I had a pirate FM station back in the middle 1990s. It was a 150 watt transmitter, (an older commercial exciter) run into a homemade 5/8 wave vertical GP mounted at 75+ feet in a pine tree. I never spoke or played anything but music on Friday nights from 8-11 PM. In December, it ran 24/7 playing holiday music from about two weeks before Christmas until the day after. I did this for three consecutive years. After an article appeared in the local paper about it, I packed up the station and it's been in my workshop ever since. I have an 80' tower at my current house and I've been quite tempted to resurrect the old girl and put it on the air one day, but I'd rather shunt feed the tower and get an AM station running, but decent transmitters are not cheap, as you noted. Thanks for the video!
When the newspaper outed you, it was smart to pack it up and store it all. As the former owner of three stations (fully licensed AM and FM stations), I don't mind people doing micro-AM or FM, but I question people who put 150 watts on the air unlicensed. You never know what kind of interference you might be causing to other broadcasters or aircraft. Don't take the chance. If the FCC knocks on your door, you're done and fines could be in the hundreds of thousands, or millions of dollars! Doing "micro" AM or FM is both legal and fun, and you don't have to worry about the FCC coming around.
@@voiceofjeff They usually just tell you to turn it off and issue a warning, IF YOU DO TURN IT OFF. If you don't, or turn it on later, it is fine time.
In the UK, every teenager in the mid to late 90s was operating a pirate radio station. Usually rave music (jungle, hardcore techno, Drum and Bass) but sometimes hip hop, RnB, reggae too. Good times and good music.
Oh how I wish that trend would return, and more so that it would come to the USA. I only hear one prirate station in town. It's interesting, but they never go live.
I have Part 15-compliant transmitter going into an Isotron 200B antenna with impedance matching coil, 8' copper ground rod and a few ground radials going across the yard. Putting a C-Quam AM stereo signal into the air 24/7. Since I launched the station in August of 2017 I have built the programming up to include full-service programming with news, your local weather, traffic reports, live talk shows, feature entertainment shows and live sports and my station is even EAS-enabled with the latest SAGE ENDEC gear. A nice programming package that is actually competitive with the big stations in town. And in C-Quam AM stereo the sound quality of the signal is superb, better than FM!
I just mentioned this on Facebook about a week ago and had a few people agree that with all the stupidity going on that this is a way to show big tech and everyone we can survive without them. So I'm going to share this and get people to at least think about it. Sometimes you have to backwards to go forward.
Im in midtown Manhattan across from the Flatiron Bldg. my apt is on the 22nd floor . that station would cover central park to battery park , west across the Hudson to Jersey City and Newark and east in to Brooklyn and Queens.
Really appreciate you and your videos. I’ve been preparing and studying and itching to pull the lanyard on my radio station. Have plans to go live in the next few months. Thanks a bunch, sir.
I've been waiting for this video for a while! Lots of great info, I built the Ramsey fm10c about 9 years ago as a freshman in high school. Lot's of fun, my advice to anyone looking to setup a station is to learn to blend in if you are going to push some power, move your transmit site periodically, and most importantly keep it clean and DONT INTERFERE so they don't hammer down on us!
Doing my part to keep things free. Next week I'll be showing how to use that same single core laptop to make and run a 100% self contained website and file server. No go daddy, no amazon, no google. Just a direct link to your own island in an ocean full of sharks.
Truly love your videos; both entertaining and informative! As a retired firefighter/paramedic, I can readily understand the need for a local community radio station for both natural and 'man-made' disasters. Landrum, S.C., where I live is on the border of N.C. I know of no local community radio station, and would relish the opportunity to start one. Lord knows I have the time to invest! Thanks, Eric, for what you do.
I've had a part time operation since 1994. At the time I also was working in commercial radio where I learned alot of the engineering as well as the total professional operation of a broadcast facility. I know some in the hobby field hate engineers because they can be rats to hobbiest, but I never had such a mindset and was self taught from doing repairs. No advertisments, this is a hobby for love of radio purely. There are actually a few like myself, of what is known as professional engineered hobby stations across the country. These are people that often worked in the biz and know the correct engineering and use all professional gear and test equipment. They have pro studios, regular consoles, Optimods or Omnia processing, exciters & transmitting equipment, and good antennas like any commercial outlet. These are very hard to discern from pirate to the regular listener, as they sound every bit commercial in nature.
Very cool! I had no idea that this little sub culture was out there. I'll have to scan the airwaves more often looking for these tiny stations on trips.
I built my first Pirate FM radio station when I was 10 years old with a tape deck and box of assorted things I picked up here and there. It is what started me in my interest of CB and ham radio.
I've got a small Kansas town, 20 years of radio experience and a playlist that could choke a horse. All it needs is a community radio station. ;) winhk wink nudge nudge know what I mean say no more!
I have a 30 watt AM transmitter (rock bound on 530 KHz) that I restored. It was pulled from a car drag racing track in Chandler, Az. back in 2015 and replaced with an FM transmitter. Along with it is the antenna matching unit. I also have a 50 watt FM exciter / transmitter that is rack mountable and also one of those little 15 watt FM transmitters that I use as a PA link radio on some AV jobs where running physical audio cables are not an option. Part 15 FM transmitters are largely those mobile phone / mp3 player fm transmitter dongles now and you can add an antenna per say by adding a wire to the ground part of the TRS audio input plug. The newer bluetooth versions are a little more tricky and require you to open them up and solder a wire. The model depends on where you make the connection though and an RF probe is handy for this. Most of the non PLL FM transmitter schematics you find online that you can build are relatively simple to build but have a flaw that they drift, so you will have to "babysit" them when in operation. IMO the easiest, cheapest and simplest antenna to build for FM is the PVC vertical dipole. Some PVC pipe and connectors, #12 solid wire and a bit of RG58 coaxial cable with a PL259 or N connector. You can use any of the online ham radio antenna calculators to bang out your antenna measurements on your frequency.
I found my old CanaKit/UniKit UX100. I thought it had died. Swapped out the power supply. It lit right up. I use it to hear records and cd's in other rooms. I like hearing albums on my old 1964 Magnavox tube console stereo.
This really good and plays well. Simple, but not too simple. I’ve invested a good amount of time into Deadball as a dice baseball game but it takes a good deal of prep work and lookups. This is ideal for gaming with a buddy and having some laughs without being too serious. Great job with this. I would look to market it with a small playfield, runner tokens and especially a couple 1-3 d6’s.
Thinking about getting the talking house transmitter and using that to have some fun. Might send you some emails soon. Actually really enjoy your channel from the CB side of it, down to the VW truck. the whole shebang. great channel
I prefer part 15, because it's great for holiday radio and seasonal broadcasting in my community area. The newer FM transmitters that the internet sells, they are clean, and they don't emit too many harmonics. BTW, There is no way to obtain a copy of the Big Antenna Handbook you just mentioned, because of these big tech publisher companies don't want everyone to access these open sourced publications, they want us to pay a subscription just to download and save to your computer.
Yup! Today's video covers the range of one of these low cost 15watt units when they are turned all the way down to a .5watt setting. Hey, a fellow BBS SYSOP? Good to meet another!!
@@FarpointFarms awesome! Yeah, ran a bbs on an apple //e when I was in the 8th and 9th grade... can’t recall the program name but i had a lot of fun.. started with a 300 baud modem.. then got an Apple Cat modem that went up to 1,200 baud and it had other extras in it..like the ability to shoot a 2600hz tone in the phone line.. I didn’t have the right phone system in my area to take advantage of it.. but it was still cool anyway... radio is another hobby of mine.. I’m ham licensed as well... 73
Translators. A huge step backwards from the FCC. They did it to help AM stations stay on the air, but it just tied up more local frequencies with the same corporate junk.
It's a good way to connect those that just don't want to get into other radio comms, or for the older folks that don't handle the internet as well as the younger crowed.
yep, I bought the ebay guys transmitter. All I wanted to do was broadcast across the room to old tube radios I restored. The first one didn't work. He sent me a second. That one kinda worked. It broadcasts loads of hum even when run off batteries. Grounding helped some but still hums like crazy. AHH and the harmonics. it broadcasts all over the place. and I mean all over the place. One of my restored radios covers from longwave 0.19 MC all the way up to 30 MC's I can hear it starting at the lower end of the medium wave band all the way up to 30 MC's in the shortwave band. If I pull out my icom receiver I bet I can hear it much higher. and you would think at 30 MC's the signal would be getting weaker. nope!! its just as strong as ever. If I put a real antenna on this thing and bring it out my basement I will cause all kinds of interference. Now lets not even talk about the soldering job. Yep tack tack cold contaminated solder joints with absolutely no mechanical connection besides the solder sticking everything together. Looks like he tinned the iron then transferred that from the iron to the tack tack job. OH MY GOSH!!!!!! Threw it in the trash. I noted the seller and will never buy anything from him again. PS still looking for a decent medium wave transmitter that will simply sound decent and transmit across the room. Dont care if I have to build it from a schematic or buy it.
Is that the guy from Turkey? I had another viewer say that he ordered one as well and it was junk. Too bad. I wish someone made a decent 10 watt AM midwave transmitter.
@@FarpointFarms yep. unfortunately he claims to be an experienced radio receiver and transmitter builder, constructing radios and transmitters for more than 40 years. This is not true because the guy doesn't even know how to solder. As far as i'm concerned his soldering job isn't even hobbyist worthy. I think a properly instructed child could solder better. I know i could at age 10. hmm. They were useless to me and I just threw them out. If you know where I can get or build (schematic) for a decent quality low power transmitter to simply transmit 50-100 feet on medium wave to old vintage radios let me know. I can build or buy, doesn't matter but obviously don't want to spend hundreds if possible. Can be either tube or transistor at this point I just need something low power that works.
Feel like going back on FM myself ! But don't like hearing the bang on the door. Used 150 watts the last time and the radio authority where at my door within 1 hour. FM is very much dead here. More people tend to tune in on the internet (The Future of radio broadcasting!). The first transmitter I used was back in 1990 (testing!) My station became massive in 1994 on 100.3MHz [PureFM].
The very first AM radio transmitter I ever built was a Ramsey AM-1 kit. I ran 610 AM for 1 year before moving over to 1670 with the Hamilton Rangemaster.
Interesting video, but there needs to be clarification on several aspects: Part 15 compliant FM transmitters are limited in realistic coverage to around 300 feet at best. They aren't governed by the number of watts but by field strength as dictated by Part 15.239. The cheap imported transmitters for sale on venues like Amazon and ebay are not FCC certified for Part 15 compliance and will grossly exceed the allowed field strength. The Sainsonic transmitter shown was also known for having a falsified certification number. The comment about adding a longer wire antenna to a Talking House (or any Part 15 certified) transmitter: Modifying any FCC certified transmitter's antenna to anything other that what it was certified with will not only void its certification but should you be unlucky enough to be visited by an FCC field inspector will cast a dim light on your activities. The Talking House transmitter may be connected to an external antenna which may be purchased from the manufacturer's website. About pirate radio: The FCC and government enacted the PIRATE Act which can fine individuals up to a million dollars for illegal broadcasting. If you truly want to pirate that's your business, but licensed broadcasters take an active interest when people interfere with their signals and they have the FCC on their side. About Part 15 broadcasting: If you intend to enter the world of radio broadcasting and do so LEGALLY under FCC Part 15 you should do your best to be informed. My website is the only one (at the time of this post) operated by an actual in-the-industry broadcast engineer with more than 46 years in the business. The site provides not only technical and legal references, equipment reviews and station profiles but also strives to maintain 100% discussion of maintaining compliance to the FCC regulations. I noted some of the other referenced links provided by the video author may or may not have the same goals in mind, but if your intention is to operate LEGALLY as a hobby, a school-based or as a community radio station you owe it to yourself to seek out information from a reputable and reliable source.
Thank you for a great web site! I found a lot of good info there and will want to be in the forums when the membership is open. Like the transmitter tests and helps me think what transmitter I will get when I get some more money.
@@revabiggica5026 You don't "stop" your transmission, it's all science! The electrical power of 11.45 nanowatts feeding into a one-half wave tuned dipole antenna will produce a field strength of 250µV/m (measured at 3 meters), which is the legal limit defined in FCC Part 15.239. FM transmitters that are FCC Part 15 certified are suppose to be factory calibrated to produce the same equivalent field intensity, which by definition will only produce a usable signal with a couple of hundred feet from the device. This doesn't mean that cheap, imported transmitters are 100% compliant with FCC regulations. If you're not using a transmitter specifically designed and certified for Part 15 compliance you run the risk of not only interfering with other radio spectrum users but also a visit from an FCC field agent should someone determine it's coming from your owned equipment and they complain to the FCC.
@@HobbyBroadcaster This video popped into my feed... You would be surprised by the number of people in the industry that willingly buys illegal transmitters and cares nothing about running them. I fiddled with part 15 decades ago to try and get out college on FM, it just doesn't get past the parking lot. The part 15 stuff is really only good to play your music to a transmitter so you can listen while doing yard work in your small yard. What we need is a legal way to get some 1 watt licensed space, maybe up to a couple watts. But money talks, and community radio loses!
@@minigpracing3068 A well-engineered Part 15 AM transmitter can get out to a mile more more from its location. When we performed the AM Transmitter Challenge, which was nationally written up in CQ Magazine (as well as my website), the Ranegemaster AM1000 was receivable out to almost 1 mile in a fully FCC compliant Part 15.219 installation. It can be done, legally, if you're willing to spend the time and money to engineer such an installation. As a broadcast engineer for licensed FCC broadcast stations I find it disingenuous to classify legal Part 15 radio as pirate radio, in quotes or not. There are too many people playing fast and loose out there hiding behind being so-called "Part 15" stations when they are blatant pirate radio operators by their own admission.
As long as a person is not doing anything crazy. Or playing music with a lot of profanity. Nor taking over other people's radio stations they'll be fine. If there is no frequency on 91.1 91.3 90.9. If they're the frequency on 91.5 90.7 91.1 is the perfect setting as long as there's nothing there. If it's not drowning out other radio stations and you can still listen to 90.7 your fine. And two most neighbors to be honest with you will say hey Alexa play Chucky FM that speaker on the middle of the coffee table it looks like a cup is basically the new radio. I am from North Carolina also.
Hi Eric, so if I were to do a fm station to do something like a personalized radio station for my school with music, upcoming events, etc. for a 25 mile radius max would I be able to pull it off with a part 15 or would I have to do a full-on pirate station?
25 miles is nearly a full power station! I can't think of a way to make that kind of range legally. These stations operate at a max range of about 2 miles, and in many cases less. You'd be looking a Pirate station. The only other idea that you could use that is legal is to do a hybrid station like I run. It's a Part 15 AM station that is legal, and then I also stream that station to the internet right off my laptop on Shoutcast. That way you can reach the world via online and the local community over the air. I have a video on shoutcast listed at the end of this video. Check it out!
Can you help me? The filing window will open for lpfm licenses. I have a community internet station already I want to broadcast at 100 watts fm to the community in rural South Carolina do you know what forms I need please. What steps do I need to take to get going
This could also be achieved, to an extent, using meshnets on 2.4ghz, also high end walkie-talkies could provide pretty good range. Different rulesets with those but community-oriented communication networks nonetheless. Great video 👍
Ramsey is still in business but they don't make the FM transmitter kit anymore. They were getting a lot of grief from the FCC because there were reports of people who didn't know what they were doing, thinking they were legal, and getting popped for illegal broadcasting.
Very interesting. I am just trying to get into Ham radio and watching your videos. Then I ran across this video. Could you do the radio stain to cover about 1.5 miles with an indoor antenna? I live in a condo and they have a HOA which requires permission for anyone to do anything a little different. Most times they say no. Knowing it may be a community advantage, they may be more accepting. Thanks for the video
I would imagine that the FM transmitter I will be giving away soon would be able to transmit that far with the standard inside antenna. Take a look at the one I reviewed about 5 months back. It does about 5 miles with an outside antenna, so it should work.
Definitely can’t find anything saying this is legal. It’s broadcasting further than 200ft as clearly stated in the fcc low power section. I like it but it is a pirate radio station according to fcc part 15. The only thing I can find that lets you extend that range is a license. Or to cover a campus grounds and no further. Looks fun though.
Truly informative, thank you , i would really want one of these, i want to run a radio station and help some kids in my neighborhood.They really like music , this would work out perfect fthis would help me to help them.
GREAT VIDEO ! My Neighvor has a part 15 transmitter,. he has an FM transmitter broadcast Christmas Music ensink with light display on his house. I don't understand I'm less then 1 1/2 foot fields away and the signal sounds as I was more then 2 1/2 miles
That's the downside to part 15 setups. They are very weak signals, and if the person doesn't use a equalizer or a mixer board to maximize what little audio there is, they can seem even weaker. Still, it's great that you can hear a station!
So I'm confused, the part 15 guidelines I've read talk about no more than 60-200ft coverage. And part 15 strictly states you can't have a removable antenna... 😉
Sadly the tuner devices, stereos and radio boxes have now disappeared from most homes so low power radio is now like transmitting to birds and bees, at the most.
This is amazing!!!!!!! Truly amazing!!!! You have been exactly what I have been looking for. I mean, holy shit!!! My dream is to start a community radio station to spread love peace and happiness. Thank god you exist and are posting these. I run a church based on fun and joy and this is just incredible content.
I wish you could legally have a bit more reach with this. I'd be very interested, but my closest neighbor is about 1/2 mile away so I wouldn't reach many people. 😑
Yes, I have a video I will upload this week that shows a great inexpensive mixer board that I bought used. It's a Radio Shack unit that works great! As for a mic? I have a few no name one's that seem to do the job pretty good.
1 question I need answered if I use a talking house or fcc compliant transmitter. Is it true the higher the dipole antenna the further I might can get out? PLEASE someone answer or correct this question
That would be VERY hard to do. 2 miles is about all these legal versions can do, and that will take a lot of tinkering to get right. On the FM side, a 15 Watt transmitter and the stock antenna will do 6 miles if it's flat in your area. The main thing to consider is keeping a low profile. Swearing, vulgar content, and interfering on someone else station are a good way to end up with trouble.
@@FarpointFarms Hi I looked into it and I could not find anything on the FCC’s official website saying anything about it, I have seen multiple sources saying that they were able to legally do a station that reached 1-2 miles, could you maybe send a link or something from the FCC website saying that it’s legal or something, I just don’t want to get in trouble for making a hobby station for my friends and neighbors
Absolutely NOT! We have enough problems on the Ham bands as it is. LPAM will only make it worse and you'll be changing frequency A LOT just to get away from interfering with them. I do propose that LPAM be allowed on the 120 and 61 meter broadcast bands with up to 250 mW of power and a 15 foot antenna. On those bands antennas are more efficient than on MW (AM). With that kind of setup you might get a couple of hundred miles at night. I have another proposal that would turn the MW band all digital with channel spacing at 15 KHz from 505 to 1795 KHz. and low power broadcasting at 250 mW (LPAM and low power Digital Radio Mondial). - Sam N8VES
Hello I have a 15 watt fm radio station new transmitter I am looking for the easy to set up software for the station music and also what is the best company to use to upload to the server? Shoutcast? or another thank you brother.
My vote for the #1 antenna is the Sirio 2000, only $69.50 on Amazon. It performs as good as my 102" whip but has an easy lever to lower it when putting my truck in the garage. Hyperinflation? I know you lived through the 70's when inflation was worse but even that was not hyperinflation (50% rapid rise in prices). Drop the hyper.
Hello i have a question: so if i buy me a tr502 fm transmitter i wont get in trouble if open a comunity christian radio within 3 miles?? Can i buy me a 25 watt fm transmitter for a christian unlicensed radio station or would i get in trouble and need a license or to get it registered?? Is for christian purposes from my church i am not the pastor though im a church member of my church but im planing to rebroadcast my church services through my FM TRANSMITTER tr502 thanks
You'd have to follow the rules set in the Part-15 rule book. I can't imagine that 25 watts would still be in line with them, but since I play with AM part 15, I can't really say.
Not sure how, you all get away with this. Not sure about AM, but the part 15 rules on FM the distance is what gets you in trouble most the time. You can't broadcast farther then the allowed limits of the power output. If you have a golden way to really get past this.. would be amazing as the local stations are being eaten by corporate and its heart breaking.
If you people would read Part 15.239 you'd learn that the regulation is field strength at 3 meters. (reception not watts) It cannot excede 250 microvolts per meter. This translates to a couple hundred feet of reception. You'd have to borrow a Patomic Field Intensity meter to know your fs at 3 meters. And being Part 15, you can be ordered off air if a licensed FM complains.
There is part 15 type broadcasting in Canada . The AM regulations are the same as the US but Canada allows more FM power and range . You'd still be better off on AM though because it has greater range .
Ebay has several wide band 6 watt amps that will work at those frequencies. I've heard of people using the talking house at the feeder to those amps and they say it works well. I'd get an antenna tuner to go with it though or it might burn up.
I think the FCC should authorize the analog AM band to be used to be used exclusively government, not for profits, hobbyists, and community radio and up the wattage to 100W. No commercial AM stations after Dec. 31, 2024. I also think they should do the same for channels 2-6 low VHS NTSC analog (NTSC) TV and limit power to 1KW. Lower power stations up to 100mw for AM radio and 1W for NTSC TV. would still be unlicensed as per part 15.FM however should remain strict limits on power and frequency and range as per part 15. CB should remain as is, however treated as GMRS and MURS, with the rules should be much more strictly enforced, especially regarding power output. Licensing should be free but have FCC call station caller IDs, either orally stated, or with video displayed on screen, or digitally encoded. This would allow these services to best serve the public interest.
A 100 watts on AM definitely needs to be licensed. With a 100 foot antenna and 100 watts you'd be covering an area as big as Dallas and most of it's suburbs. Even further at night (on a clear channel). I could see 250 or 500 mW for LPAM and a 15 foot antenna. The FCC has good reason to deny part 15 on the TV bands. NTSC is essentially banned. What few stations are still transmitting have little time left convert to ATSC or go silent. You can't afford an ATSC transmitter. You can't build one (closed source) and use it without paying licensing fees, even on the Ham bands. Hams use the European standard DTV. It's open source and you can build your own transmitter. DTV is not allowed on the TV broadcast bands in North America though most TVs are capable of receiving it. With the latest round of channel shuffling by the FCC, the highest TV channel is now 36 on UHF. Stations that abandoned VHF LO (2-6) are now being forced back on to them (read smaller rural stations). 1 kW on channel 2 would be considered a full power station. At 500 feet you're gonna cover 15 to 20 radial miles with a P4 signal. Antennas on VHF LO capture more signal than at UHF so you don't need a lot of power. Still a 1 watt signal at 40 feet on channel 2 is "capable" of being received hundreds of miles away under the right conditions (Tropo bend or an E skip). For that reason the FCC doesn't want part 15 transmitters on the TV bands, especially on VHF LO and HI. They don't want them on UHF either. The channel shuffling isn't done yet as mobile phone carriers get more hungry for 5g spectrum. I suspect the highest TV channel will eventually be 26. One 6 Mhz channel is now capable of carrying one 4K signal or five 1080i channels or twenty 480i channels. The unused UHF channels are now being used by police, fire, public service, pagers, etc. There's no room for part 15 on UHF (or on the FM band either).
There is a big difference between Part 15 and pirate radio. One is legal, the other is illegal. Advocating that someone run a Chinese junk FM transmitter, such as the ones shown on this video, up to 15 watts is sure to land the user in hot water with the FCC and a possible million dollar fine. Look for an FCC-approved Part 15 AM transmitter such as a Rangemaster or Procaster and set it up in a legal manner.
You assume that this video is aimed at the US market only. This video is made for every viewer world wide. Perhaps you were also not aware that the reach of the FCC is limited to US territory only. Also, those "Cheap junk" FM transmitters you speak of are 100% legal here in the USA if used within the rules of Part 15 regulations, and have literally saved 1000's and 1000's of churches here in the USA from going extinct. For that reason alone they are worth their weight in gold. Try not to overreact, and maybe instead help generate some interest in the hobby? At no time in this video or any of the others I've made on the subject have I ever advocated or recommended that anyone at anytime break any laws. The word "Pirate Radio" is in quotes for a reason. It's because stations like mine are "Pirate" in spirit only. I see you are clearly passionate about the rules, and I agree with them, but there is no reason to read into anything I've said here as advocating lawlessness. I linked to many pages that are far more comprehensive on the subject, and recommended several books so that people can do their own research on the subject to see what laws apply in their locals. I'm glad however that it appears that you are a part 15 fan! I've been running a Hamilton Rangemaster since late 1999 and other than the past year when It was sent off for repairs, it continues to run my little "Pirate" station to this day, sending my 1/10th of a watt station out to the world!
even the 1-watt transmitters will put out more than legal range and I know a neighbor got a FCC bust a few years ago. Pirate radio clearly means radio that is not legal and here in the U.S. of A. and there is no excuse to make it look like it's alright to do so. Inciting pirate radio should be a crime just like taking part in it. There is no excuse for it.
@@ClassicTVLover screw the fcc they ruined lpfm because of NAB and Npr. they throw up transmitters all over the band. money talks and bs walks when it comes to government. they sell frequency to the highest bidder. which they have no right to do
Although you can buy them, those so called low power FM transmitters from China aren't legal. The only one I know that is legal "was" from CCrane. And it has a range of about 150 feet. The FCC rules don't have a power specification on the FM BCB. Only a field strength measurement. And it's tough. You really won't get more than 300 feet if you are transmitting legally on FM. For low power AM there are TWO FCC specs. The one we all know about is the 100 mW limit and an antenna of 3 meters INCLUDING the feed line AND ground lead. That's why your transmitter HAS to be AT THE ANTENNA. The other spec is the one the FCC will hang its hat on if they want to investigate your station. That one is a field strength measurement of (24000/frequency) microvolts at 30 meters (100 feet). You might think that's a lot but the truth is at that level at 100 feet your signal strength is so low that is is barely listenable. Fortunately, few people have $5000 to buy the calibrated meter to measure it. And on AM you are less likely to draw a complaint as listeners are few and far between. On FM, it's a different story. The band is crowded and finding a clear spot is tough. Additionally, if any FM station sees you as competition, they won't hesitate to complain to the FCC about your station. That's why the field strength measurement is so strict. Keep in mind that originally the FCC intended for part 15 AM to cover only about 100 to 150 feet. And that's about what you would get with 100 mW and a 3 meter wire. Of course LPAMers figured out that if you added loading coils to the antenna you could increase your range. So the FCC responded by adding the feedline and ground lead to the 3 meter length. LPAMers responded by adding extensive grounding system to further increase their range. And that's when the FCC responded by adding the 24000/f µV @ 30 meters field strength measurement. Though it is rarely enforced. But I have read about one incident where a low power broadcaster was visited by a wicked FCC agent who viewed his 8 foot ground rod and all those 100 foot buried radials as part of the 3 meter length (what a D$%k!). The LPAMer had to cut the ground lead off the transmitter. He then ordered the LPAMer to detune the antenna to comply with the field strength measurement limit or face a fine. Although you may be compliant with 15.219 (100 mW and 3 meters), you still HAVE to comply with 15.209 (24000/frequency µV @ 30 meters) to COMPLETELY be legal with part 15 rules. So when you set up your LPAM station, keep the programming clean as a whistle; no politics, religion and definitely no obscenities of ANY kind. Cuz if you get a complaint and an FCC agent comes around, the FIRST thing they are gonna do is measure the field strength. And THAT'S where the FCC has the upper hand...
our station is able to put out 150 watts we keep it lower and now many years no problems spent 1K on our transmitter it does not drift or splatter mind your language do not play rap crap and you will be OK the FCC does not go out looking for pirates it takes a complaint to get them on you . and in that case under freedom of information act they must tell you WHO turned you in !!
I noticed you seemed to clump LPAM, LPFM, micro-broadcasting and Pirate radio all in the same bunch. Not really true. Pirate radio is totally illegal--no if's, and's or but's. You get caught operating any unlicensed facility (above the prescribed limits of micro-broadcasting) can wind you up in a pair of handcuffs and getting a hefty fine from the FCC. On the other hand, if you're operating an unlicensed micro station at the proper power, you've got nothing to worry about. They FCC might visit, but they can measure your power and determine if you're doing something wrong. However, a well-built micro AM or FM can go a decent distance and be heard by a lot of people. Bottom line is, keep it legal. I am the former owner of two AM's and one FM (full-power, licensed facilities), and I know very well that the FCC doesn't play when it comes to operating illegally. No, I was never in violation, but know others who were!
I always urge my viewers to follow the rules. That said the rules here are vastly different than rules in other countries so I tend to make my videos to include those areas as well.
I had a pirate FM station back in the middle 1990s. It was a 150 watt transmitter, (an older commercial exciter) run into a homemade 5/8 wave vertical GP mounted at 75+ feet in a pine tree. I never spoke or played anything but music on Friday nights from 8-11 PM. In December, it ran 24/7 playing holiday music from about two weeks before Christmas until the day after. I did this for three consecutive years. After an article appeared in the local paper about it, I packed up the station and it's been in my workshop ever since.
I have an 80' tower at my current house and I've been quite tempted to resurrect the old girl and put it on the air one day, but I'd rather shunt feed the tower and get an AM station running, but decent transmitters are not cheap, as you noted.
Thanks for the video!
what automation software did you use?
Both of your listeners are waiting...
When the newspaper outed you, it was smart to pack it up and store it all. As the former owner of three stations (fully licensed AM and FM stations), I don't mind people doing micro-AM or FM, but I question people who put 150 watts on the air unlicensed. You never know what kind of interference you might be causing to other broadcasters or aircraft. Don't take the chance. If the FCC knocks on your door, you're done and fines could be in the hundreds of thousands, or millions of dollars!
Doing "micro" AM or FM is both legal and fun, and you don't have to worry about the FCC coming around.
😂😂😂ف١اااااك 🙋🙋🙋🌹🌹
@@voiceofjeff They usually just tell you to turn it off and issue a warning, IF YOU DO TURN IT OFF. If you don't, or turn it on later, it is fine time.
In the UK, every teenager in the mid to late 90s was operating a pirate radio station. Usually rave music (jungle, hardcore techno, Drum and Bass) but sometimes hip hop, RnB, reggae too. Good times and good music.
Oh how I wish that trend would return, and more so that it would come to the USA. I only hear one prirate station in town. It's interesting, but they never go live.
I have Part 15-compliant transmitter going into an Isotron 200B antenna with impedance matching coil, 8' copper ground rod and a few ground radials going across the yard. Putting a C-Quam AM stereo signal into the air 24/7. Since I launched the station in August of 2017 I have built the programming up to include full-service programming with news, your local weather, traffic reports, live talk shows, feature entertainment shows and live sports and my station is even EAS-enabled with the latest SAGE ENDEC gear. A nice programming package that is actually competitive with the big stations in town. And in C-Quam AM stereo the sound quality of the signal is superb, better than FM!
Wow! I've been wondering about the isotron 200b for some time now. Love to hear more about your range with this setup!
I just mentioned this on Facebook about a week ago and had a few people agree that with all the stupidity going on that this is a way to show big tech and everyone we can survive without them. So I'm going to share this and get people to at least think about it. Sometimes you have to backwards to go forward.
Thanks man! Feel free to spread the word. The websites in the links are also great for helping everyone get setup.
Good point
Also consider Lowfer radio, 1 watt on 160-190 khz.
Wow. Was just talking about this last night!!
Umm I don't mean this as hate. Because I think this is a fun idea. But you do realize everything used here was bought and manufactured?
Im in midtown Manhattan across from the Flatiron Bldg. my apt is on the 22nd floor . that station would cover central park to battery park , west across the Hudson to Jersey City and Newark and east in to Brooklyn and Queens.
Your location is PERFECT for a part 15 station. You'd really be reaching out to the masses.
Where will you put the antenna?
Really appreciate you and your videos. I’ve been preparing and studying and itching to pull the lanyard on my radio station. Have plans to go live in the next few months. Thanks a bunch, sir.
Best of luck!
I've been waiting for this video for a while! Lots of great info, I built the Ramsey fm10c about 9 years ago as a freshman in high school. Lot's of fun, my advice to anyone looking to setup a station is to learn to blend in if you are going to push some power, move your transmit site periodically, and most importantly keep it clean and DONT INTERFERE so they don't hammer down on us!
Regardless of what they are refered to, they are a fantastic way to keep a few neighbors in the know when STUFF hits the fan .
Right on!
Thank you for keeping free speech free. Great info.
Doing my part to keep things free. Next week I'll be showing how to use that same single core laptop to make and run a 100% self contained website and file server. No go daddy, no amazon, no google. Just a direct link to your own island in an ocean full of sharks.
Truly love your videos; both entertaining and informative! As a retired firefighter/paramedic, I can readily understand the need for a local community radio station for both natural and 'man-made' disasters. Landrum, S.C., where I live is on the border of N.C. I know of no local community radio station, and would relish the opportunity to start one. Lord knows I have the time to invest! Thanks, Eric, for what you do.
Stick around, I'll be giving away 2 of the new 15 watt FM setups like I did about 2 months back. The first giveaway starts next weekend.
I have never heard about this. This would be handy at our seasonal campground. Thanks for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
Part 15 is perfect for a campground and Heavy Metal being played on that station would be perfect.
@@RojoDiabloAM \m/
I've had a part time operation since 1994. At the time I also was working in commercial radio where I learned alot of the engineering as well as the total professional operation of a broadcast facility. I know some in the hobby field hate engineers because they can be rats to hobbiest, but I never had such a mindset and was self taught from doing repairs. No advertisments, this is a hobby for love of radio purely. There are actually a few like myself, of what is known as professional engineered hobby stations across the country. These are people that often worked in the biz and know the correct engineering and use all professional gear and test equipment. They have pro studios, regular consoles, Optimods or Omnia processing, exciters & transmitting equipment, and good antennas like any commercial outlet. These are very hard to discern from pirate to the regular listener, as they sound every bit commercial in nature.
Very cool! I had no idea that this little sub culture was out there. I'll have to scan the airwaves more often looking for these tiny stations on trips.
I built my first Pirate FM radio station when I was 10 years old with a tape deck and box of assorted things I picked up here and there.
It is what started me in my interest of CB and ham radio.
Cool that you did at age 10, kids these days only want to play video games.
@Farpoint Farms I only had a game called "Play Outside" back then lol.
@@FarpointFarms this is kind of like a video game when you really think about it. its an audio game.
@@FarpointFarmsthat's not true my dude
Man, you got me hooked on your videos man . Awesome information
Glad you like them!
Good Morning I enjoy your video. You gave a lot of information. Thanks for all you do for all of us
You are so welcome! I'm glad I can share my passions with you.
I've got a small Kansas town, 20 years of radio experience and a playlist that could choke a horse. All it needs is a community radio station. ;) winhk wink nudge nudge know what I mean say no more!
Right on!
I have a 30 watt AM transmitter (rock bound on 530 KHz) that I restored. It was pulled from a car drag racing track in Chandler, Az. back in 2015 and replaced with an FM transmitter.
Along with it is the antenna matching unit.
I also have a 50 watt FM exciter / transmitter that is rack mountable and also one of those little 15 watt FM transmitters that I use as a PA link radio on some AV jobs where running physical audio cables are not an option.
Part 15 FM transmitters are largely those mobile phone / mp3 player fm transmitter dongles now and you can add an antenna per say by adding a wire to the ground part of the TRS audio input plug. The newer bluetooth versions are a little more tricky and require you to open them up and solder a wire. The model depends on where you make the connection though and an RF probe is handy for this.
Most of the non PLL FM transmitter schematics you find online that you can build are relatively simple to build but have a flaw that they drift, so you will have to "babysit" them when in operation.
IMO the easiest, cheapest and simplest antenna to build for FM is the PVC vertical dipole. Some PVC pipe and connectors, #12 solid wire and a bit of RG58 coaxial cable with a PL259 or N connector. You can use any of the online ham radio antenna calculators to bang out your antenna measurements on your frequency.
THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR DAILY LIFE ADVENTURES.
Thanks! This channel is certainly a bit different than most as I choose not to focus on a single part of my life, but all of it.
I found my old CanaKit/UniKit UX100. I thought it had died. Swapped out the power supply. It lit right up. I use it to hear records and cd's in other rooms. I like hearing albums on my old 1964 Magnavox tube console stereo.
This really good and plays well. Simple, but not too simple. I’ve invested a good amount of time into Deadball as a dice baseball game but it takes a good deal of prep work and lookups. This is ideal for gaming with a buddy and having some laughs without being too serious. Great job with this. I would look to market it with a small playfield, runner tokens and especially a couple 1-3 d6’s.
Hmm. Ok.
Thinking about getting the talking house transmitter and using that to have some fun. Might send you some emails soon. Actually really enjoy your channel from the CB side of it, down to the VW truck. the whole shebang. great channel
Sounds good, I look forward to hearing from you
Good video , thanks for sharing . Good morning to the Farm Family .
Thanks 👍
I prefer part 15, because it's great for holiday radio and seasonal broadcasting in my community area. The newer FM transmitters that the internet sells, they are clean, and they don't emit too many harmonics. BTW, There is no way to obtain a copy of the Big Antenna Handbook you just mentioned, because of these big tech publisher companies don't want everyone to access these open sourced publications, they want us to pay a subscription just to download and save to your computer.
I didn’t realize one could TX with low power FM. That’s cool.. btw, I used to run a BBS way back in the day... we invented the internet man!!
Yup! Today's video covers the range of one of these low cost 15watt units when they are turned all the way down to a .5watt setting. Hey, a fellow BBS SYSOP? Good to meet another!!
@@FarpointFarms awesome! Yeah, ran a bbs on an apple //e when I was in the 8th and 9th grade... can’t recall the program name but i had a lot of fun.. started with a 300 baud modem.. then got an Apple Cat modem that went up to 1,200 baud and it had other extras in it..like the ability to shoot a 2600hz tone in the phone line.. I didn’t have the right phone system in my area to take advantage of it.. but it was still cool anyway... radio is another hobby of mine.. I’m ham licensed as well... 73
I ran the Hairball BBS in Minden NV, running TriBBS and a Fido node. Oh the good old days.
Here in southern WV. We have 2 am stations that broadcasts the same thing on FM.
Translators. A huge step backwards from the FCC. They did it to help AM stations stay on the air, but it just tied up more local frequencies with the same corporate junk.
I love to have a small FM, low power radio station but the FCC will only allow 200 feet range of transmitting power legally.
Go with AM! up to 2 miles range per part 15.
I am having trouble understanding how I'm supposed to reach anyone with only 200 feet of operating distance, thanks fcc.
Sounds like a plan. Our community has a FB watch. But in the valley that would be a great to have on the air.
It's a good way to connect those that just don't want to get into other radio comms, or for the older folks that don't handle the internet as well as the younger crowed.
yep, I bought the ebay guys transmitter. All I wanted to do was broadcast across the room to old tube radios I restored.
The first one didn't work. He sent me a second. That one kinda worked. It broadcasts loads of hum even when run off batteries. Grounding helped some but still hums like crazy.
AHH and the harmonics. it broadcasts all over the place. and I mean all over the place. One of my restored radios covers from longwave 0.19 MC all the way up to 30 MC's I can hear it starting at the lower end of the medium wave band all the way up to 30 MC's in the shortwave band. If I pull out my icom receiver I bet I can hear it much higher. and you would think at 30 MC's the signal would be getting weaker. nope!! its just as strong as ever.
If I put a real antenna on this thing and bring it out my basement I will cause all kinds of interference.
Now lets not even talk about the soldering job. Yep tack tack cold contaminated solder joints with absolutely no mechanical connection besides the solder sticking everything together. Looks like he tinned the iron then transferred that from the iron to the tack tack job. OH MY GOSH!!!!!!
Threw it in the trash. I noted the seller and will never buy anything from him again.
PS still looking for a decent medium wave transmitter that will simply sound decent and transmit across the room. Dont care if I have to build it from a schematic or buy it.
Is that the guy from Turkey? I had another viewer say that he ordered one as well and it was junk. Too bad. I wish someone made a decent 10 watt AM midwave transmitter.
@@FarpointFarms yep. unfortunately he claims to be an experienced radio receiver and transmitter builder, constructing radios and transmitters for more than 40 years. This is not true because the guy doesn't even know how to solder. As far as i'm concerned his soldering job isn't even hobbyist worthy. I think a properly instructed child could solder better. I know i could at age 10. hmm.
They were useless to me and I just threw them out.
If you know where I can get or build (schematic) for a decent quality low power transmitter to simply transmit 50-100 feet on medium wave to old vintage radios let me know. I can build or buy, doesn't matter but obviously don't want to spend hundreds if possible. Can be either tube or transistor at this point I just need something low power that works.
Feel like going back on FM myself ! But don't like hearing the bang on the door. Used 150 watts the last time and the radio authority where at my door within 1 hour. FM is very much dead here. More people tend to tune in on the internet (The Future of radio broadcasting!). The first transmitter I used was back in 1990 (testing!) My station became massive in 1994 on 100.3MHz [PureFM].
There was a company years ago that sold low power broadcast gear and radio kits
Called ramsey out of new York
The very first AM radio transmitter I ever built was a Ramsey AM-1 kit. I ran 610 AM for 1 year before moving over to 1670 with the Hamilton Rangemaster.
Interesting video, but there needs to be clarification on several aspects:
Part 15 compliant FM transmitters are limited in realistic coverage to around 300 feet at best. They aren't governed by the number of watts but by field strength as dictated by Part 15.239. The cheap imported transmitters for sale on venues like Amazon and ebay are not FCC certified for Part 15 compliance and will grossly exceed the allowed field strength. The Sainsonic transmitter shown was also known for having a falsified certification number.
The comment about adding a longer wire antenna to a Talking House (or any Part 15 certified) transmitter: Modifying any FCC certified transmitter's antenna to anything other that what it was certified with will not only void its certification but should you be unlucky enough to be visited by an FCC field inspector will cast a dim light on your activities. The Talking House transmitter may be connected to an external antenna which may be purchased from the manufacturer's website.
About pirate radio: The FCC and government enacted the PIRATE Act which can fine individuals up to a million dollars for illegal broadcasting. If you truly want to pirate that's your business, but licensed broadcasters take an active interest when people interfere with their signals and they have the FCC on their side.
About Part 15 broadcasting: If you intend to enter the world of radio broadcasting and do so LEGALLY under FCC Part 15 you should do your best to be informed. My website is the only one (at the time of this post) operated by an actual in-the-industry broadcast engineer with more than 46 years in the business. The site provides not only technical and legal references, equipment reviews and station profiles but also strives to maintain 100% discussion of maintaining compliance to the FCC regulations. I noted some of the other referenced links provided by the video author may or may not have the same goals in mind, but if your intention is to operate LEGALLY as a hobby, a school-based or as a community radio station you owe it to yourself to seek out information from a reputable and reliable source.
Thank you for a great web site! I found a lot of good info there and will want to be in the forums when the membership is open. Like the transmitter tests and helps me think what transmitter I will get when I get some more money.
How do you stop your transmission at 300ft at best and or what does that mean I bought my transmitter at walmart website
@@revabiggica5026 You don't "stop" your transmission, it's all science! The electrical power of 11.45 nanowatts feeding into a one-half wave tuned dipole antenna will produce a field strength of 250µV/m (measured at 3 meters), which is the legal limit defined in FCC Part 15.239. FM transmitters that are FCC Part 15 certified are suppose to be factory calibrated to produce the same equivalent field intensity, which by definition will only produce a usable signal with a couple of hundred feet from the device. This doesn't mean that cheap, imported transmitters are 100% compliant with FCC regulations. If you're not using a transmitter specifically designed and certified for Part 15 compliance you run the risk of not only interfering with other radio spectrum users but also a visit from an FCC field agent should someone determine it's coming from your owned equipment and they complain to the FCC.
@@HobbyBroadcaster This video popped into my feed... You would be surprised by the number of people in the industry that willingly buys illegal transmitters and cares nothing about running them. I fiddled with part 15 decades ago to try and get out college on FM, it just doesn't get past the parking lot. The part 15 stuff is really only good to play your music to a transmitter so you can listen while doing yard work in your small yard.
What we need is a legal way to get some 1 watt licensed space, maybe up to a couple watts. But money talks, and community radio loses!
@@minigpracing3068 A well-engineered Part 15 AM transmitter can get out to a mile more more from its location. When we performed the AM Transmitter Challenge, which was nationally written up in CQ Magazine (as well as my website), the Ranegemaster AM1000 was receivable out to almost 1 mile in a fully FCC compliant Part 15.219 installation. It can be done, legally, if you're willing to spend the time and money to engineer such an installation. As a broadcast engineer for licensed FCC broadcast stations I find it disingenuous to classify legal Part 15 radio as pirate radio, in quotes or not. There are too many people playing fast and loose out there hiding behind being so-called "Part 15" stations when they are blatant pirate radio operators by their own admission.
I'm late seeing this video,so much for the giveaway lol,loved it ,very informative 😃👌
As long as a person is not doing anything crazy. Or playing music with a lot of profanity. Nor taking over other people's radio stations they'll be fine. If there is no frequency on 91.1 91.3 90.9. If they're the frequency on 91.5 90.7 91.1 is the perfect setting as long as there's nothing there. If it's not drowning out other radio stations and you can still listen to 90.7 your fine. And two most neighbors to be honest with you will say hey Alexa play Chucky FM that speaker on the middle of the coffee table it looks like a cup is basically the new radio. I am from North Carolina also.
Great video..! Thank you so much for sharing.
Glad you liked it.
here in beaver county pa in ambridge there is a powerful fm 87.7 mhz they are on for 5 years
Hi Eric, so if I were to do a fm station to do something like a personalized radio station for my school with music, upcoming events, etc. for a 25 mile radius max would I be able to pull it off with a part 15 or would I have to do a full-on pirate station?
25 miles is nearly a full power station! I can't think of a way to make that kind of range legally. These stations operate at a max range of about 2 miles, and in many cases less. You'd be looking a Pirate station. The only other idea that you could use that is legal is to do a hybrid station like I run. It's a Part 15 AM station that is legal, and then I also stream that station to the internet right off my laptop on Shoutcast. That way you can reach the world via online and the local community over the air. I have a video on shoutcast listed at the end of this video. Check it out!
Ok what is the range on a hybrid?
The internet option won't work because my family moved and Hughes net is my only option and the internet with them is too slow
Can you help me? The filing window will open for lpfm licenses. I have a community internet station already I want to broadcast at 100 watts fm to the community in rural South Carolina do you know what forms I need please. What steps do I need to take to get going
I wish I could help. I'd look at talking with a radio lawyer. for a small fee they will get you setup right the first time with that paperwork.
Hey Eric, I setup a FM Retekess Station a while back, would I get more Range from a Talking House AM Station? I see a cheap one on EBay
With the right Antenna both the FM and the Talking house unit will preform better. AM antenna setup is tricky though.
This could also be achieved, to an extent, using meshnets on 2.4ghz, also high end walkie-talkies could provide pretty good range. Different rulesets with those but community-oriented communication networks nonetheless. Great video 👍
Good point!
Ramsey is still in business but they don't make the FM transmitter kit anymore. They were getting a lot of grief from the FCC because there were reports of people who didn't know what they were doing, thinking they were legal, and getting popped for illegal broadcasting.
Good to know, their AM kits got me started in this hobby.
Hello I have 1 question: can I use a HIGH GAIN RECEIVING FM ANTENNA AS A TRANSMITTING ANTENNA ALSO OR CAN ONLY BE USE FOR RECEIVING SIGNAL?? Thanks
No, you need an antenna that is made for transmitting.
Very interesting. I am just trying to get into Ham radio and watching your videos. Then I ran across this video. Could you do the radio stain to cover about 1.5 miles with an indoor antenna? I live in a condo and they have a HOA which requires permission for anyone to do anything a little different. Most times they say no. Knowing it may be a community advantage, they may be more accepting. Thanks for the video
I would imagine that the FM transmitter I will be giving away soon would be able to transmit that far with the standard inside antenna. Take a look at the one I reviewed about 5 months back. It does about 5 miles with an outside antenna, so it should work.
@@FarpointFarms Thanks. I will do that
love the uncover the truth infowars sticker!
Right on!
Definitely can’t find anything saying this is legal. It’s broadcasting further than 200ft as clearly stated in the fcc low power section.
I like it but it is a pirate radio station according to fcc part 15.
The only thing I can find that lets you extend that range is a license. Or to cover a campus grounds and no further.
Looks fun though.
I just want people to keep it legal.
Truly informative, thank you , i would really want one of these, i want to run a radio station and help some kids in my neighborhood.They really like music , this would work out perfect fthis would help me to help them.
GREAT VIDEO ! My Neighvor has a part 15 transmitter,. he has an FM transmitter broadcast Christmas Music ensink with light display on his house. I don't understand I'm less then 1 1/2 foot fields away and the signal sounds as I was more then 2 1/2 miles
That's the downside to part 15 setups. They are very weak signals, and if the person doesn't use a equalizer or a mixer board to maximize what little audio there is, they can seem even weaker. Still, it's great that you can hear a station!
In my town, someone also does this and it's pretty cool.
I have a pirate station broadcasting at 87.0 MHz and will going down to 64 - 76 MHz soon...
Love to see a photo or video of your setup!
Yep great stuff. All my neighbors love my local radio, funny, music, whatever I want. They love it.
That is awesome! I'd love to be able to hear your station as well. Do you ever consider putting up on shoutcast?
I own a part 15 radio station CJW Radio 95.7 F M on my c crane fm transmitter
So FM might be easier than AM? Which one needs a smaller, less expensive transmitting antenna?
For cost, size of antenna, and ease of install, the FM setup is certainly the way to go.
So I'm confused, the part 15 guidelines I've read talk about no more than 60-200ft coverage. And part 15 strictly states you can't have a removable antenna... 😉
Look at the rules for AM.
Sadly the tuner devices, stereos and radio boxes have now disappeared from most homes so low power radio is now like transmitting to birds and bees, at the most.
This is amazing!!!!!!! Truly amazing!!!! You have been exactly what I have been looking for. I mean, holy shit!!! My dream is to start a community radio station to spread love peace and happiness. Thank god you exist and are posting these. I run a church based on fun and joy and this is just incredible content.
Glad to hear it!
I wanted to start on because there’s no Caribbean radio station in my area.
Go for it! Can't wait to see it up and running.
I wish you could legally have a bit more reach with this. I'd be very interested, but my closest neighbor is about 1/2 mile away so I wouldn't reach many people. 😑
Very interesting. Any recommendations on a mic or small mixer. Thank you for sharing.
Yes, I have a video I will upload this week that shows a great inexpensive mixer board that I bought used. It's a Radio Shack unit that works great! As for a mic? I have a few no name one's that seem to do the job pretty good.
1 question I need answered if I use a talking house or fcc compliant transmitter. Is it true the higher the dipole antenna the further I might can get out? PLEASE someone answer or correct this question
None of the am stations in my town work id like to make my own station and broadcast to a 6 mile radius is that illegal without a license?
That would be VERY hard to do. 2 miles is about all these legal versions can do, and that will take a lot of tinkering to get right. On the FM side, a 15 Watt transmitter and the stock antenna will do 6 miles if it's flat in your area. The main thing to consider is keeping a low profile. Swearing, vulgar content, and interfering on someone else station are a good way to end up with trouble.
@@FarpointFarms yes true i learned that the hard way last year
Hi I looked up the FCC’s newest regulations on part 15 stations, it says I can only get 200 feet legally, how would I get a mile or two legally?
That's FM. Look at the rules for AM.
@@FarpointFarms Hi I looked into it and I could not find anything on the FCC’s official website saying anything about it, I have seen multiple sources saying that they were able to legally do a station that reached 1-2 miles, could you maybe send a link or something from the FCC website saying that it’s legal or something, I just don’t want to get in trouble for making a hobby station for my friends and neighbors
Very cool video. Sorry to hear about your church though.
Low power broadcasting needs to be allowed on the appropriate Ham bands.
I agree.
Absolutely NOT! We have enough problems on the Ham bands as it is. LPAM will only make it worse and you'll be changing frequency A LOT just to get away from interfering with them. I do propose that LPAM be allowed on the 120 and 61 meter broadcast bands with up to 250 mW of power and a 15 foot antenna. On those bands antennas are more efficient than on MW (AM). With that kind of setup you might get a couple of hundred miles at night. I have another proposal that would turn the MW band all digital with channel spacing at 15 KHz from 505 to 1795 KHz. and low power broadcasting at 250 mW (LPAM and low power Digital Radio Mondial). - Sam N8VES
Interesting idea!
Hello I have a 15 watt fm radio station new transmitter I am looking for the easy to set up software for the station music and also what is the best company to use to upload to the server? Shoutcast? or another thank you brother.
My vote for the #1 antenna is the Sirio 2000, only $69.50 on Amazon. It performs as good as my 102" whip but has an easy lever to lower it when putting my truck in the garage. Hyperinflation? I know you lived through the 70's when inflation was worse but even that was not hyperinflation (50% rapid rise in prices). Drop the hyper.
Glad I don't live near you, haven't seen this 50% increase you're dealing with!
@@looper964 nobody has, that's the definition of hyperinflation. We aren't even seeing "high" inflation, just normal inflation.
Hello i have a question: so if i buy me a tr502 fm transmitter i wont get in trouble if open a comunity christian radio within 3 miles?? Can i buy me a 25 watt fm transmitter for a christian unlicensed radio station or would i get in trouble and need a license or to get it registered??
Is for christian purposes from my church i am not the pastor though im a church member of my church but im planing to rebroadcast my church services through my FM TRANSMITTER tr502 thanks
I live in Maryland usa
You'd have to follow the rules set in the Part-15 rule book. I can't imagine that 25 watts would still be in line with them, but since I play with AM part 15, I can't really say.
But can i transmitt with a TR502 at 15 watts without o license or i can't? In FM thanks
Is my tr502 15 watt Fm transmitter legal without a license?? Up to 3.11 mile range from my church services retransmissions and christian music playing
@@Princeadonaycent I have no way of knowing that. I'd reach out to your local FCC office.
Not sure how, you all get away with this. Not sure about AM, but the part 15 rules on FM the distance is what gets you in trouble most the time. You can't broadcast farther then the allowed limits of the power output. If you have a golden way to really get past this.. would be amazing as the local stations are being eaten by corporate and its heart breaking.
Hi. So I’m broadcasting with a half watt transmitter in my community. It’s a part 15 station that gets around 2 miles before fading.
Obviously in gross violation of Part 15.239 or Part 15.209, which cover LEGAL operation on the FM broadcast band
Your Teespring link is not working.
Thanks for the info...
Thanks. I think I just fixed it.
Wanting get I to home radio what recommendations
Not sure what you mean. For AM or FM?
How do I get involved in the giveaway? I would love to try out one of the transmitters.
Have seen those Turkish transmitters.
do you have a schematic for a am carrier current ac rf cuppler that does not cause hum on the radio ?
1:00: at least 2000 ears I would think.
That's what I was thinking as well.
If you people would read Part 15.239 you'd learn that the regulation is field strength at 3 meters. (reception not watts) It cannot excede 250 microvolts per meter. This translates to a couple hundred feet of reception. You'd have to borrow a Patomic Field Intensity meter to know your fs at 3 meters. And being Part 15, you can be ordered off air if a licensed FM complains.
Ya "You People"! Except for literally everyone outside the USA. Those people don't count apparently.
hey there is the a number I can call you at to ask about LPFM?
How to cover the music copyright?
Excellent Video! I appreciate the info.
Glad it was helpful! Now go out and get on the air my friend!
Is it legal to air copywritten music?
Does the part 15 vary from state to state
PART 15 FM is limited to 200 feet...They ( FCC) very touchy about pirate FMers...AM is more exciting
That is a great way of putting it. I just want people to stay legal- No one needs added drama
@@FarpointFarms I have a 2 Watt AM STEREO station on 1620 and it does quite well
I'd enjoy setting up one of these stations! K0LC
Anyone know about any way to do this (legally) in Canada??
There is part 15 type broadcasting in Canada . The AM regulations are the same as the US but Canada allows more FM power and range . You'd still be better off on AM though because it has greater range .
any advise on transmitter interference a transformer buzz ?
Yes. You need a good ground. Put a ground rod in the ground and run a wire to the back of the radio. Works great!
Saya mau, dan berambisi punya stasiun radio😢
Good luck!
The chair is against the wall
Yes it is.
Do you need a Ham license?
Nope! It's 100% free and clear to run a Part 15 station without any background work.
I have the retekess tr-505
Great little transmitter!
@@FarpointFarms Its not that little, it’s 25 watts max
Anyone know how to juice up the talking house?
Ebay has several wide band 6 watt amps that will work at those frequencies. I've heard of people using the talking house at the feeder to those amps and they say it works well. I'd get an antenna tuner to go with it though or it might burn up.
💞
I think the FCC should authorize the analog AM band to be used to be used exclusively government, not for profits, hobbyists, and community radio and up the wattage to 100W. No commercial AM stations after Dec. 31, 2024. I also think they should do the same for channels 2-6 low VHS NTSC analog (NTSC) TV and limit power to 1KW. Lower power stations up to 100mw for AM radio and 1W for NTSC TV. would still be unlicensed as per part 15.FM however should remain strict limits on power and frequency and range as per part 15. CB should remain as is, however treated as GMRS and MURS, with the rules should be much more strictly enforced, especially regarding power output. Licensing should be free but have FCC call station caller IDs, either orally stated, or with video displayed on screen, or digitally encoded. This would allow these services to best serve the public interest.
A 100 watts on AM definitely needs to be licensed. With a 100 foot antenna and 100 watts you'd be covering an area as big as Dallas and most of it's suburbs. Even further at night (on a clear channel). I could see 250 or 500 mW for LPAM and a 15 foot antenna. The FCC has good reason to deny part 15 on the TV bands. NTSC is essentially banned. What few stations are still transmitting have little time left convert to ATSC or go silent. You can't afford an ATSC transmitter. You can't build one (closed source) and use it without paying licensing fees, even on the Ham bands. Hams use the European standard DTV. It's open source and you can build your own transmitter. DTV is not allowed on the TV broadcast bands in North America though most TVs are capable of receiving it. With the latest round of channel shuffling by the FCC, the highest TV channel is now 36 on UHF. Stations that abandoned VHF LO (2-6) are now being forced back on to them (read smaller rural stations). 1 kW on channel 2 would be considered a full power station. At 500 feet you're gonna cover 15 to 20 radial miles with a P4 signal. Antennas on VHF LO capture more signal than at UHF so you don't need a lot of power. Still a 1 watt signal at 40 feet on channel 2 is "capable" of being received hundreds of miles away under the right conditions (Tropo bend or an E skip). For that reason the FCC doesn't want part 15 transmitters on the TV bands, especially on VHF LO and HI. They don't want them on UHF either. The channel shuffling isn't done yet as mobile phone carriers get more hungry for 5g spectrum. I suspect the highest TV channel will eventually be 26. One 6 Mhz channel is now capable of carrying one 4K signal or five 1080i channels or twenty 480i channels. The unused UHF channels are now being used by police, fire, public service, pagers, etc. There's no room for part 15 on UHF (or on the FM band either).
2 crt monitors?!?!?!
lucky.
What if I just wanna do a fun show
You totally can do that. That's what makes Community radio stations great. Doing what YOU want to do, not some mega corporation.
1000 ears are 500 persons...
There is a big difference between Part 15 and pirate radio. One is legal, the other is illegal. Advocating that someone run a Chinese junk FM transmitter, such as the ones shown on this video, up to 15 watts is sure to land the user in hot water with the FCC and a possible million dollar fine. Look for an FCC-approved Part 15 AM transmitter such as a Rangemaster or Procaster and set it up in a legal manner.
You assume that this video is aimed at the US market only. This video is made for every viewer world wide. Perhaps you were also not aware that the reach of the FCC is limited to US territory only. Also, those "Cheap junk" FM transmitters you speak of are 100% legal here in the USA if used within the rules of Part 15 regulations, and have literally saved 1000's and 1000's of churches here in the USA from going extinct. For that reason alone they are worth their weight in gold.
Try not to overreact, and maybe instead help generate some interest in the hobby? At no time in this video or any of the others I've made on the subject have I ever advocated or recommended that anyone at anytime break any laws. The word "Pirate Radio" is in quotes for a reason. It's because stations like mine are "Pirate" in spirit only.
I see you are clearly passionate about the rules, and I agree with them, but there is no reason to read into anything I've said here as advocating lawlessness. I linked to many pages that are far more comprehensive on the subject, and recommended several books so that people can do their own research on the subject to see what laws apply in their locals.
I'm glad however that it appears that you are a part 15 fan! I've been running a Hamilton Rangemaster since late 1999 and other than the past year when It was sent off for repairs, it continues to run my little "Pirate" station to this day, sending my 1/10th of a watt station out to the world!
even the 1-watt transmitters will put out more than legal range and I know a neighbor got a FCC bust a few years ago. Pirate radio clearly means radio that is not legal and here in the U.S. of A. and there is no excuse to make it look like it's alright to do so. Inciting pirate radio should be a crime just like taking part in it. There is no excuse for it.
@@ClassicTVLover screw the fcc they ruined lpfm because of NAB and Npr. they throw up transmitters all over the band. money talks and bs walks when it comes to government. they sell frequency to the highest bidder. which they have no right to do
Although you can buy them, those so called low power FM transmitters from China aren't legal. The only one I know that is legal "was" from CCrane. And it has a range of about 150 feet. The FCC rules don't have a power specification on the FM BCB. Only a field strength measurement. And it's tough. You really won't get more than 300 feet if you are transmitting legally on FM. For low power AM there are TWO FCC specs. The one we all know about is the 100 mW limit and an antenna of 3 meters INCLUDING the feed line AND ground lead. That's why your transmitter HAS to be AT THE ANTENNA. The other spec is the one the FCC will hang its hat on if they want to investigate your station. That one is a field strength measurement of (24000/frequency) microvolts at 30 meters (100 feet). You might think that's a lot but the truth is at that level at 100 feet your signal strength is so low that is is barely listenable. Fortunately, few people have $5000 to buy the calibrated meter to measure it. And on AM you are less likely to draw a complaint as listeners are few and far between. On FM, it's a different story. The band is crowded and finding a clear spot is tough. Additionally, if any FM station sees you as competition, they won't hesitate to complain to the FCC about your station. That's why the field strength measurement is so strict.
Keep in mind that originally the FCC intended for part 15 AM to cover only about 100 to 150 feet. And that's about what you would get with 100 mW and a 3 meter wire. Of course LPAMers figured out that if you added loading coils to the antenna you could increase your range. So the FCC responded by adding the feedline and ground lead to the 3 meter length. LPAMers responded by adding extensive grounding system to further increase their range. And that's when the FCC responded by adding the 24000/f µV @ 30 meters field strength measurement. Though it is rarely enforced. But I have read about one incident where a low power broadcaster was visited by a wicked FCC agent who viewed his 8 foot ground rod and all those 100 foot buried radials as part of the 3 meter length (what a D$%k!). The LPAMer had to cut the ground lead off the transmitter. He then ordered the LPAMer to detune the antenna to comply with the field strength measurement limit or face a fine. Although you may be compliant with 15.219 (100 mW and 3 meters), you still HAVE to comply with 15.209 (24000/frequency µV @ 30 meters) to COMPLETELY be legal with part 15 rules. So when you set up your LPAM station, keep the programming clean as a whistle; no politics, religion and definitely no obscenities of ANY kind. Cuz if you get a complaint and an FCC agent comes around, the FIRST thing they are gonna do is measure the field strength. And THAT'S where the FCC has the upper hand...
our station is able to put out 150 watts we keep it lower and now many years no problems spent 1K on our transmitter it does not drift or splatter mind your language do not play rap crap and you will be OK the FCC does not go out looking for pirates it takes a complaint to get them on you . and in that case under freedom of information act they must tell you WHO turned you in !!
Check out AmRRON.com. There is some good info on Black Echo Radio. Plus all the groovy Ham stuff.
I noticed you seemed to clump LPAM, LPFM, micro-broadcasting and Pirate radio all in the same bunch. Not really true. Pirate radio is totally illegal--no if's, and's or but's. You get caught operating any unlicensed facility (above the prescribed limits of micro-broadcasting) can wind you up in a pair of handcuffs and getting a hefty fine from the FCC. On the other hand, if you're operating an unlicensed micro station at the proper power, you've got nothing to worry about. They FCC might visit, but they can measure your power and determine if you're doing something wrong.
However, a well-built micro AM or FM can go a decent distance and be heard by a lot of people. Bottom line is, keep it legal.
I am the former owner of two AM's and one FM (full-power, licensed facilities), and I know very well that the FCC doesn't play when it comes to operating illegally. No, I was never in violation, but know others who were!
I always urge my viewers to follow the rules. That said the rules here are vastly different than rules in other countries so I tend to make my videos to include those areas as well.
Gideon bible App
Please oral Announcement
in radio studio
Sure.