w9lwa
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Posts: 43
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Post by w9lwa on Apr 19, 2019 4:56:47 GMT
Well, I've been out of the broadcast business for a few years, other than as a communications attorney, but I'm ready to start ordering some equipment to set up a Part 15 station for hobby use. Things have changed quite a bit since I first went on the air in 1967. It was the era of turntables, Spotmasters and large reel to reel tape recorders. The most recent station I worked at (about ten years ago) still had turntables but we what we really used were rack mounted CD players and a computer system I believe was called an Audiovault.
So, I'm thinking I probably won't need any turntables, cart machines or reel to reel recorders now. I'll probably get a couple of CD players. I'm leaning toward Tascam, although I'm open to suggestion. I'll need some sort of thing like the Audiovault, but I'm clueless as what to get and could use some advice. I kind of like larger consoles. The A-1 and 08 look pretty cost effective, but I'd lean toward something a bit larger if I can find a good deal. I have several good microphones, but they're all a bit old, so perhaps I'll buy something new there, too. After reading these and other forums for a while, it looks to me like the AM broadcast band is the place to be, so I'll probably buy a Rangemaster and something for audio processing.
I'm sure I'm leaving some things out, so if anyone is willing to make some suggestions as to what the essential equipment is these days and what are the best brands to buy, I'd appreciate all the help I can get.
John W9lWA
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Post by mark on Apr 19, 2019 17:53:03 GMT
Only thing you can't have with turntables, tape recorders, CD players etc is an automated station where it just runs itself unattended. I have all tracks.....couple of thousand songs, plus jingles, IDs, little spoken slogans by me all in MP3 files, all running in Zara with a computer as source. Here's my set up, a simple part 15/BETS-1(Canada) station that sounds like any commercial station.
From right to left....11" laptop with Zara which plays at random all tracks...songs, jingles, IDs etc with overlaping like the commercial stations. Next a small headphone amp with bass mid and treble for EQ with Zara. Next a small compressor and into the Decade MS-100 on the left. All you need is a mic and small mixer if you want to be live. You can also work Zara manually if you are live but mine just runs itself 24/7 Any later model computer will work great, the headphone amp can be had on Amazon and many different ones there, compressor is by FMR Audio and the transmitter is a Decade MS-100.
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w9lwa
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Posts: 43
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Post by w9lwa on Apr 19, 2019 18:53:50 GMT
Thanks for that, Mark. Using a computer system like that is what I want to do, too. I'll look into the ones you mentioned.
I appreciate your comments.
John W9LWA
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w9lwa
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by w9lwa on Apr 19, 2019 19:11:42 GMT
Well, that didn't take long to check out. Zara looks good. Which version do you have?
Thanks,
John W9LWA
I guess now I need to decide what kind of programing to broadcast...
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Post by Boomer on Apr 19, 2019 20:24:32 GMT
Lots of optionsThat's the way I do it too these days, with a laptop computer running songs and IDs, and a live studio can also be patched in to take over the air when needed. The live studio is separate, so none of it has to be turned on and use power or wear out when we're not live. In the past I would have recommended a transmitter kit, but it looks like the kits are all off the US market, pushed out by companies closing, like Heathkit, Ramsey, Panaxis, and oppression on the part of pro equipment sellers and distributors. There's one kit available on the world market that I consider to be good, since it is crystal locked, and now comes with the 10kc spaced crystal, correct for the USA. www.ebay.com/itm/531-to-1602-kHz-Low-power-AM-PLL-transmitter-kit-for-learning/153454557392I got one last year and built it, and it works well for how cheap it is, and has good sound. Add a case, knobs, power supply and audio connectors and have a transmitter for $50 or less. You can also build your own transmitter from a schematic and customize it to what you want. You could even use tubes! electronbunker.ca/eb/OneTubeXMTR_2.htmlCommercial, pre-built options, more entry level could be a Talking House/I-AM Radio transmitter. Its outstanding features are direct frequency entry, up and down frequency buttons like tuning a receiver. The best feature is the automatic antenna tuner, no field strength meters or reading voltages on test points. Originally designed for voice, selling real estate, the design is a compromise and doesn't have what it takes to be truly pro in the sound quality area, but most probably wouldn't notice. You can find used Talking Houses on Ebay, and I got mine for about $40, so it's worth trying. There's Rangemaster, as you mentioned. I haven't tried one of those yet. There's no audio processing with the transmitter, same as with the Talking House, but if you're going to feed directly with a laptop, you can use processing programs that can do a great job for sound and your budget. Chez's Procaster is another, I have one and like it. It has a jumper-settable compressor, pull-up 3 section mast antenna included, and the easiest tuning procedure I've ever seen in commercial Part-15 unit, one tuning capacitor that you peak for highest reading on the on-board analog meter. Lots of ideas, there are many ways to do it, and you can get lost in this stuff! Boomer
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Post by mark on Apr 19, 2019 23:30:09 GMT
Two versions of Zara, the free version and the pay(one time) version. For me the pay version doesn't have anything I'd care about, and can't be backed up and copied to another computer. I think most who use Zara use the free version and you can back it up and put it on anything you want. The small notebook is for nothing else, not even ever connected to the internet. Just put Zara on from a USB drive and no updates to keep screwing it up. Just the audio source.
The Decade MS-100 the cadillac of FM transmitters and as Canada is a little more lenient on FM than the USA, I go FM and not AM as most of my US neighbors.
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w9lwa
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by w9lwa on Apr 20, 2019 2:52:53 GMT
Well, it sounds like the free version of Zara is worth a shot. I bought a bunch of Windows 10 Lenovo laptops on the cheap from a nearby software company when they upgraded. I have a couple I don't need for work so I might as well set at least one of those up for this. The last station I worked at had a couple of Tascam things in the control room and they seemed to work well enough and seem pretty low priced. Sweetwater just up the street here has Tascam stuff in stock and their prices seem about as low as anyone. So, I'm thinking I might just go up there and get a couple of cd players. Not sure if the ones with just a slot to stick the cd in are better or worse than the ones with a little drawer that comes out for inserting the cd. I'm thinking one cd deck for playback only and one that will also record might be the way to go. Tascam also has a dual cassette deck and I might get one of those if I can think of a use for it. I'm still open to suggestion as to other brands of equipment besides Tascam. Still not planning to have any turntables. I just don't want to mess with vinyl anymore.
I realize there are a lot of transmitters on the market but I'm thinking Rangemaster mostly because the tests I've seen show it with the best range. I still haven't quite sorted out the ground lead thing regarding mounting the antenna high, but I'll figure it out. I've been looking at studio furniture but haven't seen anything yet that I really like. I'd rather not have to build it myself, but I can if I must. For a console, I'm seeing pretty deep discounts on the Air-1. I'd like something physically larger, but I'll get an Air-1 if I don't find a deal on anything I like better.
I think what I might do for programing is a music format that is popular with the locals. I'm a classical music and opera guy but popular appeal here in Indiana probably commands either oldies or some kind of country. My law firm (www.seeslaw.com) has several offices here in Indiana devoted to consumer bankruptcy practice and I'm thinking if I'm want to make this useful I could put a transmitter at each of those offices with the music format interspersed with an occasional message promoting the bankruptcy practice. I don't know how the return on investment will be but I've probably paid more for less.
I really appreciate the comments you gentlemen have made. It's probably pretty obvious I need all the help I can get.
John W9LWA
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Post by mark on Apr 20, 2019 4:47:21 GMT
Yeah, those Lenovo computers with windows 10 are good and check on the ones you have in the sound card settings as some models have incorporated a 5 band EQ which would eliminate needing the added headphone amp. Zara uses the computer's sound card. In fact for my regular computer I use a Lenovo model T430 with the i5 processor and windows 10. For the broadcasting I just wanted something smaller with flash instead of a hard drive and the celeron processor works Zara fine, just doesn't have sound card EQ but an easy fix with the headphone amp.
You could have varied programing to also play what you like with what people in your area may like, like the country or oldies you mentioned. Good luck and keep us posted
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w9lwa
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by w9lwa on Apr 20, 2019 5:25:00 GMT
Thanks, Mark. The Lenovo T430 with i5 and Windows 10 are exactly what these are. Got a pretty good deal on a whole bunch of them. I'm not particularly computer savvy, but I'll figure it all out. I'm looking forward to setting this all up and I'll keep you posted.
John W9LWA
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Post by Boomer on Apr 20, 2019 7:20:34 GMT
From Antenna to ZaraIt sounds like you're heading in a good direction. Starting slow with a technical project like this is probably a good idea, and with a spartan station like Mark's, for example, you can see how everything is put together, making it easier to work out any problems that might arise. I agree with Mark about Zara, it's probably one of the best for the home broadcaster wanting a more professional sound on his or her station. It's all do-it-yourself, so you don't have to deal with any licensing from any company, or updates, you can get right in and use it. The Micro-Broadcaster's Forum here supports the use of Zara; the board's administrator Dr. Bob recommends it, he's used it for years, even on licensed radio stations, and he's worked to translate Zara's user manual into English. I hope Bob will chime in with the info, but you can get a start at his own website: thealpb.com/Classical and opera, I see what you mean about them not being to the popular taste. Maybe you could do the finer styles of music on the weekends as a special thing. That's a dilemma I've felt on my station before, whether to play the more popular styles of music, or something offbeat. Popular music fits in, but if a commercial station is playing it, people will probably listen to their strong signal. With something more offbeat, you might get a following for that with more adventurous listeners. I guess it depends on how mainstream you want it to sound, and how you feel about music and its purpose. My own format is eclectic, I try for the offbeat and rare, but I also play popular music. My station reflects how I feel about music, I'm pretty passionate about it, so popular music isn't all it takes to satisfy my ears, and I like to hear new sounds, and discover new and old music I haven't heard. As for transmitters, it seems like you've settled on a model, and you shouldn't go wrong with it. I'd want to put it out though, that range claims are just that, claims, in my opinion. The main reason is, all of the transmitters follow the same rules as far as power input and antenna length. Circuit design is roughly similar across the different models, as they incorporate the state of the art in the circuitry, and components that are available to design and build with at a given time, so any differences would be small in the real world. Oh boy, even the mere mention of what's appropriate grounding is like opening Pandora's Box. Discussions of grounds could cause permanent damage to one's soul. There's been at least a quarter of a century of discussion on Part-15 AM boards, and people have grown old on these boards discussing grounds and waiting for an answer that never comes. The subject of grounds is Part-15's abortion, death penalty, politics and religion debate.. Lenovo computers seem to be pretty solid and popular right now, and it seems like the professional versions of Windows should cause fewer problems when they update. There are ways to set them up too, so that they don't restart automatically and throw your station off air. For audio processing, I've used hardware boxes and software, lately just software to keep the amount of pieces of electronics lower in my station, for the system I'm using now. I have an old laptop with the headphone output connected to the audio input of the transmitter. The player on the laptop could feed the audio output directly, but instead it plays through processor software first, adjusting compression and limiting, and then it goes to the headphone output. When I want to cut in to the live studio, I can switch the processing software's input to the computer's line-in jack, where the live mixer is connected. That way the sound from the live studio gets the same processing. There's one processor I know of that's made specifically for low power AM stations. Boomer
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Rich
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RF Systems Engr (retired)
Posts: 112
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Post by Rich on Apr 20, 2019 9:28:45 GMT
From Antenna to Zara... There's been at least a quarter of a century of discussion on Part-15 AM boards, and people have grown old on these boards discussing grounds and waiting for an answer that never comes. ... The answer about "grounds" for legal Part 15 AM has been included in FCC §15.219(b) ever since it became part of Title 47 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations.
But ground conductors that make the radiating length of a Part 15 AM antenna system non-compliant with §15.219(b) continue to be popular, and their use is widely promoted on various websites (including those of some manufacturers of FCC-certified Part 15 AM transmitters).
The reasons for this probably are traceable to the larger coverage areas of such AM systems when they are used, as well as a misunderstanding of the conductors included in forming "the ground lead."
A few sources have tried using Physics to clarify and post which conductors are included in a radiating ground lead, but such information generally seems not to be taken as worth accepting/following.
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Post by Admin on Apr 20, 2019 16:46:53 GMT
Yes, I've used Zara for our City's AM TIS and LPFM for over 10 years. I've used it for my personal Part 15's for over 20.
It's fairly bullet proof. Only a couple times did I have a problem when playing streaming audio sources.
I have version 1.4 and 1.6 available on my personal webpage at mram.us on the Zara page. Free download.
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Post by Boomer on Apr 20, 2019 18:42:42 GMT
Thanks Bob! I didn't know where your new site was to recommend it. Great stuff, it's all there under Zara, page 4 html.
Oh, the audio processor made with low power AM in mind is called the Schlockwood, a limited edition device. There are demo videos showing how it works.
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w9lwa
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by w9lwa on Apr 20, 2019 23:31:43 GMT
Thank you for everyone's comments. There's a lot of good information there. It sounds like Zara is the way to go. I'd be willing to pay for something more, but there's no point if Zara is all I need. I think it's a very good point about going after a niche audience. Probably will get a better slice of the audience if I'm not competing with all the other stations.
All comments appreciated.
John W9LWA
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Post by Boomer on Apr 21, 2019 8:10:41 GMT
It's no problem to try different automation programs either, and there are many out there, due to all of the streaming and broadcasting being done on line. They range from free to 'solutions' that come with hardware and a license, like Simian.
Automation programs are similar in the way they set up, so once you learn things in one of them, that can be carried over to others. The differences are usually in the features that apply to different styles of radio stations, like one program might be more about being strictly for automated stations, where another might be able to automate as well as kick into a live mode when a DJ is there.
I liked seeing the link to Spitfire transmitters again, when visiting mram.us/ , I didn't know if that company was still around, but I'm glad to see that they are. That's yet another option for a transmitter, their 100 milliwatt unit for around $100.
Spitfire has a one watt unit also, not made for US Part-15 with an antenna, since it has a 50 ohm output, but that could be good in the US when used for carrier-current, sending an AM signal out over power lines, like some college radio stations have used.
Boomer
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