I've been lurking here for a while but just registered and decided to post. I've had an interest in broadcasting since I was a teen when a couple DJs I knew told me I had a good voice for radio. Never went that career route but always held on to the interest. After researching here and other places for quite a while, I went out and bought this transmitter:
Switchable 1W/5W FM transmitter. Turned out to be a great unit! The first time I tried it out I just had it sitting on my office desk at home with the included telescoping antenna extended, my ipod plugged in, and transmitting at 5W. I took off in the family car to see how far I was reaching. I live on top of one of the highest hills in the Portland (Oregon) metro area, so I was somewhat worried I was going to blast all over the city and quickly get some unwanted attention. Turns out the fear was unfounded. I could pick up my broadcast to a distance of about 1.5 miles (poor quality) and high quality transmission fell off about .5 miles out. If I had an exterior antenna mounted somewhere I imagine I could double those numbers. It's pretty awesome to hear your own broadcast for the first time. I'd love to leave it on 24/7, but I shut it down after a few hours that first day and have only broadcast 2-3 hours each day since then. Part of me thinks that the chance of getting a visit from the FCC is pretty low if all I can currently hit is 1.5 miles at max (especially if I'm not stepping on a licensed broadcaster transmission, which I'm not), but I figure it's best to be cautious for a while.
Post by thelegacy on Sept 27, 2015 21:18:16 GMT -6
Is 87.9 clear in your area? I'm surprised you only get 1.5 miles on 5 watts. I get .5 miles and that is on the 500mW SainSonic AX-05B which never runs hot like that 5 watt model you have. I have the transmitter on the 1st floor and get .5 miles onto a rubber duck antenna so if I were to have gotten higher off the ground I'm sure I'd hit a mile. Not too bad for a little transmitter like that. I do run my shows everyday and so far no complaints. Does your transmitter bleed a boombox within 10 feet of it? How far does your transmitter wash the entire dial if it does do that? These things I want to know about the high power unit.
As the prior respondent said, you should theoretically be getting out further than 1.5 miles. I have the 7 watt version of what you have and even with the supplied whip antenna with the transmitter sitting in the windowsill I was getting out nearly 10 miles. I recently started using a ground plane antenna outside, sitting only 4 or 5 feet off the ground and I'm now getting out nearly 13 miles, of that about half of that is quality coverage and the other half is fringe, but it's still listenable. I would recommend you putting your transmitter in a windowsill as glass poses little to no barrier for radio waves.
I'd love to leave it on 24/7, but I shut it down after a few hours that first day and have only broadcast 2-3 hours each day since then. Part of me thinks that the chance of getting a visit from the FCC is pretty low if all I can currently hit is 1.5 miles at max (especially if I'm not stepping on a licensed broadcaster transmission, which I'm not), but I figure it's best to be cautious for a while.