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Former state senator DeCamp to start radio station

Interesting article! My guess is that just like with most situations involving something technical, the press never quite gets the facts straight. In all likelihood this will be a network of 100 mW transmitters; e.g. Rangemasters. One possible point of concern: the frequency. Hopefully someone will advise him to avoid using 1710.
 
audioguy said:
Interesting article! My guess is that just like with most situations involving something technical, the press never quite gets the facts straight. In all likelihood this will be a network of 100 mW transmitters; e.g. Rangemasters. One possible point of concern: the frequency. Hopefully someone will advise him to avoid using 1710.
Click to expand...

But he's also a senator. You'd be surprised at the kinds of strings they can pull. Senator Harry Reid got an STA for Radio Goldfield in Nevada some years back, which was operating as a pirate before he stepped in. Which made everybody in the radio industry hit the ceiling of course, but he got it done....
 
And then there is the matter of the callsign, KOLD. The FCC has admonished unlicensed broadcasters against using identifiers that might confuse listeners into thinking it is a licensed station.

From the description of the programming this sounds like an advanced hobby station, something that he and his friends can enjoy doing together.

As for using 1710, the Senator may be dealing with a bunch of TIS stations in his area. Perhaps information on the recnet site might help him find a better channel. As mentioned, the half-watt reference sounds like typical journalistic misunderstanding.

http://www.recnet.com/?q=lpam

With his kind of pull and influence I'm surprised he doesn't try to just get a licensed station.
 
It's legal to use 1710. And the Rangemaster is Type Accepted to be used on that frequency. I had two different engineers check into the power level at this frequency and the field strengths permitted and it still works out to be about 100 mw, perhaps even a bit higher.
 
William C. Walker said:
It's legal to use 1710. And the Rangemaster is Type Accepted to be used on that frequency. I had two different engineers check into the power level at this frequency and the field strengths permitted and it still works out to be about 100 mw, perhaps even a bit higher.
Click to expand...

Operation of an unlicensed AM station on 1710 kHz is legally permitted only if it complies with FCC Part 15.223 (quoted below).

A 1710 kHz AM setup with a 10 kHz r-f bandwidth would permit a legal, groundwave field intensity of 15 microvolts per meter at a distance of 30 meters from the transmit antenna.

That field intensity is below the 1710 kHz radio noise level of any practical location outside of a screen room. In a typical installation the potential audience close enough to receive a useful signal from a compliant system on 1710 kHz will be very small.

The field intensity produced by a 1710 kHz transmitter with 35 mW output power connected to a matched, 3-meter whip antenna with its base a few inches above the earth could be greater than 3,000 microvolts per meter at a distance of 30 meters.

So the output power that could be applied to that same antenna system by a Rangemaster or any other transmitter while compliant with 15.223 would need to be adjusted to about 0.0005 milliwatts. This adjustment range (over 48 dB) may not be possible in a standard transmitter design.

RF
________________


[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR15.223]

[Page 726]

TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION

CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

PART 15--RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES--Table of Contents

Subpart C--Intentional Radiators

Sec. 15.223 Operation in the band 1.705-10 MHz.

(a) The field strength of any emission within the band 1.705-10.0
MHz shall not exceed 100 microvolts/meter at a distance of 30 meters.
However, if the bandwidth of the emission is less than 10% of the center
frequency, the field strength shall not exceed 15 microvolts/meter or
(the bandwidth of the device in kHz) divided by (the center frequency of
the device in MHz) microvolts/meter at a distance of 30 meters,
whichever is the higher level. For the purposes of this section,
bandwidth is determined at the points 6 dB down from the modulated
carrier. The emission limits in this paragraph are based on measurement
instrumentation employing an average detector. The provisions in
Sec. 15.35(b) for limiting peak emissions apply.
(b) The field strength of emissions outside of the band 1.705-10.0
MHz shall not exceed the general radiated emission limits in
Sec. 15.209.
 
Carmine5 said:
And then there is the matter of the callsign, KOLD. The FCC has admonished unlicensed broadcasters against using identifiers that might confuse listeners into thinking it is a licensed station.
Click to expand...

Does the FCC merely 'admonish' or prohibit use of calls already in use? If they merely admonish then what do they suggest as a means of identification?

In this case, KOLD is an active call of a Tucson TV station but I could not find any active radio station with that call.
 
landtuna said:
Carmine5 said:
And then there is the matter of the callsign, KOLD. The FCC has admonished unlicensed broadcasters against using identifiers that might confuse listeners into thinking it is a licensed station.
Click to expand...

Does the FCC merely 'admonish' or prohibit use of calls already in use? If they merely admonish then what do they suggest as a means of identification?

In this case, KOLD is an active call of a Tucson TV station but I could not find any active radio station with that call.
Click to expand...


Rather than speculate as to what are and what are not proper calls for a part 15 station, here is what the 1983 FCC Amendment of Part 73 1087 says:

"Users of nonlicensed, low-power devices operating under Part 15 of the FCC rules may use whatever identification is currently desired, so long as propriety is observed and no confusion results with a station for which the FCC issues a license."

http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/Databases/documents_collection/83-573.pdf

c5
 
So to partly answer your question, landtuna, it would seem that KOLD would violate the above cited FCC rule.

As for admonishing, I was trying to find a reference that I had read recently online about a Part 15 station that was told by the FCC not to use its identifier which was a fictitious "K" call sign, but the station operator wasn't fined for it.

c5
 
Rather than run afoul of this law, my part 15 AM idenitfies as W-nuthin' nuthin' nuthin".
 
As long as KWTF are available, I'll keep using them.....
 
According to the FCC rule cited, it doesn't appear that the use of an unassigned call sign would be a problem. I note that there was no admonishment against the use of the call sign "KENC" in the recent action against that station.

On the other hand, most licensed stations are hardly bothering with call signs these days anyway, so unless you really feel nostalgic, why bother? The local AM in Kalamazoo stopped referring to itself as "WKZO" except on the hour (when they remember to); the rest of the time it's "590 KZO", "KZO All Day Traffic", "KZO Sports", etc. Now if you were a casual listener, what would you think the call sign of that station was? But the FCC apparently doesn't care, so long as they get their one legal ID on the hour.
 
Does anyone know whether or not KOLD 1710 is broadcasting its AM signal yet? Or are they still internet only?
 
From the Live365 Site:
Welcome to KOLD 1710 Low Power AM in Lincoln, Nebraska. We are an Oldies & Talk station, that features the great oldies music from the 50's, 60's and 70's, as well as Liberal Progressave Talk, both national and local. We will also be presenting locally produced programming featuring a variety of topics. Then in the evening and overnight hours, we will be running Old Time Radio Shows from the 30's, 40's and 50's. So be sure to tune in and enjoy the show!!!!
 
My station "KWTF", which IDs itself as "105.1 Radio Platypus, The Northwest's WORST Mix of Music", "Pyongyang's Listen At Work Station", "An Eternity In Purgatory Is Better Than 10 Minutes With Us", "Stinkin' Up The Great Northwest" and "Call the EPA, You've Just Found The Most Toxic Source Of Air Pollution In Puget Sound" currently scores a 0.0% of listeners in the Arbitron PPM ratings.

Which is heartbreaking. Because I really wanted to be the first to hit -0.1%.

At least.

A typical...ummm, sample of music on KWTF Radio Platypus 105.1 FM

"Touch Me I'm Sick" Mudhoney (The very first song I signed this station on with.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbAbMZEt4Uw

"Kiss Kiss Kiss" Yoko Ono

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx0anZMWW5w

"Sunny" Moms Mabley (Her cover of the late Bobby Hebb classic. People like HIS version, which is why I won't play it.)

Found on MP3 here: http://www.philxmilstein.com/probe/tracks/Sunny.zip

"Achy Breaky Heart" Billy Ray Cyrus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TViQT0B8seA

"These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" Mrs. Miller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgoGq6PTXZ4

"Go Away Little Girl" Donny Osmond

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRVwpBns5R4

"Let It Be" Unknown Russian Singer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvPugOWeZiA

"The Ballad Of Bilbo Baggins" Leonard Nimoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_eaAk57oUY

"Fan-Dabi-Dozi" The Krankies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlws5TKOfkE

"Cotton Eyed Joe" Rednex

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qUk94eSu2c

"Near You" Marlene Dietrich

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq5-Uq-hSDg

"Dur Dur D'etre Bebe" Jordy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IiLZ0dvDWU (CREEPIEST SONG EVER)

"Put A Donk On It" Blackout Crew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsCNqGRJS94

"Agadoo" Black Lace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POv-3yIPSWc

"Twist And Shout" Mae West

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Eol9g_TT4

But since I'm in Bellingham, WA, this might actually be a more popular station than in my worst nightmares. Which scares me even worse.

But anyway, these few songs have been playing on Radio Platypus (and yes, this is the whole playlist - I do not claim to be the Northwest's WORST Mix Of Music and NOT stand by it) for the last several weeks.

But just for the hell of it, do you know of others?

Not that I want to provide any relief to the suffering 0.0%,

Just new methods of torture for those who do accidentally stumble in .....
 
Bongwater- I am impressed. I'd love to hear an aircheck.. You should be very proud to have the northwest's
most difficult listening station. Trade ya an aircheck on sendspace.

Bilbo Baggit is over the top, and I LOVE Mrs. Miller. I refuse to play Pet Clark's "Downtown", because I have the definitive version by Mrs. MIller. Same for "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones....I have a version by Phyllis Diller.


Keep it up. More people love your station than you might imagine.
 
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