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WFAL and other micropower stations

K

kirkiefan

Guest
Came across a Wikipedia article on BGSU student-ran micropower WFAL at 1610 AM..plays mostly new rock..but is also eclectic in nature.

How long has this little outfit has been around?..I'm no new rock fan as my teenage sons are but it's an interesting station which also streams from its website.

Is micropower legal? If so,it may fill a void for fans of 50s/60s oldies and early classic (progressive)rock from the late 1960s/early 70s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFAL

http://www.wfalradio.com/listen
 
I am a WFAL alum from the mid 80's, so it has been on the air for at least that long.
 
mikey102 said:
I am a WFAL alum from the mid 80's, so it has been on the air for at least that long.
Click to expand...

Cool! How powerful is it and how many miles?

...and...how can one set up a similar operation???

(my computer repairman wants to start up one that plays oldies.)
 
I think WFAL operates under Part 15.221 rules, which permits AM broadcasting on the campus of a university or educational institution provided that the radiated signal does not exceed a certain field strength at the campus boundary.
 
Micropower is just what it means...about enough to be heard on a college campus...nothing more. A couple of blocks of coverage at best.

What benefits this station is that, apparently, it's carried on a public access channel on local cable, allowing it to reach a much larger potential audience.
 
So with that said you have to be a college or university and only such to operate a micropower station..no private individuals...am I right?

As for my computer freind he will have to revert to an andiostream and just one watt or less for his oldies outlet xmtr.


Thanks gang!
 
Interesting post.

Back in the early 70s it was a carrier current station on 680 kHz with probably a transmitter in every building. It was fairly popular among the students and had jingles. In 1975 they somehow got a feed from the NBC radio network for their TOH news.

It was more top-40 then than WERC-680 (University of Toledo), or WCBN-640 (University of Michigan). Student radio was pretty fun back then!

I'm surprised that they are 1610 with micro power. There are several 1610 TIS stations along I75. I'm surprised that it's not hurting them.
 
kirkiefan said:
So with that said you have to be a college or university and only such to operate a micropower station..no private individuals...am I right?

As for my computer freind he will have to revert to an andiostream and just one watt or less for his oldies outlet xmtr.


Thanks gang!
Click to expand...

No, actually, I think that kind of broadcasting can be done by anyone...it doesn't have to be a school. In fact, I think there are even "kit" style transmitters you can buy and build...
 
Jas:

I'm glad you mentioned that because even as I type these words I am listening to a Part 15 broadcaster in North Dallas,TX I stumbled on recently which also streams.

http://www.1650oldiesradio.com

It covers the 50s thru the early 70s pop era and airs the classic PAMS and JAM jingles in addition to vintage radio commercials which aired in the Dallas area in the 1960s.

It CAN happen!!!
 
FredRichards said:
Interesting post.

I'm surprised that they are 1610 with micro power. There are several 1610 TIS stations along I75. I'm surprised that it's not hurting them.
Click to expand...

The signal barely reaches off campus (maybe a block past the west edge of campus, not sure about the east side), so the TIS stations are a non-factor.
 
Have a question (I'm no engineer so please help)

Since oldies are gone from WBUK and the others, I have a freind who is having difficulty with starting up his one watt Part 15 micropower oldies FM...a loud and annoying high pitch tone emits...whether or not music is being played. He wants to troubleshoot this problem before his station's launch. IS this an antenna problem or what?
 
More information is needed to really give a good thought. What kind of transmitter, how is the antenna designed, is there even a ground system?

If it's AM, the squeal could be RF from the transmitter getting back in the audio chain, or into the PS of the transmitter where it forms feedback. That is typical of random wire antennas with no tuner.

There is a fellow on the east side of PA that has also done the Part 15 thing very successfully, and it's amazing how well it works.
 
It could be a power supply issue, but I would check the match between the antenna and the transmitter. Check it at both the cable at the transmitter, and the antenna. It should be lower than 1:1.2.

I'm not familiar with the unit you have, but a couple of the ones that I have played with (Panaxis FME100) will exhibit severe distortion if the antenna is not good. Also, if you're going to operate that transmitter that high, then make sure the antenna is up in free space so the energy is not radiating back into the equipment. That will cause a problem as well.
 
Thanks for the input. Let me clarify this is not my transmitter..but belongs to a freind.
 
and let me add that anything over about 25 milliwatts is highly ILLEGAL

make sure that it's part 15 accepted..(250uv/3m)..otherwise you never know when the fcc might show up to investigate:)

just a thought for your friend.
 
I'll agree with your field strength measurement, (Part 15.239b), but can you site your source on 25 milliwatts? Just curious.
 
Thanks again for the feedback...I will pass this on to him. He does want to make it and keep it Part 15 legal.
 
from prior experience and with a well-tested watt meter that's about right on actually (just a tad less in wattage....002346w) to fit part 15 rules with field strength critirion. on an empty freq, can get out fairly well. 2 blocks or so.
 
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