I am new here - this is only my second post. I was given an old boat to renovate and I have a crazy idea to make it in to The World's Smallest Pirate Radio Station.
My blog is at www.aboatformypotplants.blogspot and it is a record of the boat's renovation so far - and includes a few references to my radio idea.
As I am now nearing the completion of the work, culminating in the fitment of a motor, my energy is now turning to the "how" of the radio idea.
Because of the boat's mooring position, right outside the local pub, I thought it would be fun to "broadcast" from the boat to those sitting on the quayside a few feet away, by strategically placing some cheap trannie radios on the pub's tables.
Does anyone here have any thoughts or experience on how I can use a simple iPod and iPod transmitter to carry out this idea?
The range is really bad on those iPod transmiters i think there about 50nW your best bet is to spend about £20 - £40 on a low power transmiter they work well for that sort of thing
I had the cheap $10 Canadian Tire version and put a full wave antenna on it. It got me about 1/2 a kilometer with poor quality. I would suggest what dys0n said.
I fully understand the idea and approach. But two threads with the same subject..more or less..containing the same link to a blog talking about something else entirely sort of gives me the impression that it is not the radio part being pushed..but the floating pot farm instead.
Anyway...you can't claim to be the world's smallest pirate radio station by using an iPod transmitter! At least find a TX capable of throwing a few watts so as to justify the intent of setting up the world's smallest pirate radio station...giving true meaning to the term of world's smallest pirate radio station.
And setting it up on a boat in the water won't really give you any added coverage being over water. That works primarily for HF bands, where ground plays a crucial role in getting a signal out. Is why all those bigger fish boat pirates do what they do...on the water running HF frequencies at several hundred watts if not more, through an array of sail mast mounted dipoles and inverted V's.
Neat idea though, but try it with a transmitter that will do the job to the true spirit of pirate!
Peace!
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