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New Brownsburg Radio Station

Interesting. I'll have to tune in.

(And imagine my surprise to find out the KLU was purchased by a "big media conglomerate"!) ;)
 
Part 15. Interested to see how the coverage compares to my part 15 toy
 
Gee! Wow! Here's what we are talking about.

PART 15 DEVICES
Unlicensed operation on the AM and FM radio broadcast bands is permitted for some extremely low powered devices covered under Part 15 of the FCC's rules. On FM frequencies, these devices are limited to an effective service range of approximately 200 feet (61 meters). See 47 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Section 15.239, and the July 24, 1991 Public Notice. On the AM broadcast band, these devices are limited to an effective service range of approximately 200 feet (61 meters). See 47 CFR Sections 15.207, 15.209, 15.219, and 15.221. These devices must accept any interference caused by any other operation, which may further limit the effective service range. For more information on Part 15 devices, please see OET Bulletin No. 63 ("Understanding the FCC Regulations for Low-Power, Non-Licensed Transmitters"). Questions not answered by this Bulletin can be directed to the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, Customer Service Branch, at the Columbia, Maryland office, phone (301) - 362 - 3000, e-mail [email protected].
 
I don't think this qualifies as low power. This is NPAM, No Power AM.

The 200 feet is a specific contour but some report hearing them 10 miles. 1610 is a jammed frequency, using it here in Greenfield. Get about a mile or so.
 
The technology the come up with will be interesting to see. I have always been interested in local LPAM radio. I think it could benefit communities within a large metropolis (now if the FCC would ever get out of the hands of those huge corporations...). There is technology that syncs up several LPAM transmitters. If you have 5 or 6 people in town that allow you to build a transmitter on their property, you could get a good coverage distance. And maybe even break even one day.
 
Good for Shane. We looked into this a couple of years ago and it was definately doable. However, there appeared to be a lot of work involved in not running into existing stations and the reliability of the sticks were also a little concerning. Seems like it could be a lot of work for nothing if you got shut down.

Let's hope he did all his research and isn't bleeding into anyone. We need more local stations and more local coverage. As long as all his bases are covered, more power to him!
 
Not to be a downer concerning your 'station' launch, but I'm assuming since you are on the air and on the internet that you're paying your ascap/bmi/soundexchange fees? Don't think you'll slip under the radar ... see below...

Timewarp said:
The man who paid millions for the FM in Brownsburg is not a big fan of the low power cause.
Click to expand...

cold_coffee, I'm assuming you spent the day on the phone with your attorney and the FCC? Don't deny it! I don't blame you, you need to do everything you can to protect that 3.1 rating.

EStreeter said:
Seems like it could be a lot of work for nothing if you got shut down.
Click to expand...

See above...
 
Indy, I highly doubt the guy went to all that trouble and effort to put a station on the air and didn't factor in the ASCAP, BMI, etc. Since he is a former radio guy, you would guess he was well aware that big guys that dislike these types of stations are going to be hammering him at every corner, on every little detail. So one would think he factored everything in before just throwing a station on the air.

I live about 2 miles from the studio and couldn't get the station in my car or in my house this evening, so I'm not sure how far he is actually broadcasting. I plan to go to the Open House tomorrow and say hello. So hopefully I can get some more info then. Either way, you have to admire his effort for trying to make it possible. There just seem like a lot of variables when you are doing what he is doing. It seems like there is nothing to protect you. And one wrong move, or one viable complaint from an FCC licensed owner could shut you down.
 
BMI has fees on it's front page for part 15. $180.00.

He should pay fees for EACH Part 15 station.

Big question is how is he feeding the signal to each transmitter? With multiples it would be a good question. New technology? STL? Just wondering.

I tried to call the published number yesterday. No answer no machine nothing.
 
ChiefEngineer said:
Big question is how is he feeding the signal to each transmitter? With multiples it would be a good question. New technology? STL? Just wondering.
Click to expand...

I know if he is using the Hamilton Rangemaster, they have information on the website on how to link easily through the internet. I heard of someone, sometime, using some sort of delay to link the audio from place to place. I'm about the farthest thing from an engineer.

Hey if I was looking for a community that would support any kind of media and is rebuilding completely, why not try to get a system of LPAM's established in Greensburg, Kansas (See this http://www.greensburgks.org/). That would benefit the community as a whole in many ways. Communities that don't have a local media information station are the ones that really need this technology.
 
Has anyone done any extensive experimentation into how to maximize one of these facilities? I've heard reports of them being heard miles away many times over the years, but for every one of those reports, I've heard a dozen or more "it goes about 300' in the good direction" reports. Manufacturer's websites have indicated that mounting the system perhaps 25' above ground is better than being at or near ground level. This is contrary to popular AM theory, but when you're limited to less than 10' of antenna, different rules apply. What happens if you mount the thing on top of a 50' tower? Or a 100' tower or 200' tower? Or side mount it on a 500' tower? Is there anyone here that has first hand experience with making one of these things actually go miles during the day? With the ability to feed these units quality audio in ways that didn't exist when Part 15 was introduced, networking these transmitters is an interesting option. If they go 2 miles, it's viable. If they go 300', it's not.
 
cold_coffee said:
Gee! Wow! Here's what we are talking about.

PART 15 DEVICES
Unlicensed operation on the AM and FM radio broadcast bands is permitted for some extremely low powered devices covered under Part 15 of the FCC's rules. On FM frequencies, these devices are limited to an effective service range of approximately 200 feet (61 meters). See 47 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Section 15.239, and the July 24, 1991 Public Notice. On the AM broadcast band, these devices are limited to an effective service range of approximately 200 feet (61 meters). See 47 CFR Sections 15.207, 15.209, 15.219, and 15.221. These devices must accept any interference caused by any other operation, which may further limit the effective service range. For more information on Part 15 devices, please see OET Bulletin No. 63 ("Understanding the FCC Regulations for Low-Power, Non-Licensed Transmitters"). Questions not answered by this Bulletin can be directed to the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, Customer Service Branch, at the Columbia, Maryland office, phone (301) - 362 - 3000, e-mail [email protected].
Click to expand...

Typical response from an elitist corporate station owner looking down his nose at the rest of us, and who has forgotten that radio is to serve the public. Not to mention he has abandoned his COL.

Power to the PEOPLE!
 
He's certainly recieved a lot of press about this little venture. The fact that he has literally no operating costs, or FCC filing paperwork means he could profit from this. Likely not enough even to hire a minimum-wage staffer, but enough to cover his 'hobby' of serving the town.

After reviewing some of the Part 15 requirements, checking this 'station's' website, and reading the posted news article in the local paper, I've come up with a couple of questions/points I'd have ...

1) This close to Indy, I'm assuming he's done his homework regarding regulations, BMI/ASCAP, etc. These little stations aren't going to pull any revenue from the 'legit' licensed stations and are not going to be a threat, but it still has a tendency to irritate the biggies, so expect them to send someone snooping.

2) Nice website, simple, would be intersting to see how that progresses, or if it dies on the vine with limited updates.

3) I'd think the local high school football would draw a few bucks, depending on the signal. Surely he'll be able to find a couple unemployed football announcers from the Quinn-era coverage of those games. I'd like to hear WANNABE as a color commentator! He seems to know the area.

4) He claims a '3-mile radius' which I think he can achieve with those pre-packaged transmitters, given you're only looking at a 1.5 mile reach in any one direction. But that's still not going to be strong enough to listen in a house or business within that radius, which relegates him to a simple internet station. Which is okay, if he puts local people on the air and goes LIVE when weather gets bad in the area. But because he has a limited signal, how long would it take to drive through the signal before you lose it? So his only hope for listenership is within a couple blocks around his 'station' location ...

... but how many of those businesses or 'female-oriented' residents are going to want to listen to this '8-track era' classic rock these radio people from Brownsburg keep throwing up there to be KOOL?

Quinn's missed the mark by playing this format that only attracts 50 to 65-year-old MALES, and Oasis continued it to where it is now - a great FM signal, but stagnant listening audience of 3 or below, not much different then when Quinn's did it with no promotion at all and a lot less expensive equipment.

All 300 listeners you're going to attract to this 'older' format spend their money on their pot supply for the week (or the hydroponics supplies to grow their own - a CLASSIC wklu quinn-era advertiser).

No business in Brownsburg or Hendricks County is going to turn this on in their stores - and that's who you needs as listeners, the people in government or retail in your area to tell others about you. I don't see over 50-year-old women listening to a mix of local interviews, followed by Steppenwolf or some obscure album cut (which is what this guy is bragging about airing.)

But then again, I didn't make the investments these other people did, just my much-ignored and despised opinion!

Good luck guy. Success can only be determined by the individual who sets the goal!
 
I just couldn't resist checking this one out. Sounds like some golden oldies with Motown sprinkled in.
Not deep cuts of classic rock. I'm sure many in Indy woulld love this if they had more power. You can
hear them on the internet by using this link. http://radiobrownsburg.com/

The FCC is waiting for an act of congress that will open a new LPFM channel in Brownsburg. I am now
offering to assist Shane in Filing the FCC paperwork. I want to see him succeed in bringing service back to the
community.
Bruce Quinn
 
I'm with Bob On The Job. I want to see some reception reports. Does this really go a couple miles?
It might be time for us to play as well.

More power to the people!!!!!!
 
radioindy said:
... which relegates him to a simple internet station.

... goes LIVE when weather gets bad in the area.
Click to expand...

It's these two things that come in conflict with one another.

How is being bascially an Internet station really going to be effective during bad weather? If the power goes out in listeners' homes, how do they [realistically] use the Internet to listen for the weather coverage? That's to say nothing of his own power to operate if he hasn't been able to invest in a quality generator.

I'm not knocking the guy; I truly wish him luck, especially if this can usher in a new era of valuable localism.

I'm simply trying to reconcile those two ideas regarding the efficacy of coverage.
 
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