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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2015 15:16:46 GMT
The Homeland (former U.S.) allows legal unlicensed radio broadcasting under the Rules Part 15. By comparison, many countries in the world do not allow unlicensed broadcasting. But other than spelling out the technical restrictions under Part 15, no explanation is made as to WHY low power broadcasting is allowed.
The lack of explanation of PURPOSE contributes to a lot of confusion about what can be achieved using the Part 15 Rules. Many operators have exaggerated expectations of reaching out far enough to serve a small audience with custom programming, but become frustrated when actual coverage proves too limited.
If a "Purpose of the Part 15 Rules (for Intentional Radiation)" were expressed, I believe it would be as simple as this:
The Rules Part 15 for Intentional Radiation are intended for an individual resident to transmit personal audio to radios in the home or yard.
The Rules Part 15 for Intentional Radiation are NOT intended to broadcast to a public neighborhood or community.
Although not found in print, my guess as to the probable intent of the Part 15 Rules does match what is realistically achievable.
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Post by Admin on Jun 16, 2015 4:53:39 GMT
As the story goes, the original reason for regulation was for phono oscillators. These were low power RF oscillators, AM modulated by a record player. The purpose was to allow listening to records through existing AM radios. This provided a low cost way to listen to records by using the AM radio for amplification.
Range for these devices were very limited and at that simpler time interference either from the phono oscillator or other man made noise was very unlikely.
The rules weren't even listed as "Part 15" at that time.
In the many years since, there has been a virtual cornucopia of electronic devices which use RF energy. These very low power devices require authorization and of course regulation. Enter "Part 15" rules.
Part 15 rules cover not only our micro broadcast AM and FM transmitters but also hundreds of other devices such as garage door openers, baby monitors, WIFI and even the very radio receivers used to listen to our stations or any other radio service for that matter.
The Part 15 rules which relate to our micro broadcast stations aren't even a handful compared to all of Part 15 rules. For the majority of us, we are only concerned with Part 15.219 and Part 15.239. Although these two rules seem straightforward enough, as Carl has stated, the rules don't state a purpose. Rather, a few definitions, vague as they may be, which define restrictions placed on the devices.
Part of the problem therein is interpretation not only by the end user but by the enforcers themselves. Numerous situations cited indicate that enforcement is somewhat arbitrary at best. And there are those intent on twisting the simply stated rules making it impossible to comply.
The best situation which comes to mind is an AM transmitter designed for use with an external antenna system connected to the transmitter with coaxial cable. This "system" received Certification from the FCC OET. In that case even if the antenna is ground mounted to avoid radiation from the coaxial cable the "system" is bitterly disputed by some who claim it does not meet the description of the rules. And, even if the coaxial cable is overlooked the simple fact that the "system" obtains an RF ground through the AC power distribution wiring is cited as not meeting the description of the rules.
As long as there are two people in this world there will be disagreements. Add a regulatory agency which uses tyranny and intimidation and you have a breeding ground for civil disobedience.
Solution to these problems is far beyond the scope of this or any forum.
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Post by thelegacy on Jun 24, 2015 19:44:47 GMT
Interesting posts from you guys about why part 15 is allowed. Now I mentioned on the other forum that Sears catalog back around 1977 or so sold a AM Transmitter which had a built in mixer and called it a Mini Radio Station. In the book it said if you connect a long wire to it about 10 foot you could reach a mile sometimes more. I never bought the transmitter but I almost did. I've heard from friends who did have them who connected 80 foot of copper wire to it that indeed they got a few miles on AM. So it seems that Sears intended Part 15 to go a short distance for whatever you wanted to make it for. There was another toy transmitter as well that was sold as a mini Radio Station. I remember it was a blue transmitter with mic and you could play tapes and announce with it. It sort of reminded me of a glorified boom box. I'm sure with the whip antenna that came with it that it didn't go far, but I bet connect about 50 feet of wire to the tip of that antenna and you'd get some range though I never tried.
Point being that nowhere does it say you Can't create a low power station going a few houses down to a mile by using AM FM May be a little more questionable, but I think the argument can go either way since there was already public acceptance of those transmitters kids played with in the 70s and sometimes covered a neighborhood and no one complained so long as blank frequencies were used. Those Mr. Microphones on FM covered quite a distance too. My uncle had one and he was able to go a few blocks. I even considered getting one and taking the mike off and solder a attenuating patch cord to it like a few friends done and I could have an FM station (though mono) and reach a few houses in my neighborhood. That was when I got the transmitter from Popular Electronics and used that instead. These transmitters were a common thing in the 70s and suddenly died off. No one cared enough because if they did companies would have those in Sears Catalogs or in Toys R Us. Now there seems to be a comeback (history repeats itself) but this time its the online retailers who sell them. Making a public announcement by wining about it would draw more attention to it and make it a social stigmata to have a FM Transmitter and be the cool guy on campus. So the best thing for the NAB to do is pretend they don't exist and ignore it. Unless someone is running tons of power and jamming signals intentionally or just being aggressive it is best to leave sleeping dogs lie.
Even the Movie Pirate Radio had started Pirate Stations after that movie was out. this proves that if Pirate Radio operators who are not that powerful maybe going out a few miles are publicized it will create the very chaos the NAB is trying to curb. So it is a lessor evil of the two in the long run.
As stated in the long run part 15 has some great potential and I sure hope once again it will have the same public acceptance as did back in the 70s. It surely made for a nice time outside having our little parties when my neighbor kid had one and we were heard through the neighborhood.
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Post by Admin on Jun 25, 2015 23:09:01 GMT
Perhaps that little broadcaster you refer to in the blue box with a microphone and tape player is the Wild Planet Radio DJ. I have 3 of them. When I was a kid some 50 years ago I had a Remco Caravelle broadcaster. This was a George Jetson style toy which was both an AM radio and AM broadcaster complete with a large stand-alone microphone and telegraph key. I now have 3 or 4 of those. I also had the Lafayette KT-195 AM broadcaster/amplifier. It could be used as both a broadcaster and audio amplifier. Still have one. The most successful AM broadcaster I had in terms of range was a home made 1 transistor broadcaster from the book Using Electronics. I have the book and WILL build the circuit again. Click this link to Read The Book. Look for Circuit #20. |
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Post by thelegacy on Jun 26, 2015 5:49:32 GMT
How far did the Wild Planet Dj go? How far were you able to get the Remco one to go. the other brand Lafyette I do remember a little. They had a few AM Transmitters when I was 11-12 yrs old that some students of the Michigan School for the Blind would try and use. I think they had a Solid State AM Transmitter later on. Now I'm trying to remember the FM one that the one student at the school had. I'm just not too sue, but I did remember at times it got 2 miles and he was on the 3rd floor in the main building. Most of the students did use AM now that was sort of clear and since the school did have their own power plant it was possible for Carrier Current AM but at the time I didn't know what that was. The school would have been a real candidate for carrier current AM and the whole campus would have had a really good signal because in the 70s AM Radio's had pretty good reception. You could receive quite far on AM for sure.
If I had one of those transmitters as a kid and it was still in good shape it would press for digging one out, but I heard I think on part15.us the Lafyette was a dangerous transmitter because it got really hot. Some of that tube stuff really did get hot.
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Post by Admin on Jun 30, 2015 1:13:15 GMT
The Wild Planet Radio DJ comes with an 8 foot wire antenna attached. There is also a ground wire connection which is 2 feet and has an alligator clip at the end. It is crystal controlled on 1610 kHz. The range when used indoors is probably about 100 feet. It has a built in audio cassette player, microphone and sound effects. The Remco Caravelle c.1962 has a free running oscillator transmitter. It is subject to frequency drift when the users proximity to the transmitter changes such as when you push the "talk" button on the microphone or simply move around the unit. It has a 3 foot rod antenna and a 4 foot ground wire with alligator clip. There is also a telegraph key for Morse code. It doubles as a super regenerative receiver which tunes the AM broadcast band. The transmitter range as built is maybe 100 feet. The problem with the Lafayette KT-195 is the AC/DC power supply setup. This can result in a "hot" chassis if the AC plug is reversed as the original did not have a polarized plug. I myself (as most users) blew up some stuff connected to it when the plug was reversed. You only have to do that once to become very aware of what you are doing. I put a polarized plug on it. The Lafayette range was also very limited. It also uses a free running oscillator however it is much more stable than the Remco Caravelle. Moving around the unit or touching it doesn't seem to affect the frequency much if any. In addition to being an AM broadcaster it doubled as an audio amplifier. As a kid the best AM broadcaster I had was a home brew, one transistor transmitter from the book Using Electronics by Harry Zarchy. Look at circuit #20. I don't remember what I used for the antenna but you could hear it around the neighborhood. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2015 17:18:45 GMT
What Is Allowed Under Part 15
This thread began under the title "Why is Part 15 Radio Allowed?" Now that we have discussed that topic for awhile, it's time to ask "What Is Allowed Under Part 15?" This answers some of the points raised in the discussion.
Part 15 Rules Subpart C - Intentional Radiators, contains the main operating rules under which our Part 15 stations operate, e.g., 15.219, 15.239. The expression "Intentional Radiators" is a major part of the authority granted for legal unlicensed operation... it expressly tells us that we may RADIATE INTENTIONALLY.
Perhaps less noticed is this section in the rules:
15.215 Additional provisions to the general radiated emission limitations (a) ... Unless otherwise stated, there are no restrictions as to the types of operation permitted under these sections.
That one line is our license to broadcast programming... ANY programming, even programming intended for a public audience!
Although... "unless otherwise stated" suggests that there might be further limitations stated somewhere within these same rules. If so, we are unaware at this time of what those may be, if any.
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Post by Admin on Nov 27, 2015 4:58:52 GMT
Of course any reasonable license free, low power broadcaster would not want to cause problems for their station due to content.
As such one would not want to broadcast profane or indecent content. The FCC has considered changing rules regarding this and even if that rule only pertains to licensed services I wouldn't want to invite trouble.
But this becomes subjective as to what the general population defines as indecent or profane. In today's politically correct world it has become very litigious to offend anyone. So although one person out of thousands may be offended it seems that majority rule has lost its control. The result, everyone looking over their shoulder afraid to express their true feeling about situations.
Where was I going with this? Hmmmm. I guess it's we have been given a right to license free broadcasting in the United States so police yourself lest someone does it for/to you.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 22:54:58 GMT
That Is So True
What MRAM Bob posted about political correctness: "The result, everyone looking over their shoulder afraid to express their true feeling about situations."
I just received a preachy e-mail from a Christian fundamental (emphasis "mental") woman who warned me that I would not be accepted into heaven with my attitude. She ended the note "It's up to you."
Sometimes my shadow scares me. It knows when I exceed the 3-meter rule.
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Post by thelegacy on Nov 28, 2015 0:25:22 GMT
I look at it like this: I don't want to play a bunch of offensive language material because people may get sick of hearing it and thus lose valuable listeners. So I try to keep that to a minimum. The closest thing Ive played was Jefferson Statship - Stairway To Cleaveland. The song talks about critics wanting that "Hit Song" and they finally said "screw you, We do what we want!" This is Progressive Rock, Album Rock in its essence. They mostly don't curse, but when the point needs to be drilled into someone's thick skull well they will do it. It don't happen constantly and I don't play that song constantly especially in the early daytime. Remember a lawyer listened to my FM station and loved it. I'm sure he would not want his clients hearing swearing all the time on my station. So I have to think of the businesses that could hear it. Plus I do believe that leads to NOUO's for slightly overpowered stations. Remember we have a responsibility as a broadcaster.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2015 17:29:19 GMT
Radical Love Speech
There's been enough hate speech by radicals.
Hatred is not the same thing as being radical, however, as some of us are radical lovers.
Haters need to have their pictures posted upside-down online.
I am thinking about posting upside down pictures of just about all of the contenders for presidential nomination, has there ever been a worse batch of dreg people?
Which brings us to the Part 15 Rules.
Everyone by now seems to have been cowed into taking them (the rules) in such a literal way... 3-meter AM antenna measured to the nano-inch... 100 mW to the input of the final RF stage... ground wires might get you on the no-fly list of suspected terrorists... Wait a minute.
The one guy who has devoted his retirement years to retarding part 15 activity and confining it to house arrest has everyone scrambling around confessing how compliant they are. But just hold on here.
This is what I think the rules mean.
The Number One Guiding Principles are: "More Or Less" and "Somewhere about."
The length of an AM antenna should be "about" 3-meters and the final stage RF power should be "more or less" 100 mW.
Further more, the final RF stage is THE ANTENNA. End of story. NOT the final RF amplifier. Period. I mean it. No point to arguing.
Ya, the sticklers always say, "But the phrase ("not including the filaments" PROVES it means the RF amplifier!). What sense does that make? For one thing transistors don't have filaments, but even if they did, just be sure when calculating the RF output to the antenna, don't include filament current/voltage in the formula.
All trails lead to leads... ground leads. And wherever the transmitter is located, up high or down low, safety trumps the rules and no installation without a ground lead should ever be allowed.
Did I say "trumps" the rules? Yes, his picture will be upside down along with the others.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2015 1:29:48 GMT
Fresh Thoughts On Air
For a radio station like mine, which operates at the most minimum possible power to reach only radios inside the Internet Building and outdoors on the campus, I am compliant with 15.209, which brings greater freedoms than the more common adherence to 15.219.
15.209 means I am free to keep AM transmitters indoors and use a transmission line out to the antenna in the yard.
15.209 means long ground leads will not attract eternal damnation in the pits of hell.
All I need to do is crank the power down to the lowest usable level and nothing bad will ever happen.
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Post by End80 on Dec 22, 2016 9:23:59 GMT
An answer is revealed via the saga of Victor H. Fischer back in 1972 which eventually resulted in explaining why part 15 broadcasting is allowed when the FCC said " The intent of Part 15 is to provide the radio enthusiast with an opportunity to experiment with radio, and to entertain friends or neighbors within a very limited communication range..." I had discovered and discussed this previously at part15.us and also wrote about the whole story in a blog post at part15lab.blogspot.com/2014/03/intended-use-of-part-15-in-eyes-of-fcc.html A link to the original FCC document is also included |
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Post by Druid Hills Radio on Dec 22, 2016 13:47:50 GMT
An answer is revealed via the saga of Victor H. Fischer back in 1972 which eventually resulted in explaining why part 15 broadcasting is allowed when the FCC said " The intent of Part 15 is to provide the radio enthusiast with an opportunity to experiment with radio, and to entertain friends or neighbors within a very limited communication range..." I had discovered and discussed this previously at part15.us and also wrote about the whole story in a blog post at part15lab.blogspot.com/2014/03/intended-use-of-part-15-in-eyes-of-fcc.html A link to the original FCC document is also included What did our Resident Agent have to say on the subject? |
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Post by Druid Hills Radio on Dec 22, 2016 13:49:56 GMT
That Is So TrueCB said: "I just received a preachy e-mail from a Christian fundamental (emphasis "mental") woman who warned me that I would not be accepted into heaven with my attitude. She ended the note "It's up to you."DH said: " It reminds me of the ending of the movie On the Beach where it says, "It's not too late Brother." |
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