But type accepted antennas include Yagi's. Kathrein/Scala antennas are a common brand which are built to frequency.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Some thoughts after reviewing the 3rd Window applicants
- Thread starter bturner1
- Start date
Cold Coffee
Banned
I've seen this for translators in the commercial band and Class A low power stations below 92 MHz. This may be coming for LPFM's in the commercial band bringing even more of them.
Except most LPFM licensee's don't want to pay extra for a proper antenna. If it isn't cheap from Amazon...pass.
Cold Coffee
Banned
Kelly, many new people came into broadcasting after Docket 80-90 and with these LPFM windows. Unfortunately, many do not understand engineering. And, they don't know how to manage money either.
Keys for survival.
Keys for survival.
So, in other words: * No broadcasting experience.
* Little to no technical knowledge.
* No public fundraising experience.
* Minimal start-up capital
Not surprisingly, add it all together and you get: Fail
Cold Coffee
Banned
Cold Coffee
Banned
Now days most of us have the music library on hard drive or SSD. But there was once a time when you had to cue up every song. This photo is from my first licensed FM radio station in the 1980's I had guest announcers in the evenings. That's my dad in the picture.
He did a big band show.
He did a big band show.Okay here's a test: What brand of board is that?
Ramko Research for the WIN!
Hey, I was quizzing the Dutchman! Spoiler alert, but, you're right.
As I recall, Ramco boards had those weird touch-capacitance channel switches that controlled a noisy VCA to turn the channel on or off.
I have a DC8M sitting in my parent's basement if anyone wants it. Meters are missing...Just pay shipping.
They also don’t want to pay for a proper transmitter. I took out one of those Chinese junk transmitters from an LPFM and convinced them to spend the money for a used type accepted Nikom transmitter. They probably also got a cheap antenna from China but I didn’t feel like climbing the tower to look at it and/or replace it.
That cheap junk transmitter now sits at my house collecting dust. I don’t even want to run it into a dummy load to use it for a part 15 station.
Cold Coffee
Banned
That board was kind of quirky especially after a power glitch. It was replaced three decades ago. However, it's in another room right now on top a stack of old broadcast gear. My wife would love to see it gone along with several old FM exciters. Souvenir's from radio stations I once owned. She calls it junk.
Cold Coffee
Banned
The FCC requires type certified transmitters for LPFM. Each unit is bench tested. Type accepted exciters usually don't have low pass filters and can interfere with aircraft and cause big trouble. I think the Nikom is type certified. But I like some other brands better. They do make a good antenna though.
Those cheap transmitters found on eBay might have spurs and harmonics. Interference with civilian or military airplanes invites an FCC Tiger Team and is dangerous.
Last edited:
Interested in some cart machines? I've got three or four ITC Delta machines with fairly new heads, and one BE triple stack all in good shape. My wife doesn't care because it's in my electronics shop, but I could use the shelf space.
@Kelly A
Most likely, any 'error in syntax' was mine. All along I've been referencing the original rules, those from that first LPFM window 20 years ago. It was stated then that there would be no directional LPFMs allowed.
I don't recall when that got amended. At the time of application, the LPFM group up here was busy trying to position an omni facility within those original rules. And for the matter of that, we still operated and applied from within those omni restraints when successfully changing frequency.
Most likely, any 'error in syntax' was mine. All along I've been referencing the original rules, those from that first LPFM window 20 years ago. It was stated then that there would be no directional LPFMs allowed.
I don't recall when that got amended. At the time of application, the LPFM group up here was busy trying to position an omni facility within those original rules. And for the matter of that, we still operated and applied from within those omni restraints when successfully changing frequency.
Cold Coffee
Banned
I don't know of any directional LPFM's at this time. I read an FCC opinion that stated going to contours and directional antennas was a good idea. However I don't believe the rules have changed.
The KWSV-LP-FM1 booster is directional, from the site of related but now clsoed down and not returning KVOH SW
Technically since LPFM's and translators are the same class of service, I don't see why the Commission would accept a directional antenna with one and not the other.
Cold Coffee
Banned
Both are secondary services. But they have different rules. A translator can go places where an LPFM cannot.
- Status