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Total posts : 45366“Not “legal” for sale in the United States.”
Tell that to eBay:
C’mon! Not legal! That’s a joke. Of course it’s legal, or you wouldn’t be able to buy one. Nobody cares about those stupid “laws” that are not enforced nor even acknowleged.
“You have 2 models of Sstran out there. No comparison in quality.”
That may be true. I have not compared them. Seeing Phil B is being so slow in delivering his product, I can’t see why not buy the SpitFire. It’s plug and play.
“And nothing is ‘Impossible.'”
I like your thinking there..
Doug
Total posts : 45366Sure like to believe that.
Mark
Total posts : 45366That’s quite a concept — if you can buy it on ebay it’s legal LOL!
eBay has a rather extensive list of prohibited items and it’s updated and changing constantly. Over the years I’ve tried to sell a lot of actually legal items that wereprohibited just because they were playing it safe. 10 meter ham amps, Ranger 2025 radios, the list goes on.
If made aware of it it might be possible to get illegal FM transmitters off ebay. Except of course that ebay doesn’t ahve the means to tell the fake certified units from the real certified units, and keeping track would be beyond their abilities.
Check with the sellers of illegal transmitters over the years who HAVE been busted and paid fines. They probably care about those stupid laws.
Prohibited list:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/items-ov.html
TIB
Total posts : 45366Thanks Tim for that info. on prohibited items on Ebay. Didn’t know that Ebay had this rule for sellers and I guess they police this when something goes on there.
The transmitters go through the cracks as there may be a gray area or they don’t know….same as Amazon.
Mark
Total posts : 45366eBay has a lot of rules that no one knows about until they run afoul of them.
Obviously it’s not possible for them to police everything, what with millions of items being listed every single day, most by legit sellers of course. Tha tmakes it hard to weed out the bad stuff. They rely mostly on people clicking on the “report this item” link that’s on every auction if you stumble upon something illegal, counterfiet, or against policies.
Trouble is, if we all start turning in the illegal FM transmitter sellers, for example, it won’t be long before eBay bans the item entirely when they realize they can’t control good vs bad units.
They also really crack down on counterfiet items. I’ve listed over the years quite a bit of “fashion” items for my daughter or wife. Try listing a Coach purse once. You better be ready to show all the necessary photos showing that it’s the real deal. Try selling new Ugg boots. Apparently lots of fakes are listed. You can actually apply for ebay “certification” (for lack of a better word) if you’re intending to sell a lot of designer fashions. Try listing something from Prada!
I’ve also been flagged when listing something with the word “indian” or “native American” in it… you better have an authentic Native item!
There really are a lot of behind the scenes rules, most of which you never run into unless they apply specifically to something you’re listing. I’ve been flagged on several radio items over the years — mostly ham stuff that can be modified for CB use.
If they are aware that a transmitter is illegal it will be stopped before it gets listed, or will be taken down if turned in and they have time to investigate before the auction ends.
It can also get confusing with interntaional sellers and buyers further complicating things.
There’s a lot more to eBay than meets the eye!
TIB
Total posts : 45366It also sells outside the US. I love the SpitFire. Perfect for a business parking lot. Or restaurant. Specials that day, etc. If eBay gets tight, go to 6v6 themselves. Buy one direct. Same price. I like the SSTRAN better, though. The 3000. Better control of parameters.
But AM is AM. Like 300Hz to 5000Hz if I’m not mistaken. That’s what comes out ya radio. The GE Super Radio makes AM sound like FM due to the “wideband” switch. We tested that. Plus, the SpitFire needs a 1/2 inch OD, ten-foot copper pipe. Plus a coil. Then ya got a transmitter. But, it’s the same deal with the SSTRAN.
Ya like ta build stuff? There is not a better kit than the AMT-3000. I hear the AMT-5000 is a good one too, but that is down the road a bit. Phil B is having…”issues” right now delivering kits.
If you are all thumbs, and burn yourself easily, and fear soldering, and you WANT a little compliant AM transmitter, built, tested and delivered, get the SpitFire. Wherever you get it.
Doug
Total posts : 45366Yes, the Spitfire is very nice. I have had one for a couple years now. Clean audio, no hum, no drift.
The instructions say that leaving the ATU switches in their default position (all 4 on) is fine. “For short range use around the house or garden, you can leave the ATU set to the default EXTERNAL setting”.
Also, I have found that setting only switches 1 and 3 ON gives a definite power boost, regardless of frequency setting.
Total posts : 45366AM doesn’t stop at 10k. AM used to be 15k and still is for AM stereo stations. The only limiting factor is the reciever, the transmitter can spit out much more than you’d think.
The Spitfire used to be considered a garbage SSTran Clone, just like the Wholehouse FM was garbage. There seems to be an awful lot of garbage transmitters that have gained popularity thanks to their affordability. (ESPECIALLY on FM)
Having never used either, I have no personal opinion except in the case of the WholeHouse that was selling them illegally when they first came out.
Total posts : 45366The Wholehouse FM transmitter is not “garbage”. It works perfectly fine. I have 2 of the 3.0 models. Great sound and I have personally achieved .8 mile range using nothing but the supplied antenna. I also had the original model (7 frequencies only) and the 2.0 model. The 3.0 is by far the best.
The Spitfire AM transmitter is also just fine. I have had one for a couple years now. I also had an SSTran. I only sold it because I needed the money for other things.
Mind you, I am not running – or even interested in running – an “official radio station”. I just use them to housecast to my various radios, maybe 3 or 4 hours a day total. Some days, not at all. They are both excellent for this purpose.
I also use one of the FM transmitters to play MP3s in my car over the radio, as the radio has no aux input and the transmitter can use batteries OR you can plug it into the car power supply. Again, it excels at this.
Neither transmitter is aimed at the “mount it on the outdoor antenna to get the best range, and broadcast to the neighborhood” crowd. They are designed, built, priced and sold to much more casual users.
Total posts : 45366I’ve field tested a total of SIX brand new Wholehouse 3.0 transmitters now. Not one was even close to being legal in the USA. They work fine and sound fine. It would be interesting to see what a legal one might sound like. My tests are posted here:
http://www.hobbybroadcaster.co/
And note the addition where I tested five brand new units, back to back, each and every one over the limit.
If you’re thinking of FM beware.
This is a bit off the Spitfire discussion, however.
TIB
Total posts : 45366The Spitfire is perfect for the casual user and especially for beginners. Beyond that, meh. (Granted when I say its “meh” thats based on the reviews I read on it several years ago, the biggest complaint at the time was dull sound and poor range) I myself went through several “meh” transmitters before finally snagging a Rangemaster, it wasn’t until I started using the hamilton that I realized how good part 15 really could be. However you brought up a very good point that I had over looked regarding the market the spitfire targets.
What Tim says confirms the Wholehouse is garbage, they should never have been issued certification. (At first they weren’t and manufactured the transmitters with false FCC identifiers.) Not to mention listed features that have no actual functionality and “hidden” features that allow an illegally high power, which just so happens voids any certification as the feature was not published when submitted for FCC approval. Personally I’ve long preferred the C Crane line of transmitters that IIRC were typically under the legal limit but are built very well.
Total posts : 45366It is interesting to read what Radiodugger and Naddy69 say about the ATU on the Spitfire.
I am testing on 1080kHz AM. As per the instructions, I have changed the switch settings to Internal ATU and have chosen the frequency band columns that gives the apporximate minimum and maximum frequencies, I chose INTERNAL 830-1160 (Switch ON, OFF, OFF, ON). The signal is rock solid in around the house, no hum, no ground, but I’m not impressed with the range outside the house.
I intend to try the ON, OFF, ON, OFF (which corresponds with INTERNAL 870-1220 on the supplied chart), as per Naddy69s suggestion. Then I will try switching the Internal ATU off as per Radiodugger’s suggestion. So many variables!!!
Let’s see how we get on.
Pat
Total posts : 45366man this argument just goes around and around.. everything is always garbage compared to the rangemaster?
well, lets see. the rangemaster has come up with an ingenious way to have a counterpoise for its antenna and call it a ground. the rangemaster also has onboard audio processing.
watts is watts. if i take a spitfire and put it in a box on top of a pole with a “lightning protection” wire running down the length of the pole what do you think might happen? it might just get out, really well.
audio processing is everyting in the radio world, if not broadcasters wouldnt spend stupid money on optimods. process your audio properly (like the rangemaster helps you do) and you to will get that coverage.
im sorry but i’m not buying into that unit’s magical superiority. yes, its a prepackaged solution that works well for those that rather spend money instead of sweat. can i achieve the same results with significantly less cash outlay? i bet a beer to a 6 pack i can.
hell i’ve gotten a TH unit to sound impressive to the ears of a local broadcast engineer and we know how fickle those things are.
the FCC froms upon the “lightning protection wire”? do they frown upon the National Electrical Code regarding lightning protection? dont be so fearful of the agents. theyre human.
Total posts : 45366You speak Good Sense sir. You’re not the first person who has mentioned this in fact you could have an elevated transmitter and still have a ground and be 100% legal. Want to know how?
here is here is the secret the electrical code requires a ground. So in other words if you have an electrical socket installed it has to be grounded. So what you do is very simple have a licensed electrician install an electrical outlet at the top of your install. Know what you can do is two things you can have a transmitter that uses the third prong as a ground like the talking house 5 or you can simply take two inches of ground wire and connect that from your transmitter to the third prong on the electrical socket. You’re one hundred percent legal and let me just say that a very well-known company called Information Systems uses this technique.
I’ve actually done a little bit of homework into the subject and found that this is to be true rather or not it radiates is irrelevant. It is 100% legal as your equipment must be lightning protected and with a 2-inch ground lead to that socket you’re definitely following the rules. Technically it’s the same thing as living it on a 50 story apartment and using your talking house 5 transmitter. No difference.
Electrical safety trumps anything that the NAB would try to complain about. it’s not the same thing as having your transmitter on top of a 80 foot power and running a long lead down to the ground. However if there was a licensed electrician who put electrical socket at the top of that Tower and install the electrical system the same way they would in a house that would change everything. Yes that 80 foot might radiate butt again electrical safety counts.
There are many reasons that one might want to have an elevated transmitter one is for safety against vandalism to is to get your signal above structures that would block your signal. Even AM is prone to being attenuated by certain structures.
Even Tim in Bovey could have a legal ground from his install. He could do the same thing have an electrical outlet installed by a licensed electrician and grounded properly then have his transmitter grounded to that either through the same type of system that the talking house 5 or use that simple 2-inch ground lead.
in some installs that way the FCC has been right there as transmitters have been installed as I in some installs that way the FCC has been right there as transmitters have been installed as I have described and they have passed inspection and we’re able to go on the air.
Total posts : 45366The previous post contains. in my opinion, misinformation. Citations and references to the claims made would be helpful.
I advise not following any of the recommendations of the previous post unless such claims can be verified.
For example, the NEC does not supersede FCC rules, it is not an either/or situation with these regulations, it is both which apply. One way to meet both NEC and FCC regulations is to provide a protective ground and RF ground at the earth level and mount the transmitting system at earth level.
Neil
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