Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2018 0:46:35 GMT
This would be a very interesting exercise to conduct with a FIM.
I can only share what I've observed in two locations, with the same transmitter (including programming), same receiver and similar installations (ground floor, in front of a window, etc.).
The first location was a townhouse complex, with a commercial shopping area nearby. All buildings were at least 3 stories verticaly, with a high density, narrow streets and laneways, etc. Plus, the construction was relatively new.
The second, the one I'm in now, is a low density residential area, with a mixture of 1 and 2 story homes, all older (10+ years). There are many more open spaces, wider roads, etc. Plus, I'm relatively close to a large shopping mall (which has shops in a circle surrounding a HUGE parking lot).
I get much more range in the 2nd location.
In the first, my signal started to fenceboard in nearly all directions after maybe 100-150 meters, and faded out quickly after at most 200 meters. In one direction, which roughly followed a road, I could get a little more (maybe 50 meters).
In the second, I can nearly double that range, except in one direction which follows a line of houses down a road - there, the range is roughly comparable to the first (100-150 meters). My signal doesn't fade out nearly as quickly, so I can receive it with lesser quality 400-500 meters. And get this. In another direction, which is almost all roadway and that shopping mall parking lot, I can hear the signal faintly (while parked at a school) about 800 meters away. I have to be in just the right place, and there's lots of noise, but it's there.
Reasons? The only real ones I can come up with are obstructions (or lack thereof) and building materials (older houses = more wood).
Now, please understand that I'm using BETS/RSS210 rules in Canada, which gives you greater range than Part 15. I have no idea what the actual field strength of the transmitter is, but it is certified, so it is supposed to be 100uv/m at 30 meters (which probably works out to be several thousand uv/m at 3 meters, which is the distance used for FCC Part 15). But if you just look at the differences in range for the same transmitter and roughly the same installation, it's quite staggering.
It just goes to show that there can be huge variations in FM range even when you don't consider different transmitters, different receivers, different antenna heights, etc. etc. Environment obviously is big as well.
I can only share what I've observed in two locations, with the same transmitter (including programming), same receiver and similar installations (ground floor, in front of a window, etc.).
The first location was a townhouse complex, with a commercial shopping area nearby. All buildings were at least 3 stories verticaly, with a high density, narrow streets and laneways, etc. Plus, the construction was relatively new.
The second, the one I'm in now, is a low density residential area, with a mixture of 1 and 2 story homes, all older (10+ years). There are many more open spaces, wider roads, etc. Plus, I'm relatively close to a large shopping mall (which has shops in a circle surrounding a HUGE parking lot).
I get much more range in the 2nd location.
In the first, my signal started to fenceboard in nearly all directions after maybe 100-150 meters, and faded out quickly after at most 200 meters. In one direction, which roughly followed a road, I could get a little more (maybe 50 meters).
In the second, I can nearly double that range, except in one direction which follows a line of houses down a road - there, the range is roughly comparable to the first (100-150 meters). My signal doesn't fade out nearly as quickly, so I can receive it with lesser quality 400-500 meters. And get this. In another direction, which is almost all roadway and that shopping mall parking lot, I can hear the signal faintly (while parked at a school) about 800 meters away. I have to be in just the right place, and there's lots of noise, but it's there.
Reasons? The only real ones I can come up with are obstructions (or lack thereof) and building materials (older houses = more wood).
Now, please understand that I'm using BETS/RSS210 rules in Canada, which gives you greater range than Part 15. I have no idea what the actual field strength of the transmitter is, but it is certified, so it is supposed to be 100uv/m at 30 meters (which probably works out to be several thousand uv/m at 3 meters, which is the distance used for FCC Part 15). But if you just look at the differences in range for the same transmitter and roughly the same installation, it's quite staggering.
It just goes to show that there can be huge variations in FM range even when you don't consider different transmitters, different receivers, different antenna heights, etc. etc. Environment obviously is big as well.
