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Post by jimhenry2000 on Jun 7, 2017 23:16:06 GMT
That's an idea worthy of consideration. So far I've been tuning my Procaster at a height of about 7 feet, the highest I can reach from the ground, then raising it another 6 feet or so on my telescoping fiberglass mast. I guess theoretically performance might suffer from this, but I am still very happy with the performance! Solving the Height ProblemAs a safety matter I see reaching a transmitter at height as a danger in need of risk reduction. I think it would be worth the investment to have a qualified deck builder construct a small well stabilized wood deck with steps or in-built ladder.
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Post by Druid Hills Radio on Jun 8, 2017 13:35:15 GMT
They do make ladders that one can safely work on hills. Available at any home supply store.
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Jun 11, 2017 1:48:55 GMT
They do make ladders that one can safely work on hills. Available at any home supply store. Can you be more specific? I've seen extension ladders that adjust for uneven terrain, but they are of no use when you have nothing to lean the antenna against.
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Jun 12, 2017 3:10:40 GMT
Well tonight I took the wife out to dinner and on the way home I drove out my coverage area, around 9 PM. It was a great disappointment! My coverage was gone, being stepped on by a Hispanic language station in Newark, NJ about 100 miles away. I guess the only good thing is that this effect used to happen around 5 PM with the AMT-5000 and at least happens later with the Procaster. I guess I will get back to work on improving the ground system.
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Post by Druid Hills Radio on Jun 12, 2017 14:18:53 GMT
Well tonight I took the wife out to dinner and on the way home I drove out my coverage area, around 9 PM. It was a great disappointment! My coverage was gone, being stepped on by a Hispanic language station in Newark, NJ about 100 miles away. I guess the only good thing is that this effect used to happen around 5 PM with the AMT-5000 and at least happens later with the Procaster. I guess I will get back to work on improving the ground system. Your tiny Part 15 signal is overridden with Skywave propagation. This happens with ALL Part 15 AM.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2017 18:26:32 GMT
Critical HoursThe period after dark of course brings sky waves but in the evening the hours prior to darkness also see weird ionospheric activity during "Critical Hours". CRITICAL HOURS
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Post by Boomer on Jun 12, 2017 22:22:43 GMT
Likely that's CHHA, Toronto, Ontario Canada, from what I know, no US station is on 1610 from the US, but Canada uses the frequency freely. 1610 apparently is protected in the US for low power stations.
I wouldn't consider it a failure, it's just night propagation, and Critical Hours as Carl posted, bringing in distant signals at local strengths, something that happens to almost all AM stations.
Commercial stations suffer too, the difference being they have more power to push their interference free signal out to a greater radius.
Boomer
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Jun 13, 2017 0:16:28 GMT
Yes I know, but since I generally don't drive at night due to poor night vision, last night made it real. Well tonight I took the wife out to dinner and on the way home I drove out my coverage area, around 9 PM. It was a great disappointment! My coverage was gone, being stepped on by a Hispanic language station in Newark, NJ about 100 miles away. I guess the only good thing is that this effect used to happen around 5 PM with the AMT-5000 and at least happens later with the Procaster. I guess I will get back to work on improving the ground system. Your tiny Part 15 signal is overridden with Skywave propagation. This happens with ALL Part 15 AM.
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Jun 13, 2017 0:27:06 GMT
Yep, but at least it motivated me to go up the hill and bury the ends of 9 more of my radials after stripping the ends (last 4"). I think there are 3 or 4 radials left that I haven't done this to. I also went out and bought a Tri-pod sprinkler and started watering my ground system. Likely that's CHHA, Toronto, Ontario Canada, from what I know, no US station is on 1610 from the US, but Canada uses the frequency freely. 1610 apparently is protected in the US for low power stations. I wouldn't consider it a failure, it's just night propagation, and Critical Hours as Carl posted, bringing in distant signals at local strengths, something that happens to almost all AM stations. Commercial stations suffer too, the difference being they have more power to push their interference free signal out to a greater radius. Boomer
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Post by Boomer on Jun 13, 2017 2:25:26 GMT
Improving the ground should help a bit.
If better night coverage is important, you might want to do frequency scans and see if other frequencies are quieter at night, and also free in the day.
I know, you've settled nicely on 1610 and probably dread moving, but the Procaster can be changed to any frequency in the upper band through the small 'DIP switch' panel inside the main transmitter unit, instructions are in the manual. It's a set with on/off switches to send a binary code to program the frequency.
I know that 1620 is a good frequency where I live, but I don't like to use above 1610 personally since I have some vintage radios that won't tune above 1610. That misses my radios, and could also miss some outside listener radios too. Mostly it's probably not something to worry about.
I think about that with Part-115 stations using 1710 and higher, if anyone would find a station there, you'd need signage all over the neighborhood about it.
Others compromise, like MRAM Bob, who uses 1500 KC, a pretty quiet frequency for Northeast Ohio. WFED is in Washington DC on 1500, but beams strongly Southeast and away from PA. Just checking Radio-Locator, I thought their signal beam was more pencil thin before, like a cigar, but I must be mistaken.
When I was broadcasting in high school, I started at 1500 too, with my 'wrongwire' antenna, and remember it worked pretty well.
Later on you could get the AMT-5000 going again, and maybe have a second night frequency. Long ago I read about a station called "DOG RADIO" that changed frequencies at dusk with some kind of automated system.
If it was me I'd get the solid daytime coverage first.
Boomer
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Post by mark on Jun 13, 2017 4:12:55 GMT
Likely that's CHHA, Toronto, Ontario Canada, from what I know, no US station is on 1610 from the US, but Canada uses the frequency freely. 1610 apparently is protected in the US for low power stations. I wouldn't consider it a failure, it's just night propagation, and Critical Hours as Carl posted, bringing in distant signals at local strengths, something that happens to almost all AM stations. Commercial stations suffer too, the difference being they have more power to push their interference free signal out to a greater radius. Boomer Yes that 1610 is a multicultural here in Toronto where I am. Another drawback of part 15 AM. At night from 1/2 an hour before sunset your little signal is not going very far. Mark
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Post by Boomer on Jun 13, 2017 11:51:57 GMT
That CHHA blasts all over the Northeastern states, it's a dominant signal at night in many places. I occasionally hear another signal in there which might be from Montreal, also a multicultural outlet, but at a lot less power than CHHA runs.
1610 is a frequency that a lot of schools used for campus broadcasting, and smaller info stations used it, like houses for sale.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2017 21:25:46 GMT
Largest Part 15 Construction in HistoryThe picture at the top of the linked story shows Jim Henry's back yard being prepared for his Procaster AM Transmitter. Job Site of the Year
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Jun 15, 2017 17:45:49 GMT
Actually I took the drone up yesterday and made this vid of the transmitter and studio site and our coverage area. If you look closely the ground radials are visible. Largest Part 15 Construction in HistoryThe picture at the top of the linked story shows Jim Henry's back yard being prepared for his Procaster AM Transmitter. Job Site of the Year
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2017 18:29:09 GMT
Marvelous Flight!
Really loved that ride in the sky!
Yes I could see the radials!
That's possibly the most realistic AM tower replica ever built.
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