that those who are not lawyers are not capable of understanding the rules is ridiculous.
You also stated that unless one has experience appearing before the FCC or as a technical consultant they should tone down their rhetoric. Why, if the statements made are grounded in solid engineering principles and practice, should one be silenced simply because of lack of your defined experience?
Few people understand that engineering is a disciplined profession and those who practice engineering do not accept hearsay. If a bridge falls down, I will not, and I presume you will not, accept the engineer’s reason if given that “other bridges didn’t and I think the inspector would have said it was properly installed”.
Please understand the I, and some others on this board, are trying to teach so hobbist can understand the factors which arise from the FCC rules so we may enjoy the broadcasting hobby and stay out of trouble, and I ask you not to attack the messenger when you do not like the message or find it borish..
Neil
Total posts : 45366It’s easy, Frank. Maybe we can start another thread on this?
Total posts : 45366Let’s do that. I think it would be a great discussion.
Total posts : 45366Well ,Guys.. Here’s what I’ve seen so far..
I mounted the Rangemaster to the existing ground that was designed for the SSTran and the outside copper pipe antenna. I will tell you that they are two totally different animals..
What worked well for the SSTran wasn’t so good for the Rangemaster. The Rangemaster actually “Tested” my ground with the adjustment procedure. The SSTran wanted much more grounding than the Rangemaster. I had 5 ground rods and 6 radials at the base of the tower where the mounting area is all connected togather. I needed to disconnect all of it except the ground rod directly below the tower to that ground rod only. The Rangemaster then tuned with ease..
This is the part that everyone is waiting on.. RANGE!.. AUDIO!
Believe it or not, the SSTran was doing pretty darn good! The range isn’t too much different after everything was tuned correcty but the audio is so much better on the Rangemaster overall. I was impressed with the SSTran but after hearing the Rangemaster without any kind of processing.. WOW! BIG DIFFERENCE!
It took about an hour to set up the Rangemaster and a month or so to complete the SSTran. I spent many hours in the grounding for the SSTran and had to disconnect almost all of it to satisfy the Rangemaster. After knowing what I know now, I would save my pennys and go for the Rangemaster..
Don’t get me wrong. The SSTran is an excellent project to do and by all means, do the external antenna also. I haven’t tried this (YET) but I’ll bet the SSTran could be set up similar to the Rangemaster using the on board matching circuit and a whip. Might make the set up much more simple and I’ll bet you could get about the same amount of range.. (Guess what my next project will be..) I wish the SSTran was certified..
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