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Ok, folks, bear with me, as I am a newbie at this. I recently obtained a Ramsey AM1C fully wired and tested kit (only – no DC adapter or antenna) pre-tuned to AM 1000. PROBLEM: My area has a 50d/10n thunderboomer on AM990, so I need to modify my frequency. Around here, 1620AM would be better. My questions:
Ok, folks, bear with me, as I am a newbie at this. I recently obtained a Ramsey AM1C fully wired and tested kit (only – no DC adapter or antenna) pre-tuned to AM 1000. PROBLEM: My area has a 50d/10n thunderboomer on AM990, so I need to modify my frequency. Around here, 1620AM would be better. My questions:
1) Is the AM1C eazy to re-tune? Is it as simple as using the “diddle stick” to move to the desired frequency? Or, is it more involved than just that.
2) If you currently have this kit (or ever did), what antenna and DC adapter do you recommend? Over the counter is preferred, but will consider ordering from the web if you swear by it.
3) I plan to use this to broadcast MP3’s that have, for whatever reason, been recorded at different levels, so I will need a compresser/limiter in the chain. What say you?
4) Automation equiptment – my plan is to make this as close to a broadcast quality sounding AM station as possible. Also, it will aid as I plan on adding programming and I will not be able to man this thing 24/7 (I need to eat and pay the bills, yanno).
Any help in this matter is greatly appreciated!
Total posts : 45366Well, I would start out by grabbing the manual from http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/downloads/manuals/AM1C.pdf and read that on how to tune for a specific frequency… It appears that you just tune your radio to the desired frequency and then use a plastic screwdriver to adjust the transmitter.
For the antenna, look around on this site for plans for a “bottom loaded” AM antenna, it will be the best that’s legal.
For the power supply, I would recommend getting a regulated, filtered, 13.8 volt power supply. The manual states that it will work anywhere from 9-12 volts, so if you can find a variable voltage power supply that is regulated and filtered you can adjust it down to 12 volts, but I don’t believe that 13.8 volts will hurt it.
Regarding your MP3s, I would actually recommend editing them in a software program to make them the same volume level (called Normalization) and still use a compressor/limiter to give your station a bit of umph. Behringer is a popular brand…
Automation: I recommend DirEttore and you can find it at http://www.mixtime.com/ .
Have fun!
–Chris ^_^
Total posts : 45366If you play out of Winamp, there are all kinds of processor plug-ins available including compressor limiters.
Total posts : 45366Greetings from Worcester Township, PA. Get ready for THE NEW 1620AM!
Gentlemen, thank you so much for your help. Thank God I have a girlfriend that lives the dream and knows electronics. It seems the only setback right now is finding a power supply. Right now, I have Windows Media Player for automation while I test. I feel, once the power supply is up and running, I will be able to tweak away. Now, the kit came fully assembled and tested to 1000AM. Perhaps, i should have tested there first and made sure I had signal before tuning it. I just thought that WMVP/Chicago was so strong as a 50Kw Clear that it had something to do with not receiving a signal, totally ignoring that it might have been due to the fact that I didn’t have any juice!!! Yes, you may all point and laugh.
Total posts : 45366I hate to give you bad news but I wouldn’t expect great things out of the Ramsey AM1C transmitter. That was the first transmitter I owned. The range and the audio were horable and if that wasn’t bad enough it suffered from frequency drift so I couldn’t keep it tuned to my frequency. The easy way to fix this is buy a sstran. I get great distance with mine and the sound is great.
Total posts : 45366I, too, have owned this transmitter model. Almost a week later it was put on my equipment replace list. This transmitter would always drift off the selected frequency as the temp changed, the audio was never right, and the range was super bad. I won’t even use it as a backup, it’s that bad. I used it for stress relief when it was replaced and now it serves the rats in the landfill, though it will never work again.
On Automation, I use iTunes. It works well for radio and had very little problem with it messing up. Plus it plays .MP3s and .WAV as well as other formats. Won’t play .WMA files. You can also adjust the audio levels on different files so they play out nice and even. Winamp is another great automation option. For what you’re doing, don’t buy something for commercial radio, lots of $ and ¢ will fly out of your pocket. One more thing, don’t think automation is easy and will do everything, YOU have got to tell it what to do and what to play. It can be a real pain in the neck when it goes down and you can’t fix it.
One more thing, if you can, return the AM1C and get a AMT3000 from SSTran. If you CAN’T return the AM1C, get the AMT3000 from SSTran and be stress-free and happy. And now, I’m on the FM band!
M.W. Shannon
99.1FM WOQ Omaha, NE / 99.1 FM KXI Oakland, NEP.S. Stay away from Ramsey!
Total posts : 45366I don’t know as it’s strictly the Ramseys, since I’ve never owned one.. But the “tuned tank” with adjusting a cap or slug with a non-metallic screwdriver gets old real fast. With my FM rig I end up turning it on at least 15 min ahead of when I plan to go on the air, but feeding into a “dummy load” while it warms up so the frequency can mostly finish shifting and I check the tuning and tweak it till it’s right if necessary. It seems a very minor thing at first, but somewhere around the thousandth time you get real sick of it. LOL
Daniel.
Total posts : 45366It’s tough to defend a VCO, a tank tuner or a splatter box, all fond nick names for transmitters like the Rasmsey AM1C.
I’d still rather have one of those than nothing at all 🙂
Any transmitter on the bench is better than wishin’ and wonderin’ so WELCOME to therock723!
As you’ve seen, there are plenty of things you can do to get the most out of that little transmitter and you’ll learn a bunch of things you can apply with your next transmitter, too.
I started out with a crappy little glob of solder bridges I built from a schematic in a book and it was so bad it transmitted on 790 KHz with a 1 KHz XTAL 😀
It was still more fun than reading about it, though.
Just for the record, there are three little things the AM1C is missing.
1 – It would be more stable with a crystal or PLL tuning section. You can replace the VCO with a crystal if you’d like.
2 – It doesn’t modulate very well. There are plans for modulation sections you can build, too.
3 – No buffer amplifier, or RF section after the oscillator to isolate antenna changes (like you standing too near) from the oscillator. Makes the oscillator very unstable. If you had a Frequency Counter you’d see the frequency output flip flop around as things got too close to the antenna. You can build a buffer amp and add it, if you like.
Have FUN!
Experimental broadcasting for a better tomorrow!
Total posts : 45366Hi,
I’m new to the forum here but been tinkering around with radios for a while. Back in the 60s and 70’s I built a few different kit form and homemade, from “scratch” transmitter projects. Antenna projects were also among my favorites. As a ham, I’ve owned very few commercial antennas ( most of the commercial ones for mobile operation ). Recently my granddaughter saw some of my ham gear and was curious about it. I still have an active license but haven’t used it for a few years.
Anyway, to cut to the chase, she helped rekindle a spark. I was looking online and noticed there was a store not too far from me by Binghamton NY that had some transmitter kits. I purchased an AMC1 and 2 simple FM kits as well. We built all 3 a few weekends ago and lo and behold, they all work.
My AM1C also has that drift problem. Really bad… I kinda guessed that as the components heat up, that the change in temperature inside of the box was a major culprit. It looks like I guessed right. I modified the case ( made it a little bigger ), and then installed an old computer fan inside, and voila… The thing stays pretty stable now even after playing for a couple of hours, usually within 10-20 hz from where I put it as measured on my Icom 706 MK II.
I like what SCWIS has to say on this matter. I know what is out there pretty much and at some point I’ll likely end up with an AM88, SSTRAN, or perhaps even a Rangemaster. I definitely want to stay within the bounds of Part 15. For now though, the experience of experimenting is quite satisfying. The AM1C’s audio stage isn’t particularly good, so I’ll likely modify it some more, but I’m also playing around with antennas once again, and working on getting my HF and weak signal VHF gear up and running again while I’m at it.
Regards,
AJ
Total posts : 45366I have one of those AM1C around here somewhere and wasn’t impressed with it either. Matter of fact when I first started messing with radio as a hobby, then later as a living, part 15 radio is pretty much what started it for me. My first AM “trashmitter” was from one of those 200 in 1 project boxes from Radio Shack. Although the audio a tiny bit better, those tunable/VCO/VFO type rigs just don’t hold up very well for long term use. Matter of fact I have noticed that these rigs like the AM1Cs and the old Radio Shack project box type transmitters tend to do FM rather than AM…which really messes things up. Anyone getting started into part 15….experimenting is good, but if you’re looking for quality and reliability, then go with the Alfredo Lites, Rangemasters, AM88 or the SSTRAN. Otherwise you’ll get grey hair fast trying to make a pile of poop shine like gold …..for lack of another way of putting it 😉
Bob Carter – KC4QLP
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Mid-Atlantic-Engineering-Services of Utica NY / Elizabeth City NC
http://geocities.com/midatlanticengineeringservice
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WMHV 1700 AM
http://geocities.com/wmhv1700am
Total posts : 45366I own the Ramsey AM25 transmitter and am very happy with it.
Power out it between 100 mw and 2 watts using a 15 volt supply.
Audio is great and it it a PLL circuit so it is stable like a rock.Although this transmitter has had it share of complaints, there are a few simple things you can do to improve its performance.
1. The Jameco power supply supplied with the AM25 is JUNK!!!!!
Replace it with a switching supply like the PS-151 from allelectronics.com
Its $12 and even has the proper end to match the AM25.
With this supply all hum will vanish and the transmitter runs like a champ into a 50 ohm load even at the 1 watt level.
I show a healthy 1+ watt output with good audio on a Oakhills QRP watt meter!2.If you run the transmitter at the 1 watt+ power level you MUST use a fan to blow air over the board.
With a miniature 12 volt fan from All Electronics the unit runs cool to the touch.
For $3 you will save your transmitter!With these fixes the AM25 is a great little unit.
Big bang for the buck!!!Bill
Total posts : 45366Isn’t 1 watt illegal in the USA without a license?
Total posts : 45366Only if free radiated. 1 watt into a carrier current or leaky cable system might be OK as long as the field strength limit is observed.
the 100 mW power input into the final + 3 meter radiator is one way to qualify for defacto compliance and avoid field strength measurement. Anything else would likely just need to comply with the more stringent field strength requirement – I think that’s why defacto compliance is more attractive.
Experimental broadcasting for a better tomorrow!
Total posts : 45366I came across this site while I was looking for information on the AM1C. I’ll have to concur with the other posters that the AM1C is not a very good transmitter. But as it stands for me, I don’t have a lot of money, so it will have to do for now.
Up until now, I’ve had it running for several months with no real problems, broadcasting “Wolf Hill Radio” with a range of about my back yard. The signal drifted badly at first, but I got the idea to move it into an old circuit breaker panel box, which I also grounded, and the signal always stayed close to the 1670 I have it tuned to.
Now here is my problem. In the last few days, it has stopped tuning. It seems to be locked into 1690 AM, and the tuner has no impact. If I try to tune the slug to either end, it will suddenly jump up to 1720. I was just wondering if anyone would have any idea as to the cause of the problem.
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