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Talking House ATU?

J

john23

Guest
Does anyone have any experience with the THII transmitter and the "external ATU" or "outdoor antenna"? I have been unable to get a hold of one of these external antennas, but was wondering exactly what it is....a tuned antenna? Would it be possible to build one? Thanks.
 
> Does anyone have any experience with the THII transmitter
> and the "external ATU" or "outdoor antenna"? I have been
> unable to get a hold of one of these external antennas, but
> was wondering exactly what it is....a tuned antenna? Would
> it be possible to build one? Thanks.
>
I experimented with one years ago and have a current customer with the same problem.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The unit is like a Rangemaster; you need to replace parts exactly in order for it to work correctly.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
For part 15 use, it is a very expensive system to use.....I wouldn't advise anyone trying one unless you already own it.
<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]</P>
 
> > Does anyone have any experience with the THII transmitter
> > and the "external ATU" or "outdoor antenna"? I have been
> > unable to get a hold of one of these external antennas,
> but
> > was wondering exactly what it is....a tuned antenna?
> Would
> > it be possible to build one? Thanks.
> >
> I experimented with one years ago and have a current
> customer with the same problem.
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> The unit is like a Rangemaster; you need to replace parts
> exactly in order for it to work correctly.
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> For part 15 use, it is a very expensive system to use.....I
> wouldn't advise anyone trying one unless you already own it.
>

Carl, how did you manage to do it? This post is actually READABLE!! I wonder if it's just my monitor settings, or did you use enough carets to make it carriage return?
 
The ATU is available directly from Talking House www.talkinghouse.com or www.actradio.com (their non-realtor division). As with all Part 15 AM installations, its performance depends a lot on local ground conductivity (as well as being mounted as high as possible and using the highest open AM frequency in your area).

Some people get 1.5 miles out of the Talking House with the remote ATU and whip antenna. -- JasonW

> Does anyone have any experience with the THII transmitter
> and the "external ATU" or "outdoor antenna"? I have been
> unable to get a hold of one of these external antennas, but
> was wondering exactly what it is....a tuned antenna? Would
> it be possible to build one? Thanks.
>
 
More (Re: Talking House ATU?)

The Talking House remote ATU is actually a secondary, variable tank circuit (there's another tank circuit inside the cabinet that serves the built-in 3 meter wire antenna) that is connected to the rest of the transmitter with either a 25' or 125' length of 75 ohm RG-6 coaxial cable. The ATU has a fixed capacitor and a variable double-coil ferrite loopstick that is adjusted with a tuning knob. A high-band/low-band slide switch allows you to select frequencies from 530 kHz - 1000 kHz or 1010kHz - 1700 kHz, and a built-in meter indicates the antenna current. A threaded grounding post next to the whip antenna socket permits you to connect the ATU to a grounded object. -- JasonW

> Does anyone have any experience with the THII transmitter
> and the "external ATU" or "outdoor antenna"? I have been
> unable to get a hold of one of these external antennas, but
> was wondering exactly what it is....a tuned antenna? Would
> it be possible to build one? Thanks.
>
 
> The ATU is available directly from Talking House
> www.talkinghouse.com or www.actradio.com (their non-realtor
> division). As with all Part 15 AM installations, its
> performance depends a lot on local ground conductivity (as
> well as being mounted as high as possible and using the
> highest open AM frequency in your area).
>
> Some people get 1.5 miles out of the Talking House with the
> remote ATU and whip antenna. -- JasonW
>
When I contacted Talking House, they said they would not sell me an ATU since I had bought the transmitter on Ebay.


> > Does anyone have any experience with the THII transmitter
> > and the "external ATU" or "outdoor antenna"? I have been
> > unable to get a hold of one of these external antennas,
> but
> > was wondering exactly what it is....a tuned antenna?
> Would
> > it be possible to build one? Thanks.
> >
>
 
Wow! They sold me an ATU, but I didn't tell them where I bought the transmitter (I wasn't hiding that fact from them, I just told them I wanted to buy one). Just wait a week or so and then call them back and matter-of-factly tell them you need one. Or, you could purchase a Talking House ATU from www.theradiosource.com (they call the transmitter the "InfoMAX"). There's no need to tell them where you got the transmitter, either, just "I need an outdoor ATU for my InfoMAX transmitter." -- JasonW

> > The ATU is available directly from Talking House
> > www.talkinghouse.com or www.actradio.com (their
> non-realtor
> > division). As with all Part 15 AM installations, its
> > performance depends a lot on local ground conductivity (as
>
> > well as being mounted as high as possible and using the
> > highest open AM frequency in your area).
> >
> > Some people get 1.5 miles out of the Talking House with
> the
> > remote ATU and whip antenna. -- JasonW
> >
> When I contacted Talking House, they said they would not
> sell me an ATU since I had bought the transmitter on Ebay.
>
>
> > > Does anyone have any experience with the THII
> transmitter
> > > and the "external ATU" or "outdoor antenna"? I have
> been
> > > unable to get a hold of one of these external antennas,
> > but
> > > was wondering exactly what it is....a tuned antenna?
> > Would
> > > it be possible to build one? Thanks.
> > >
> >
>
 
ATU cost (Re: Talking House ATU?)

Hello John,

I just checked www.theradiosource.com , and they want $395 for the Talking House (a.k.a. "InfoMAX") ATU. I only paid $149 for mine direct from Talking House. If you wait a week or so and just call them up to order one for your Talking House (without going into details about where you got yours), you should be fine.

It may be a bit of a hassle, but the Talking House is a fine unit and it and the ATU are FCC certified and 100% legal, unlike some Part 15 AM transmitters that are regularly peddled on this board. -- JasonW

> Wow! They sold me an ATU, but I didn't tell them where I
> bought the transmitter (I wasn't hiding that fact from them,
> I just told them I wanted to buy one). Just wait a week or
> so and then call them back and matter-of-factly tell them
> you need one. Or, you could purchase a Talking House ATU
> from www.theradiosource.com (they call the transmitter the
> "InfoMAX"). There's no need to tell them where you got the
> transmitter, either, just "I need an outdoor ATU for my
> InfoMAX transmitter." -- JasonW
>
> > > The ATU is available directly from Talking House
> > > www.talkinghouse.com or www.actradio.com (their
> > non-realtor
> > > division). As with all Part 15 AM installations, its
> > > performance depends a lot on local ground conductivity
> (as
> >
> > > well as being mounted as high as possible and using the
> > > highest open AM frequency in your area).
> > >
> > > Some people get 1.5 miles out of the Talking House with
> > the
> > > remote ATU and whip antenna. -- JasonW
> > >
> > When I contacted Talking House, they said they would not
> > sell me an ATU since I had bought the transmitter on Ebay.
>
> >
> >
> > > > Does anyone have any experience with the THII
> > transmitter
> > > > and the "external ATU" or "outdoor antenna"? I have
> > been
> > > > unable to get a hold of one of these external
> antennas,
> > > but
> > > > was wondering exactly what it is....a tuned antenna?
> > > Would
> > > > it be possible to build one? Thanks.
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
 
Re: ATU cost (Re: Talking House ATU?)

> Hello John,
>
> I just checked www.theradiosource.com , and they want $395
> for the Talking House (a.k.a. "InfoMAX") ATU. I only paid
> $149 for mine direct from Talking House. If you wait a week
> or so and just call them up to order one for your Talking
> House (without going into details about where you got
> yours), you should be fine.
>
> It may be a bit of a hassle, but the Talking House is a fine
> unit and it and the ATU are FCC certified and 100% legal,
> unlike some Part 15 AM transmitters that are regularly
> peddled on this board. -- JasonW
>
Thanks for your help Jason - I think I'll try that. I've been getting a pretty decent range out of the Talking House w/o ATU - about 1/4 mile good signal in an area with lots of power lines, etc.

> > Wow! They sold me an ATU, but I didn't tell them where I
> > bought the transmitter (I wasn't hiding that fact from
> them,
> > I just told them I wanted to buy one). Just wait a week
> or
> > so and then call them back and matter-of-factly tell them
> > you need one. Or, you could purchase a Talking House ATU
> > from www.theradiosource.com (they call the transmitter the
>
> > "InfoMAX"). There's no need to tell them where you got
> the
> > transmitter, either, just "I need an outdoor ATU for my
> > InfoMAX transmitter." -- JasonW
> >
> > > > The ATU is available directly from Talking House
> > > > www.talkinghouse.com or www.actradio.com (their
> > > non-realtor
> > > > division). As with all Part 15 AM installations, its
> > > > performance depends a lot on local ground conductivity
>
> > (as
> > >
> > > > well as being mounted as high as possible and using
> the
> > > > highest open AM frequency in your area).
> > > >
> > > > Some people get 1.5 miles out of the Talking House
> with
> > > the
> > > > remote ATU and whip antenna. -- JasonW
> > > >
> > > When I contacted Talking House, they said they would not
>
> > > sell me an ATU since I had bought the transmitter on
> Ebay.
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > > > Does anyone have any experience with the THII
> > > transmitter
> > > > > and the "external ATU" or "outdoor antenna"? I have
>
> > > been
> > > > > unable to get a hold of one of these external
> > antennas,
> > > > but
> > > > > was wondering exactly what it is....a tuned antenna?
>
> > > > Would
> > > > > it be possible to build one? Thanks.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
 
Re: ATU cost (Re: Talking House ATU?)

1/4 mile range with the stock 3 meter wire antenna is excellent! With the ATU and 102" whip antenna mounted outdoors, your Talking House should easily get out much farther.

For legal range enhancement as well as lightning and static drain protection, you could mount the ATU atop the tip of a buried 8 foot copper ground rod and connect its grounding post to the rod. If you have a copper pipe sprinkler system to ground the ATU to, that would be even better. Radial wires work well too, but they are technically illegal although many Part 15 AMers use them anyway. -- JasonW
 
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