I helped a friend setup his FM station. I found a couple of websites for best frequencies for FM reception for your location. Using this information i was able to find a frequency on which there were no adjacent stations and the closest station on the frequency was over 200 miles away. His station had good coverage.
I bought one of those 1/2 watt transmitters so I could listen to my own playlist anywhere on my property, so I built a PVC dipole cut to a vacant frequency and let'r rip. Oh damn..... I was expecting rock solid RX everywhere on my property but my one and only road test reached a listenable 2 miles and about half of the 12,000 residents in my town. Now I'm not an idiot. I knew without a doubt that my dipole would be a significant improvement over the rubber duck, but honestly did not expect a half watt transmitter to reach THAT far.
I took one of those car transmitters and one of those car to home adapters and I put it up high and I stuck a lot of male to female headphone jack sized wire lengtheners on it and then I stuck the other end in the computer let her rip one Summer night hit my entire cul-de-sac conditions must have been perfect cuz I haven't been able to do that lately. Yes the station is as bad ass as the name sounds.
@@STEVSGONE haha I did very similar around ten years back, one of them aux input fm transmitters for your phone but I attached a full wave antenna to it (scrape the coating off the board, then soldered the correct length to.. albeit in a wide loop around the ceiling of my room) and then went for a walk and got around a mile away, I was broadcasting over a nationwide station in the uk just to see how strong a transmitter it was. After I saw someone in a car constantly adjusting the radio I gave up but those things are surprising
The driven element is NOT the ONLY element that needs tuning. The radials need to be tuned as well. They are usually 10% longer then the driven and they are installed at a 45 degree angle to reduce feed-point impedance closer to 50 ohms. Also, ALWAYS use the shortest, single run of coax you can. The more coax, the more loss. With these smaller, very low power FM or AM transmitters, if you can get the transmitter at the feed point with 1/4 wave coax, (approximatly 54 inches) for middle of fm band for proper matching is best as most can be set and forget. Some can even be controlled remotely. Also, GROUNDING THE ANTENNA AND TRANSMITTER, not jsut for safety, but because grounding increases range and performance. Am requires a extensive ground plane to work properly. Use a minimum of 8 radials from the base of the antenna 1/4 wavelength out. Better would be 16 radials. good luck!
I do the engineering for a LPFM station. With a well tuned antenna you should get around mile per watt with 50 feet of LMR 400 at about 30 feet up on flat ground.. The one thing I use the most is an antenna analyzer . The Rigexpert AA-230 is my go to tool for testing FM antennas and cables, it can read down to 0.1 MHz , tell you the length of the cable or how far up the cable is a fault location , lots of troubleshooting functions.. For the price it's one of the best..
@@bashkillszombies I thought part 15 was for receiving devices, like how far a local oscillator can radiate. My understanding is that the transmit limitation is about range. If you could get a mile on one mw it would be too much or if you only got 200 feet from a megawatt you're good. My numbers are for example only. I don't know the real ones.
And the feds have bigger fish to fry. Than a kid with a laptop and a EBay transmitter. I know 🏴☠️than have been at it for years one runs 100 watts ! I’m a ham but care less what other do I even have helped kids set up stations. Keeps them off the streets and out of trouble ! The local cops know about them and don’t care ether it’s the sad hams that complain about everything that gets the feds involved .
Isn't the feed point impedance going to very high? You might be able to "cut down" the antenna for a match on 2 m. but I would have thought it would be a terrible match on 70cm.
You put out great content. I’ve leaned a lot on all things radio. It’s awesome. Thank you. Also it’s been a while since I saw the camel on something. Still have my joe cool dart board.
@@FarpointFarms the FCC seems to have bigger fish to go after if you look at there web site on the enforcement actions they have not busted a pirate in years they seem to be going after the errant hams and people jamming repeaters and finally the CB ones running a kilowatt and wiping out every one for 50 miles around !
Agreed. I used to own three commercial stations, one FM and two AM. The FCC is not who you want to pay you a visit. I've dealt with them and can attest to the fact that they don't fool around! Keep it legal, and have fun!
From all accounts that I've seen part 15 for FM is not measured in watts. It's measured in feet of coverage with a maximum of 200 feet from the antenna. So if you're running big power into a dummy load you could still exceed that or if you're running a few milliwatts into a tower you could also exceed the 200 foot limit.
I have been using an FM TRANSMITTER (15 WATTS)... and get about 4 miles free of break up and then it starts breaking up. I currently have a 35 watt transmitter on order... I want to be able to cover the entire town plus the fringe areas.
@@Inkmachine46Yes. I've had the 35 watt transmitter for about 2 years now and on the absolute beat day, I've been able to receive it 13 miles away but that with it breaking up.... I'm able to get about 7 to 7 1/2 miles constantly. If my antenna was higher.... I have no doubt that I could raise that distance to 10 miles easily omnidirectional.
I made a full wave one for a kid with a 🏴☠️FM out fit out of copper tubing and PVC pipe all soldered together you can get the dimensions online at just 7 watts it goes over 10 miles it’s pretty flat out here in farm country. There is like 3 or 4 operators out here one has a antenna inside a all wood church steeple on a STL lol 😂 the kids have a lot of fun keeps them out of mischief ! Funny the local,police know about it and do not care ! I’m a Ham but not a sad one .
If someone was to park in front of your house with a spectrum analyzer it would go absolutely crazy. You have an AM signal an FM signal and a CB signal LOL. Anyway nice video decent range and you answered my question does it broadcast in stereo. Not to mention by you being in the mountain to rain even commercial FM stations struggle as well. However if you live somewhere you know with Flatlands like New Jersey Delaware it would definitely make a huge difference in range. I'll bet you with the right terrain you could probably get up to 5 mph easily
Quite interesting. I know during covid businesses were using the fm transmitters for drive in movie theaters. My friend set up a station for sea world in Florida in 2020. I’ve thought about getting that exact transmitter a few years ago, but you are right the legality of having a station in certain areas of the U.S is something to consider. A place to look on the web would be the FCC website. It should be noted that the site has tremendous amounts of information on it, yet difficult to navigate. I know of a gentleman in my area that was found and fined $250,000 and transmitters taken. So that was the number one reason I did not decide to get a fm transmitter. Yet, I would be nice to have ones own show. I used to DJ at the local community college. So that’s where the bug came from for broadcast. Once again thank you for the information. Keep the content coming at your own convenience. We appreciate the inspiration. 73
And that is the reason I stick to my little Hamilton Rangemaster. It's Part-15 approved, and has kept me out of trouble for nearly 22 years. The FM rules are confusing, and sometime contradictory. I've never heard of anyone having legal issues with these, but I'm sure in a larger city they may interfere with a commercial station and that would be a huge issue. I consider all of these AM or FM options as I know the AM side of things is much harder to setup right. As a result, most people choose these FM setups. For around $200 for a transmitter, External Antenna, and a used laptop, folks can have a ready to go station to put out whatever content they wish. Lot's of the ones I've helped people setup are for church use, and a few are for.... Alternative information that is no longer easy to obtain on the web due to censorship issues here in the USA.
@@FarpointFarms HAVE YOU HAD ANY FUTURE PROBLEMS BROADCASTING . BOUGHT THE SAME ANTENNA AS YOURS, WORKED GREAT ON MY 15 WATT TRANSMITTER FOR ABOUT 9 MONS NOW CAN'T EVEN GET AROUND THE CORNER. ANY SUGGESTIONS ?
I've played with Prt 15 radio for years and enjoy seeing what changes you can do to get that next 1/2 block.. I have 2 of the Talking House Transmitters and I wish someone would discuss an antenna setup for that. I would love to set one up with an outdoor type antenna without having to use a bunch of wire across the yard.. Keep up the Great Videos Eric, love watching them, hope all is well with you and the farm..
i have one as well and the best tip i can give.....try and put it between 1080-1370 with a custom speaker wire antenna and use its internal tuner the furthest report i've got at night on 1090 was 20 miles and it was indoors the nice thing about the talking is you can hook a external antenna up i tried an A99 CB antenna and it wouldn't get 10 feet but i knew why the A99 is made at tops with a tuner for 28Mhz but will work with a tuner at 7Mhz but not well anything like 80 or 160m ham bands forget it.....we even got it to work on 54Mhz (6 meter band)
This would be great in a city if your were high up in a apartment building and had access to a #FreeSatelliteTV setup and rebroadcast some of the talk radio stations that encourage you to do this!
With the the amount of foliage combined with contour of the mountains , not bad on the range of the signal. Will be interesting to see a fall follow up after the leaves drop , and the raking is done :)
@@FarpointFarms The range will improve for certain up there. One of these days I’m going to take a road trip up to the top of Grandfather Mnt and see what I could do with a cb
Mine is 1/2 watt to 7 watt . On 1/2 watt I cover the city of Sharon ok . It is fuzzy in areas but you can listen to me easily . I will not try seven watts . I don't want to brake any rolls or interfere with emergency radios of any kind . I had thought I had gotten one with 1 watt on low end but I miss ordered and got the half watt . That was a good thing . I live in a small city and use it to pass the word for food banks and so on . With it . It is a useful tool . I did set mine up with a pi 4 and the smallest monitor I could find . Keeping it all low power usage.
If it's dipole vertical you want to add a coil attenuator 1 copper per one aluminum just use the same wire diameter and face them south to north aluminum is south there's no limit to mass and you just pitch the compas direction as the sun rises and sets
@@FarpointFarms I had one of these shirts in the 90's when I was still smoking. Don't know what happened to it. Hard to believe such merchandise was once sold. I looked on eBay and found one for sale for $89. I hope you did not have to pay that much, although you do look good in the shirt.
You need a higher tower. When I was in Florida a dude had a cb radio on a 1 quarter watt could go far course that is shortwave range. It went around the world think he said. Least several states over.
I'm thinking about purchasing, a [ 200W FM transmitter stereo PLL broadcast radio station Range Max Antenna 110/220 ] Will something like this be all I would need to be able to broadcast from so I can receive the signal on my FM car stereo? I have all the other resources to be able to play the music. I'm just not sure on the transmitting part, thats new to me. Can you lmk if I have an good understanding of how this will work.... All I would need to do is plug in an Input source to the transmitter, pick a channel (ie 99.1, or 105.7) or just any random channel that's not interfering with any other local stations. Connect the antenna that it comes with, and then thats all right.... ....obviously connect everything together & have a power source....
Hey have you ever heard of the JIL CB radio? It's an AM/FM broadcast radio receiver, with a tape deck, AND an AM/SSB CB radio. How cool is that? I wish a company made something like that, so you could get a really clean install with only a single or perhaps double din. I haven't been able to find any for sale, but i'd love to have one.
Great video, couple of things if anyone care. Never run a dynamic mic as you have positioned it. You'll get what is called "off axis coloration. Point it straight at you. 2nd, 1/2 a watt exceeds FCC Part 15, but if you use a lowpass filter I doubt anyone cares anymore since streaming became a viable option. It seems pirate radio of very low wattage like you demonstrate is of no concern if you do not interfere. 3rd, that high stack of trees reduced your effectiveness in that direction. Not your fault, just a fact. Otherwise, great video.
given the tx is 0.5w, your antenna is essentially amongst a lot of trees, and that cable, your loosing half your power bet in the cable loss, thats damn good coverage.
I would just use that antenna for just reception more than transmission, it would make a good antenna for receiving part 15 and pirate radio stations using my RTL-SDR receiver here at home. I use extremely tiny 2 inch wire antenna for my part 15 FM transmitters just enough to cover my home, nothing outside the home.
No, I had to switch from the AM transmitter as the main line out from my mixer board can only feed one transmitter at a time. I am working on getting a splitter so I can run both stations. I'm also considering running a second laptop and using the FM side of things to run totally different programming. These little community radio stations are addictive!
I prefer the other style ground plane with the different length tips. No wondering the length and you can use better coax. I use lmr400 this skinny stuff looks to lossy.
Question.. can you “technically” operate a low power FM without a license? I’m reading and it’s saying 100 watts and below can apply for a LPFM license from FCC but for non profits, churches, community, government, etc... I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you’re well below a watt are you ok in the eyes of the FCC or do they (the FCC) wish to be notified regardless?
OK, so I'm not going to say I know everything about the subject, but the way that I transmit legally is by staying within "Part-15" rules. I have a play list that includes a video on community radio stations, and in it I try and explain some of the rules and how to stay legal. The quick version is that for AM radio stations you are limited to 1/10th of a watt, and a total antenna length of 9 feet. That sounds horrible, but I am able to get 1.5 to 2 miles of range with this setup after a lot of trial and error. On the FM side, I am 100% sure that I have not idea what is and is not allowed. Most people end up with an FM station and they run a unit just like the one I used to test this setup for many years without issues. That doesn't mean it's legal, but it does mean that as long as you try not to trample on commercial stations, or transmit profanity and such, it seems that 99% fall under the radar. Please check out my playlist on these setups, and also do some research as well before deciding on an AM or FM station.
What adapter do I need to use this cable as my radio ( has a threaded barrel 50 ohm) needs a barrel male and the cable is a bnc male rg58 u this is a cze-15b transmitter.
sir gud day to you,,, i would like to ask if that retekess china fm transmitter amplifier that you are demoing,, is it hs a good quality audio input and how much volume level is the best for that retekess sir???
What do you think would be the easiest to set up for a person who is blind? I have an online radio station that I want to set up to run on terrestrial radio in my local town. What do you think would be the best way to go about doing this? I would appreciate your help. Thank you so much and God bless you.
it's a Spanish Christian online radio station that I would like to put on terrestrial radio in my local town of Tyler, Texas@@ZeitghostX it's a Spanish Christian online radio station that I would like to put on terrestrial radio in my local town
Nice setup. I am thinking about setting up a Part 15 for my community (seniors) and thinking about AM. What transmitter and antenna are you using for yours? Thanks
FM broadcast frequencies being line of sight in nature, I'd love to see an elevation map of where the transmitting antenna is in relation to the route you traveled vertically through the terrain. Even with those dropouts, at 0.5 watts, that's impressive range! I've got a 1-watt max transmitter that I keep within Part 15 limits. The **one time** that I cranked it up, it was definitely putting out solid coverage. Even inside my apartment (which is about 100 feet above average terrain), using the supplied rubber whip antenna directly off the back, I was able to get about 1.3 miles out of it before it started getting some dropouts. By 2 miles, it was completely gone. My area is relatively flat compared to yours, so your performance is pretty solid!
When I did the test at the top of my property, I was able to get a bit more range- It is probably about 100 ft elevation gain. I would love to take it to the top of my neighbors property, but logistically it can't be done. I am sure I would get a ton more range
@@FarpointFarms Yeah, AM is limited to 100 me, but according to part 15, a transmitter on the FM broadcast band signal cannot exceed 200 feet from the antenna. So...... I had an FM stereo transmitter back in the late 1990s with a 5/8 wave antenna up about 90 feet in a pine tree. Good luck with yours!
How exactly do you go about correctly adjusting the SWR? You mentioned it gave you the measurements in millimeters. Is it based on the length of the antenna/cable? Sorry, I’m new to this.
Cant find this antenna on ebay ...none seem to have the adjustable radiator..can you give me the name or item number/seller infor...thanks for the super videos!!!!
I don't want to be "one of those guys" but you live in the mountains so you're probably ok with not a lot of people near you. If I live in a more rural area would the FCC come get me? This is cool and fun, but 1) If you broadcast on a frequency that has another station nearby and someone files a report you have more of a chance of the FCC knocking on your door. 2) I live in a place with lots of people around me but have always wanted to do this, I am scared to do anything over 1 mile. If someone hears my station and is like "What's this" and reports it then what?
23 years of Part 15 radio, and I've never had "The Knock" not here in the sticks or back in Raleigh. My friend in Raleigh operates a 15 watt station with at least 5 mile range and has been for 4 years now. No issues. That said. Stay legal!
@@kayone8571 I don't broadcast at 5 watts. I broadcast from a Hamilton Rangemaster on 1670AM at 100 milliwatts into an 8 foot antenna. The Rules for Part 15 are somewhat complex I'd get a book on it before you dive in, or at least consult someone at you local FCC office.
Great video as always what would happen if you used 50 watts could you get 30 miles range on the f m band but l know it would be illegal in my country and higher the antenna better the range but running a AM station with big power and range you would need a commercial license love your videos on c b radios
The highest powered station that I am aware of that is running here in the US is a 30 watt station somewhere near lake Michigan. They have been running for at least 5 years now as they are a Midnight Café Affiliate and have been since the start. I've never asked what kind of range he get's, but he does run a homemade 5/8 wave dipole with his. Best guess? It's flat there so I'd say 10 miles? Figure double the power of a 15watt double the range? Just a guess though. I'll reach out to him and see if he can give me some numbers.
@@hemphead5839 This same transmitter is listed on eBay right now for just over $100. It's 15 watts, has audio in, mic in, and USB connections plus Bluetooth. It comes with an external antenna that will work for a starter. I don't have the link, but search for Retekess TR502. The mixer board was found at a flea market but can be found on eBay as well. I have a playlist on community radio and part 15 stuff. I'd take a look at those videos as they cover a lot of stuff a new person will need. It even shows how to use an old laptop to stream your new station to the world for free 24/7. COOL STUFF!
Be aware that you are probably losing 5W of power with losses in your 15 meter coax. So with 0.5W it means that theres nearly no power comming to the antenna. And the coax looks like rg58 which is very lossy for lengths more than 5m! Use rg213/rg214/lmr400 if you really need 15m
Yes! Since 1999 I've used winamp to run both the radio station and the shoutcast online stream. The old saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." certainly applies!
Soo could you set up a couple of these stations up in a small town and not surpass the regulation? Im wanting to start a radio station for the local music scene to have a platform to have their music played and also publisze local music events happening around town. Zero money being made just a radio station actually made for the people.
Great video and now Im interested in FM Broadcasting. started watching your videos in reference to cb stuff after I inherited my uncles collection of cbs and mics and antennas. Im a licensed ham but knew nothing about cb'ing and really wasnt interested until watching a few of your videos. NOW, after watching this Im interested. Im not real computer savvy though so could you possibly recommend a computer that is capable of doing exactly what you are doing?? Doesnt have to be cheap but low budget if possible. This is just something to pass the time with. I would appreciate the input if you wouldnt mind. Again, thanks for the videos!
Glad to hear I got your interest peaked in both CB and FM radio! The good news here is that the software I run my radio station (Over the air and on Shourcast) is very old. As a result darn near any laptop with dual cores will run both with ease. The software is Winamp 5. And the shoutcast software just adds into it as a option. With this software, you are set! I have a older dual core Panasonic Toughbook CF30, before that It ran on a CF29 (single core P-III) but it was a bit sluggish on that one. If you have an older laptop you'd be all set!
@@FarpointFarms Outstanding! I seen the video with your station and computer but wasnt sure if you done any upgrades to it. Any of the FM transmitters that state FCC compliant are Part 15 compliant also?? Or should I research this more??
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I helped a friend setup his FM station. I found a couple of websites for best frequencies for FM reception for your location. Using this information i was able to find a frequency on which there were no adjacent stations and the closest station on the frequency was over 200 miles away. His station had good coverage.
That was a smart thing to do, limit the interferance
I bought one of those 1/2 watt transmitters so I could listen to my own playlist anywhere on my property, so I built a PVC dipole cut to a vacant frequency and let'r rip. Oh damn..... I was expecting rock solid RX everywhere on my property but my one and only road test reached a listenable 2 miles and about half of the 12,000 residents in my town.
Now I'm not an idiot. I knew without a doubt that my dipole would be a significant improvement over the rubber duck, but honestly did not expect a half watt transmitter to reach THAT far.
I took one of those car transmitters and one of those car to home adapters and I put it up high and I stuck a lot of male to female headphone jack sized wire lengtheners on it and then I stuck the other end in the computer let her rip one Summer night hit my entire cul-de-sac conditions must have been perfect cuz I haven't been able to do that lately. Yes the station is as bad ass as the name sounds.
@@STEVSGONE haha I did very similar around ten years back, one of them aux input fm transmitters for your phone but I attached a full wave antenna to it (scrape the coating off the board, then soldered the correct length to.. albeit in a wide loop around the ceiling of my room) and then went for a walk and got around a mile away, I was broadcasting over a nationwide station in the uk just to see how strong a transmitter it was. After I saw someone in a car constantly adjusting the radio I gave up but those things are surprising
The driven element is NOT the ONLY element that needs tuning. The radials need to be tuned as well. They are usually 10% longer then the driven and they are installed at a 45 degree angle to reduce feed-point impedance closer to 50 ohms. Also, ALWAYS use the shortest, single run of coax you can. The more coax, the more loss. With these smaller, very low power FM or AM transmitters, if you can get the transmitter at the feed point with 1/4 wave coax, (approximatly 54 inches) for middle of fm band for proper matching is best as most can be set and forget. Some can even be controlled remotely. Also, GROUNDING THE ANTENNA AND TRANSMITTER, not jsut for safety, but because grounding increases range and performance. Am requires a extensive ground plane to work properly. Use a minimum of 8 radials from the base of the antenna 1/4 wavelength out. Better would be 16 radials. good luck!
I do the engineering for a LPFM station. With a well tuned antenna you should get around mile per watt with 50 feet of LMR 400 at about 30 feet up on flat ground.. The one thing I use the most is an antenna analyzer . The Rigexpert AA-230 is my go to tool for testing FM antennas and cables, it can read down to 0.1 MHz , tell you the length of the cable or how far up the cable is a fault location , lots of troubleshooting functions.. For the price it's one of the best..
Good info! Thanks for the tip.
Excellent info. Parttime9070 is giving you some good info. He's probably a great engineer!
A half a watt is way more than part 15 limits allow. Not to worry though, because the cable on that antenna burns up most of it.
That's what I was thinking lol terrible coax for vhf
"A half a watt is way more than part 15 limits allow." There's always that guy. One day we'll find him though, and comment sections will be free!
@@bashkillszombies there's a new one born every day lol
@@bashkillszombies I thought part 15 was for receiving devices, like how far a local oscillator can radiate.
My understanding is that the transmit limitation is about range. If you could get a mile on one mw it would be too much or if you only got 200 feet from a megawatt you're good. My numbers are for example only. I don't know the real ones.
And the feds have bigger fish to fry. Than a kid with a laptop and a EBay transmitter. I know 🏴☠️than have been at it for years one runs 100 watts ! I’m a ham but care less what other do I even have helped kids set up stations. Keeps them off the streets and out of trouble ! The local cops know about them and don’t care ether it’s the sad hams that complain about everything that gets the feds involved .
That particular antenna you have also makes an outstanding 440mhz ham antenna.👍
Good to know!
Isn't the feed point impedance going to very high? You might be able to "cut down" the antenna for a match on 2 m. but I would have thought it would be a terrible match on 70cm.
Nothing wrong with the 1812 overture. Anything where a howitzer is part of the orchestra is all good!
OK...this has REALLY got my interest. Great video, Eric....73's from the BIG metropolis of Fuquay-Varina.
I know right were that is! My mom lived there for years. I lived out in Moncure.
@@FarpointFarms I was out that way about a week ago. Always liked that area. Small world, huh?
Went to school there!! Graduated in 93
You put out great content. I’ve leaned a lot on all things radio. It’s awesome. Thank you. Also it’s been a while since I saw the camel on something. Still have my joe cool dart board.
My wife sure wishes that I'd get rid of this shirt, but I love it! Haven't smoked since 1997, but that shirt makes me feel "Cool".
I have a half wave dipole mounted to a 10ft aluminium pole on a T&K mount by my guttering, i comfortably cover my small city on 15w.
Oh, sounds a bit illegal- I would try to keep it legal so you don't get any visitors
@@FarpointFarms the FCC seems to have bigger fish to go after if you look at there web site on the enforcement actions they have not busted a pirate in years they seem to be going after the errant hams and people jamming repeaters and finally the CB ones running a kilowatt and wiping out every one for 50 miles around !
Agreed. I used to own three commercial stations, one FM and two AM.
The FCC is not who you want to pay you a visit. I've dealt with them and can attest to the fact that they don't fool around!
Keep it legal, and have fun!
@@voiceofjeff The FCC can try and pay me a visit and I will promptly tell them to get back on a plane, I'm in the UK :)
The classical piece was Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. I am surprised that RUclips considered that as royalty free music. Great video.
It was on their list. I was surprised as well, but quite a few classics are FTA.
Tchaikovsky has been dead for quite a while.
When I saw the shed was finished my first thought was "radio shack!"
Looking well Eric!
Feeling a lot better, and ready to get back to it.
Nice station set-up.
Thanks!
great video on radio love to see more videos
More to come!
From all accounts that I've seen part 15 for FM is not measured in watts. It's measured in feet of coverage with a maximum of 200 feet from the antenna. So if you're running big power into a dummy load you could still exceed that or if you're running a few milliwatts into a tower you could also exceed the 200 foot limit.
I have been using an FM TRANSMITTER (15 WATTS)... and get about 4 miles free of break up and then it starts breaking up. I currently have a 35 watt transmitter on order... I want to be able to cover the entire town plus the fringe areas.
Updates??
@@Inkmachine46Yes. I've had the 35 watt transmitter for about 2 years now and on the absolute beat day, I've been able to receive it 13 miles away but that with it breaking up.... I'm able to get about 7 to 7 1/2 miles constantly. If my antenna was higher.... I have no doubt that I could raise that distance to 10 miles easily omnidirectional.
I made a full wave one for a kid with a 🏴☠️FM out fit out of copper tubing and PVC pipe all soldered together you can get the dimensions online at just 7 watts it goes over 10 miles it’s pretty flat out here in farm country. There is like 3 or 4 operators out here one has a antenna inside a all wood church steeple on a STL lol 😂 the kids have a lot of fun keeps them out of mischief ! Funny the local,police know about it and do not care ! I’m a Ham but not a sad one .
Cool, that is pretty cool distance for 7 watts- just try to keep it legal. Thank you for not being a sad ham.
@@FarpointFarms LOL the guy that does notarubicon on here came up with that saying check his channel out .
If someone was to park in front of your house with a spectrum analyzer it would go absolutely crazy. You have an AM signal an FM signal and a CB signal LOL. Anyway nice video decent range and you answered my question does it broadcast in stereo. Not to mention by you being in the mountain to rain even commercial FM stations struggle as well. However if you live somewhere you know with Flatlands like New Jersey Delaware it would definitely make a huge difference in range. I'll bet you with the right terrain you could probably get up to 5 mph easily
That's my guess as well. I love anything radio so I do have a lot of stuff transmitting at any given time. It's a great hobby.
Quite interesting. I know during covid businesses were using the fm transmitters for drive in movie theaters. My friend set up a station for sea world in Florida in 2020. I’ve thought about getting that exact transmitter a few years ago, but you are right the legality of having a station in certain areas of the U.S is something to consider. A place to look on the web would be the FCC website. It should be noted that the site has tremendous amounts of information on it, yet difficult to navigate. I know of a gentleman in my area that was found and fined $250,000 and transmitters taken. So that was the number one reason I did not decide to get a fm transmitter.
Yet, I would be nice to have ones own show. I used to DJ at the local community college. So that’s where the bug came from for broadcast.
Once again thank you for the information. Keep the content coming at your own convenience. We appreciate the inspiration. 73
And that is the reason I stick to my little Hamilton Rangemaster. It's Part-15 approved, and has kept me out of trouble for nearly 22 years. The FM rules are confusing, and sometime contradictory. I've never heard of anyone having legal issues with these, but I'm sure in a larger city they may interfere with a commercial station and that would be a huge issue. I consider all of these AM or FM options as I know the AM side of things is much harder to setup right. As a result, most people choose these FM setups. For around $200 for a transmitter, External Antenna, and a used laptop, folks can have a ready to go station to put out whatever content they wish. Lot's of the ones I've helped people setup are for church use, and a few are for.... Alternative information that is no longer easy to obtain on the web due to censorship issues here in the USA.
@@FarpointFarms HAVE YOU HAD ANY FUTURE PROBLEMS BROADCASTING . BOUGHT THE SAME ANTENNA AS YOURS, WORKED GREAT ON MY 15 WATT TRANSMITTER FOR ABOUT 9 MONS NOW CAN'T EVEN GET AROUND THE CORNER. ANY SUGGESTIONS ?
@@mw10259check and see if major power lines or aa big factory of some sorts moved in close to Mess up the main signal
10:31 Music cues perfectly on "One mile out."
11:43 and again. Did you plan this?
No, it was totally random, and 100% perfect timing. Cool how things work out sometimes.
keep making these videos it's interesting. I have just bought one for AM its a 1-watt one.
Thanks, will do!
0.01 microwatts ERP is the FCC maximum for Part 15 in the 3-meter FM band
1/2 un?
Without a meter, is there a way to estimate to be compliant with Part15 based upon transmitter power output?
Isn't it 0.1mw, which barely goes 50 to 100 feet. 0.01uw would only go about 10 feet and be lost and not very useful.
I've played with Prt 15 radio for years and enjoy seeing what changes you can do to get that next 1/2 block.. I have 2 of the Talking House Transmitters and I wish someone would discuss an antenna setup for that. I would love to set one up with an outdoor type antenna without having to use a bunch of wire across the yard.. Keep up the Great Videos Eric, love watching them, hope all is well with you and the farm..
Great to hear from another part 15 fan!
i have one as well and the best tip i can give.....try and put it between 1080-1370 with a custom speaker wire antenna and use its internal tuner the furthest report i've got at night on 1090 was 20 miles and it was indoors the nice thing about the talking is you can hook a external antenna up i tried an A99 CB antenna and it wouldn't get 10 feet but i knew why the A99 is made at tops with a tuner for 28Mhz but will work with a tuner at 7Mhz but not well anything like 80 or 160m ham bands forget it.....we even got it to work on 54Mhz (6 meter band)
Please sale me one am in Lusaka zambia how much is the transmitter?
1812 overture. Love it!
Thanks
This would be great in a city if your were high up in a apartment building and had access to a #FreeSatelliteTV setup and rebroadcast some of the talk radio stations that encourage you to do this!
Bingo! That is a popular option here as well. I have two people in town that rebroadcast a certain feed from G16 24/7 with these setups.
The best is 5/8 wave for FM and
15 watts
With the the amount of foliage combined with contour of the mountains , not bad on the range of the signal. Will be interesting to see a fall follow up after the leaves drop , and the raking is done :)
I was wondering the same thing. I also have thought about moving everything up to the very top of the property to see what that might do.
@@FarpointFarms The range will improve for certain up there. One of these days I’m going to take a road trip up to the top of Grandfather Mnt and see what I could do with a cb
Mine is 1/2 watt to 7 watt . On 1/2 watt I cover the city of Sharon ok . It is fuzzy in areas but you can listen to me easily . I will not try seven watts . I don't want to brake any rolls or interfere with emergency radios of any kind . I had thought I had gotten one with 1 watt on low end but I miss ordered and got the half watt . That was a good thing . I live in a small city and use it to pass the word for food banks and so on . With it . It is a useful tool . I did set mine up with a pi 4 and the smallest monitor I could find . Keeping it all low power usage.
We love more information about setting a radio station up What do you need to start what equipment
Funny enough watching this on a 4th of July weekend.
Cool!
nice aerial I use a Jpole myself it cost me £70 but is very strong made
Love to see your setup!
If it's dipole vertical you want to add a coil attenuator 1 copper per one aluminum just use the same wire diameter and face them south to north aluminum is south there's no limit to mass and you just pitch the compas direction as the sun rises and sets
Fascinating! Thanks for the info!
Great explanation ,can you recommend 40 watt fcc compliant transmitters
I'm sorry, I am not aware of any at this time.
Hah that camel shirt. Reminds me of some good times. Great video.
Classic! My wife hates it, but I got it on eBay, and love it. Like you it brings back memories of better days.
@@FarpointFarms I had one of these shirts in the 90's when I was still smoking. Don't know what happened to it. Hard to believe such merchandise was once sold. I looked on eBay and found one for sale for $89. I hope you did not have to pay that much, although you do look good in the shirt.
you can make a jpole antenna...very easy to build and good performance
Yes, and they will often outperform these off the shelf units.
You need a higher tower. When I was in Florida a dude had a cb radio on a 1 quarter watt could go far course that is shortwave range. It went around the world think he said. Least several states over.
If it was near water, I am sure it was great for transmitting- The ground plane would be great
You can play any music on RUclips. It's just that the payments go to the performers!
True
Good for quarter wave
I was impressed. It makes me wonder what could be achieved by making a homemade 1/2 wave.
Pretty awesome man !!
Thanks! This is my passion. I love to tinker around in my little "Radio station" during these nice months.
Very interested ON this subject just picked up a 60-foot tower and would love to get the WORD out in my area. Thanks for your time 🙏
Best of luck! Feel free to reach out if you have questions.
Its funny i am on 103.1 myself for years i have to get a set up like yours i thought i was the only one to see how far the signal go's lol
I'm thinking about purchasing, a [ 200W FM transmitter stereo PLL broadcast radio station Range Max Antenna 110/220 ]
Will something like this be all I would need to be able to broadcast from so I can receive the signal on my FM car stereo? I have all the other resources to be able to play the music. I'm just not sure on the transmitting part, thats new to me. Can you lmk if I have an good understanding of how this will work....
All I would need to do is plug in an Input source to the transmitter, pick a channel (ie 99.1, or 105.7) or just any random channel that's not interfering with any other local stations. Connect the antenna that it comes with, and then thats all right....
....obviously connect everything together & have a power source....
Hey have you ever heard of the JIL CB radio? It's an AM/FM broadcast radio receiver, with a tape deck, AND an AM/SSB CB radio. How cool is that? I wish a company made something like that, so you could get a really clean install with only a single or perhaps double din. I haven't been able to find any for sale, but i'd love to have one.
So said I had an ANT90D, 1-1/4" hardline, and a 15 watt transmitter, what kind of range could one likely get with 120ft of height?
Does Part15 for FM require an integrated antenna and not allow an external?
I'm sorry but I'm not expert on part 15 when it comes to FM. I play with AM mostly. Sorry!
Great thanks a lot
Where do you. Purchase that antenna
Check different sites- Ebay, Amazon etc- I always shop around to get the best deals
I am looking for a transmitter like this where can I find it? Love your content.
I got this one from Ebay for $99.00 from China.
Great video, couple of things if anyone care. Never run a dynamic mic as you have positioned it. You'll get what is called "off axis coloration. Point it straight at you. 2nd, 1/2 a watt exceeds FCC Part 15, but if you use a lowpass filter I doubt anyone cares anymore since streaming became a viable option. It seems pirate radio of very low wattage like you demonstrate is of no concern if you do not interfere.
3rd, that high stack of trees reduced your effectiveness in that direction. Not your fault, just a fact.
Otherwise, great video.
Thanks for the mic tip.
If 1/2 watt exceeds the FCC limit what is the legal limit?
0.1milliwatts or -5dbm.
@@wdsracer
given the tx is 0.5w, your antenna is essentially amongst a lot of trees, and that cable, your loosing half your power bet in the cable loss, thats damn good coverage.
Today at the flea market. Any good? How do I post a Pic of the cb units I saw today? A Royce and a cobra 25 Ltd. Any ggod?..
Both of those are decent radios for sure!
I would just use that antenna for just reception more than transmission, it would make a good antenna for receiving part 15 and pirate radio stations using my RTL-SDR receiver here at home. I use extremely tiny 2 inch wire antenna for my part 15 FM transmitters just enough to cover my home, nothing outside the home.
I always remember my dad's cut out of Elvira in the garage.
I've had a poster of her on the wall since 1982! I was a fan club member and they send me one of her back in the day.
I can’t remember but I used to stay super late to watch those sci-fi and horror flicks.
Very surprising 0.5 watts wide band FM . Impressive . Is your AM stations broadcasting all the while ?
No, I had to switch from the AM transmitter as the main line out from my mixer board can only feed one transmitter at a time. I am working on getting a splitter so I can run both stations. I'm also considering running a second laptop and using the FM side of things to run totally different programming. These little community radio stations are addictive!
I prefer the other style ground plane with the different length tips. No wondering the length and you can use better coax. I use lmr400 this skinny stuff looks to lossy.
Question.. can you “technically” operate a low power FM without a license? I’m reading and it’s saying 100 watts and below can apply for a LPFM license from FCC but for non profits, churches, community, government, etc... I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you’re well below a watt are you ok in the eyes of the FCC or do they (the FCC) wish to be notified regardless?
OK, so I'm not going to say I know everything about the subject, but the way that I transmit legally is by staying within "Part-15" rules. I have a play list that includes a video on community radio stations, and in it I try and explain some of the rules and how to stay legal. The quick version is that for AM radio stations you are limited to 1/10th of a watt, and a total antenna length of 9 feet. That sounds horrible, but I am able to get 1.5 to 2 miles of range with this setup after a lot of trial and error. On the FM side, I am 100% sure that I have not idea what is and is not allowed. Most people end up with an FM station and they run a unit just like the one I used to test this setup for many years without issues. That doesn't mean it's legal, but it does mean that as long as you try not to trample on commercial stations, or transmit profanity and such, it seems that 99% fall under the radar. Please check out my playlist on these setups, and also do some research as well before deciding on an AM or FM station.
can i have the product listing please?
Hello do you know if its illegal in USA on radio to play music that are from Spotify?
I am not 100% sure, you will have to research that more.
i am guessing someone called the fcc on you - never fails
No. My part 15 station has been on the air for over 24 years now. Never had any issues. Why?
What adapter do I need to use this cable as my radio ( has a threaded barrel 50 ohm) needs a barrel male and the cable is a bnc male rg58 u this is a cze-15b transmitter.
sir gud day to you,,, i would like to ask if that retekess china fm transmitter amplifier that you are demoing,, is it hs a good quality audio input and how much volume level is the best for that retekess sir???
I put the audio at a little below the halfway mark. I am happy with the audio out from this unit.
@@FarpointFarms dear sir may i ask where you buy that antenna for fm transmitter sir???
What do you think would be the easiest to set up for a person who is blind? I have an online radio station that I want to set up to run on terrestrial radio in my local town. What do you think would be the best way to go about doing this? I would appreciate your help. Thank you so much and God bless you.
what's you link for your station??
it's a Spanish Christian online radio station that I would like to put on terrestrial radio in my local town of Tyler, Texas@@ZeitghostX it's a Spanish Christian online radio station that I would like to put on terrestrial radio in my local town
@@ZeitghostX thank you for your reply. I appreciate it. God bless you.
I use a sirio vector 4000 7/8 wave with 10,000 watt gamma match. It’s technically an fm antenna.
That's a big one!
@@FarpointFarms I would still like to buy that Uniden grant lol
That’s cool bro
Thanks man! This is the true home to The Midnight Cafe. A tiny shed with some old school equipment gets the job done.
If its by computers in your studio, I notice interface and stuff with these type, only issue.
nice video- can you teach me.. i want to broadcast 10 miles and im just now starting my journey.. i have zero experience🤝
You can if you want to do it illegally- I can help you with about 2 miles -legally
Nice setup. I am thinking about setting up a Part 15 for my community (seniors) and thinking about AM. What transmitter and antenna are you using for yours? Thanks
I used a Hamilton Rangemaster for my transmitter. The antenna is a Isotron ISO-200B It's not a cheap setup, but it works very well.
@@FarpointFarms Thanks for the info.
Also would I need to ground my Antenna?? And if so how being in the 8 th floor
FM broadcast frequencies being line of sight in nature, I'd love to see an elevation map of where the transmitting antenna is in relation to the route you traveled vertically through the terrain. Even with those dropouts, at 0.5 watts, that's impressive range! I've got a 1-watt max transmitter that I keep within Part 15 limits. The **one time** that I cranked it up, it was definitely putting out solid coverage. Even inside my apartment (which is about 100 feet above average terrain), using the supplied rubber whip antenna directly off the back, I was able to get about 1.3 miles out of it before it started getting some dropouts. By 2 miles, it was completely gone. My area is relatively flat compared to yours, so your performance is pretty solid!
When I did the test at the top of my property, I was able to get a bit more range- It is probably about 100 ft elevation gain. I would love to take it to the top of my neighbors property, but logistically it can't be done. I am sure I would get a ton more range
How high was the antenna mounted? I have a 45 foot tower that I'm planning to install mine at. Hoping to get good range with that height.
This was at exactly 20 feet.
Should try different radio type as well some have better receptions small radio with long earphone cable.
Good point!
FM is limited to 200 feet away from the antenna. This is quite far from part 15 🤣
But I really enjoyed the video
Thanks- you are right, I don't think it will break any laws
@@FarpointFarms Yeah, AM is limited to 100 me, but according to part 15, a transmitter on the FM broadcast band signal cannot exceed 200 feet from the antenna.
So......
I had an FM stereo transmitter back in the late 1990s with a 5/8 wave antenna up about 90 feet in a pine tree.
Good luck with yours!
Hi, can I used this transmitter as a exciter , can I connect it to a 500watts transmitter?
I would not connect it
I have a 15watt transmitter on 91.3fm.....antenna 25ft up on a flagpole... getting out aboit 4 miles....should i keep an eye out for the FCC?
I would try to keep it legal-
Music actually made that intense, lol.
I just ordered one of those transmitters, can I use my CB antenna I have mounted on the roof?
Yes, but keep an eye on the SWR levels.
@@FarpointFarms Good Stuff, Thank You!
Is a 100 watt considered a LPFM and don’t need a license?
It is a LPFm but in the USA you need a license!
Years ago I thought of starting my own station.
Until I realized I had nothing to say.
Everyone has something to say, they just need to find their voices.
What is the song name from the beginning of the video?
How exactly do you go about correctly adjusting the SWR? You mentioned it gave you the measurements in millimeters. Is it based on the length of the antenna/cable? Sorry, I’m new to this.
It's based on antenna length. The cable doesn't matter in this case. Small up or down adjustments to get the best SWR and signal power.
@@FarpointFarms Thanks for the reply and the content. It's surprising how little information is out there on "pirate radio" or Part 15. +
Cant find this antenna on ebay ...none seem to have the adjustable radiator..can you give me the name or item number/seller infor...thanks for the super videos!!!!
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RD8LC28/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I didn't buy it from Amazon, and I didn't pay that much, but here is the same antenna.
Thank you sir
Welcome
Try moving it away from that big tree will boost performance
I have since moved it to a higher location and it does help by about 1/2 a mile.
How much FM antenna 📡 transmitter receiver
0:00 What is the name of the song played here?!
The theme song was made by fellow youtuber Marky Shaw
Were scematics transmitter fm that sir..?
I have no idea where to find that. Sorry!
I'm going to get one
This is all thats needed for the ones
Yup.
whats the song in the intro?
It is the Farpoint Farms song- It was written by fellow RUclipsr Marky Shaw, I have a video if just the song
@FarpointFarms sounds great
I don't want to be "one of those guys" but you live in the mountains so you're probably ok with not a lot of people near you. If I live in a more rural area would the FCC come get me? This is cool and fun, but
1) If you broadcast on a frequency that has another station nearby and someone files a report you have more of a chance of the FCC knocking on your door.
2) I live in a place with lots of people around me but have always wanted to do this, I am scared to do anything over 1 mile. If someone hears my station and is like "What's this" and reports it then what?
23 years of Part 15 radio, and I've never had "The Knock" not here in the sticks or back in Raleigh. My friend in Raleigh operates a 15 watt station with at least 5 mile range and has been for 4 years now. No issues. That said. Stay legal!
How much watts were you putting out? Full power?
For this test, it was .5 watts. that was the lowest setting on this radio.
Can you help me set my radio station up I have a 100 watt transmitter
100watts is illegal to use- I can not help you
Lol so what is legal
100 milliwatts. Very low power is what part 15 is all about.
@@FarpointFarms so you broadcast on 5w is that legal
@@kayone8571 I don't broadcast at 5 watts. I broadcast from a Hamilton Rangemaster on 1670AM at 100 milliwatts into an 8 foot antenna. The Rules for Part 15 are somewhat complex I'd get a book on it before you dive in, or at least consult someone at you local FCC office.
Can someone tell me song, first in the video ❤
I have my intro song in a separate video
It's amazing 😍
Great video as always what would happen if you used 50 watts could you get 30 miles range on the f m band but l know it would be illegal in my country and higher the antenna better the range but running a AM station with big power and range you would need a commercial license love your videos on c b radios
The highest powered station that I am aware of that is running here in the US is a 30 watt station somewhere near lake Michigan. They have been running for at least 5 years now as they are a Midnight Café Affiliate and have been since the start. I've never asked what kind of range he get's, but he does run a homemade 5/8 wave dipole with his. Best guess? It's flat there so I'd say 10 miles? Figure double the power of a 15watt double the range? Just a guess though. I'll reach out to him and see if he can give me some numbers.
Hey hey wat mixing console is that?
That was cool
Please let me know if you want to start one of your own.
@@FarpointFarms yes I'm very interested how do I get started where do you get the equipment
@@hemphead5839 This same transmitter is listed on eBay right now for just over $100. It's 15 watts, has audio in, mic in, and USB connections plus Bluetooth. It comes with an external antenna that will work for a starter. I don't have the link, but search for Retekess TR502. The mixer board was found at a flea market but can be found on eBay as well. I have a playlist on community radio and part 15 stuff. I'd take a look at those videos as they cover a lot of stuff a new person will need. It even shows how to use an old laptop to stream your new station to the world for free 24/7. COOL STUFF!
@@FarpointFarms okay thank you very much for getting back with me
Can you tell me what type of microphone is to be connected directly into the front of the fm transmitter?
??????
@@peterpaschinger353 There are several types of microphones available and I was wondering what type you used.
Be aware that you are probably losing 5W of power with losses in your 15 meter coax. So with 0.5W it means that theres nearly no power comming to the antenna. And the coax looks like rg58 which is very lossy for lengths more than 5m! Use rg213/rg214/lmr400 if you really need 15m
Using winamp ??
Yes! Since 1999 I've used winamp to run both the radio station and the shoutcast online stream.
The old saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." certainly applies!
@@FarpointFarms still using the same .
Soo could you set up a couple of these stations up in a small town and not surpass the regulation? Im wanting to start a radio station for the local music scene to have a platform to have their music played and also publisze local music events happening around town. Zero money being made just a radio station actually made for the people.
You can! The Hamilton Rangemaster (for AM stations) has an option to network many units together. Works well from what I hear.
Great video and now Im interested in FM Broadcasting. started watching your videos in reference to cb stuff after I inherited my uncles collection of cbs and mics and antennas. Im a licensed ham but knew nothing about cb'ing and really wasnt interested until watching a few of your videos. NOW, after watching this Im interested. Im not real computer savvy though so could you possibly recommend a computer that is capable of doing exactly what you are doing?? Doesnt have to be cheap but low budget if possible. This is just something to pass the time with. I would appreciate the input if you wouldnt mind. Again, thanks for the videos!
Glad to hear I got your interest peaked in both CB and FM radio! The good news here is that the software I run my radio station (Over the air and on Shourcast) is very old. As a result darn near any laptop with dual cores will run both with ease.
The software is Winamp 5. And the shoutcast software just adds into it as a option. With this software, you are set! I have a older dual core Panasonic Toughbook CF30, before that It ran on a CF29 (single core P-III) but it was a bit sluggish on that one. If you have an older laptop you'd be all set!
@@FarpointFarms Outstanding! I seen the video with your station and computer but wasnt sure if you done any upgrades to it. Any of the FM transmitters that state FCC compliant are Part 15 compliant also?? Or should I research this more??