Henry Kolesnik wrote:

He was just playing music from his house with a 1/2 watt transmitter which he said was legal.He mentioned the cross streets and I'm about 1.5 miles away but he also said he's had reports from about 4.5 miles.

Sounds like a pirate. You're allowed to run 1/10th of a watt (100 mW)
without a license and with certain antenna restrictions under Part 15
of the FCC rules.

I'm not sure of the status of the Micro FM stations these days. The
idea was to license very low power stations to serve local communities.
But the "real" broadcasters never liked the idea.

There was a pirate in my area in the '80s who ran 35 watts and a 50-ft
high single bay antenna. His range was about 5-6 miles.

See:
http://www.nationalassociationofmicr...tisfmradio.htm

Art H.

On 10 Nov 2005 07:29:21 -0800, "Art Harris" wrote:

Henry Kolesnik wrote:

He was just playing music from his house with a 1/2 watt transmitter which he said was legal.He mentioned the cross streets and I'm about 1.5 miles away but he also said he's had reports from about 4.5 miles.

Sounds like a pirate. You're allowed to run 1/10th of a watt (100 mW)
without a license and with certain antenna restrictions under Part 15
of the FCC rules.

I'm not sure of the status of the Micro FM stations these days. The
idea was to license very low power stations to serve local communities.
But the "real" broadcasters never liked the idea.

There was a pirate in my area in the '80s who ran 35 watts and a 50-ft
high single bay antenna. His range was about 5-6 miles.

See:
http://www.nationalassociationofmicr...tisfmradio.htm

Art H.

35 Watts at 50 feet is good for at least 20 miles.

David wrote:

35 Watts at 50 feet is good for at least 20 miles.

You can't say that without knowing the surrounding terrain. The pirate
was somewhat below the altitude of the surrounding area. And I was
giving the range for a typical listener, not neccessarily one with a
good receiver and antenna.

Art H.

On 10 Nov 2005 09:45:48 -0800, "Art Harris" wrote:

David wrote:

35 Watts at 50 feet is good for at least 20 miles.

You can't say that without knowing the surrounding terrain. The pirate
was somewhat below the altitude of the surrounding area. And I was
giving the range for a typical listener, not neccessarily one with a
good receiver and antenna.

Art H.
When one says 50' ''high'', I take it they mean ''above'' the average
surroundings. The typical listener has excellent equipment as long as
they have a car radio.

David wrote:

When one says 50' ''high'', I take it they mean ''above'' the average surroundings.

You assume too much. Most times when someone describes their antenna
height as "35 feet above ground" they mean 35 feet above the ground in
their back yard.

How high is your antenna? Have you calculated it's height above average
terrain (HAAT)?

The typical listener has excellent equipment as long as they have a car radio.

Not with the typical car antenna a few feet above ground, and alongside
an 18 wheeler.

Art H.

On 10 Nov 2005 11:43:30 -0800, "Art Harris" wrote:

David wrote:

When one says 50' ''high'', I take it they mean ''above'' the average surroundings.

You assume too much. Most times when someone describes their antenna
height as "35 feet above ground" they mean 35 feet above the ground in
their back yard.

How high is your antenna? Have you calculated it's height above average
terrain (HAAT)?

The typical listener has excellent equipment as long as they have a car radio.

Not with the typical car antenna a few feet above ground, and alongside
an 18 wheeler.

Art H.

I'm 1,800' above Sea Level on the side of a 2,000' ridge. I can hear
Class A FMs in San Diego, over 120 miles away. I use a Tivoli Model
One and a Radio Shack directional FM antenna aimed South. Thanks for
asking.

"Art Harris" wrote in message
oups.com...
Henry Kolesnik wrote:

He was just playing music from his house with a 1/2 watt transmitter
which he said was legal.He mentioned the cross streets and I'm about 1.5
miles away but he also said he's had reports from about 4.5 miles.

Sounds like a pirate. You're allowed to run 1/10th of a watt (100 mW)
without a license and with certain antenna restrictions under Part 15
of the FCC rules.


On the FM band the FCC allows only 250 microvolts/meter at 3 meters. This
works out to about 10 microwatts. The 100mW figure is assumed by most
because that is what the old Part 15 walkie-talkies, and AM transmitters
were/are allowed. Part 15 allows different power levels on different bands
of frequencies... I believe up to a watt or two at lowfer frequencies.