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Date:         Sat, 4 Jun 2005 06:12:39 -0700
Reply-To:     Michael Elliott <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Elliott <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Short range FM transmitters
Comments: To: Greg Potts <Greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
In-Reply-To:  <AD8D674B-8D18-42FF-BDF5-C74D7F5B1472@pottsfamily.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I don't know what kind of effective coverage you can expect from one of the over-the-counter flea-power FM modulators (transmitters). The FCC has rules about output power for unlicensed radio transmissions and the manufacturers of these devices need to comply with them. 100 milliwatts is the limit, I think.

You can hang a larger antenna to get more coverage. Within limits. There is a maximum "field strength" limit, too.

Broadcasting with more power or greater field strength, or causing interference with any licensed broadcaster is illegal.

But your guess is a good as mine whether or not the FCC would notice illegal transmissions during a bus get-together. Unless someone complains then it's unlikely there would be a problem; the FCC does not have the budget to have people driving around looking for illegal transmissions. Pick a quiet part of the band where there are no other signals otherwise interference would be a problem because a complaint from someone in a house nearby to their favorite radio station that they are picking up odd signals and can't hear the station's Clear Channel-mandated programming would bring the FCC right quick.

Here's a good read of the relevant rules:

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/resource/default.asp?page=fcc

That said, here are some resources I Googled that might help if someone wanted to get into hobby FM broadcasting:

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/hk/default.asp?page=amfm http://www.northcountryradio.com/Kitpages/mpx2000.htm http://www.panaxis.com/

-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus 83.5 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") KG6RCR

On 6/3/2005 7:51 PM Greg Potts wrote:

> Hi Volks, > > I was riding in my Dad's vanagon today and it has TERRIBLE radio > reception. The poor audio quality got me thinking about those > wireless connectors to feed the signal from a CD walkman or an ipod > into the FM radio. That then led me to wonder.... what's the range on > one of those things? Would it be possible to increase the range out > to 200 yards or so? With that much range I could create a wireless PA > system for the campground at Buses Of The Corn; and use it as our own > camp-out radio station. That way we could all listen to the same > tunes at once... > > If anyone knows a cheap and easy way to do this please let me know by > p-mail. > > > Happy trails, > > Greg Potts > Toronto, Ontario, Canada > > 1973/74/79 Westfakia Conversion **Bob the Tomato** LY3H > 1977 Sunroof Automatic L63H/L90D > 1988 Vanagon GL 8-passenger Automatic > http://www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia > http://www.busesofthecorn.com >


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