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Author Topic: Bicycle Mounted Piracy...  (Read 12497 times)

Offline Beerus Maximus

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Re: Bicycle Mounted Piracy...
« Reply #15 on: November 03, 2013, 1844 UTC »
Check eBay for FM band transmitters. If you can manage to filter out all of the VERY low power FM transmitters typically used for transmitting MP3 players, you'll find some probably-not-legal-but-hey-it's-eBay offerings around 1-10 watt. An example is this one which can transmit up to 6 watts:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CZH-5C-1W-6W-76-108Mhz-FM-Stereo-Transmitter-Power-Supply-Antenna-/300802160628?pt=US_Ham_Radio_Transmitters&hash=item460934b7f4

I don't know anything about these, but transmitters like this are abundant on eBay. 6 watts, with a decent antenna, would certainly provide coverage of a few neighborhoods, depending on terrain and such.

It appears the 1 watt Veronica design is still on the market:

http://www.aareff.com/en/1w-pll-fm-transmitter-kit.htm

I HAVE used this transmitter (about 15 years ago, statute of limitations is way passed baby!) and it worked very well, if you can assemble and tune it up correctly. I ultimately had this transmitter working with a matching stereo generator board and an amplifier (maybe 30 watts total if I recall?) and it covered a large east coast city very well.

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Offline atrainradio

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Re: Bicycle Mounted Piracy...
« Reply #16 on: November 04, 2013, 0244 UTC »
I operate from a fixed area. I couldn't imagine broadcasting mobile. But thats mainly because i have a huge studio set- up going. My station sounds quite professional I must say. And so do the others who tune in.
QTH, New Jersey, America's landfill
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Offline ff

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Re: Bicycle Mounted Piracy...
« Reply #17 on: November 04, 2013, 1249 UTC »
I operate from a fixed area. I couldn't imagine broadcasting mobile.

I hear ya atrain, but portable operation using pre-recorded programming works quite well and is a great way to keep out of the Fed's grasp.  Back in the 80s when I used to play with FM (statute of limitations, nah nah nah! ;D), one of our favorite ploys was to drive up to the rooftop of a downtown parking garage, plant a 1 watter with a whip and a portable cassette deck with auto reverse by one of the lamp posts.  Everything ran from a couple of 6 volt lantern batteries wired in series.  We would leave it running the same  90 minutes of programming until the batteries ran down, which would be about 18-20 hours.  Then we'd retrieve the package a couple days later.  The one thing about the FM band is: few people tune around on it.  If you aren't on for long long stretches, or run a regular sked, no one will hear you.  This way we could saturate the downtown area of the city and be on long enough to be noticed.

Nowadays, there's a LOT more cameras around to avoid and everyone is FAR more aware of things like unattended bags laying around than they were in the 80s.  BUT - Tiny MP3 players and tiny FM transmitters - both of which are able to run on much lower power requirements (much smaller battery pack) make this form of operation still possible, given a little creativity.  The whole point of this type of operating atrain, is to reach a lot of casual listeners - not just the dozen or so Buddies that listen for your signal.
Hailing from the upstate boondocks region of the progressive paradise which once was New York State

Offline Captainenema

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Re: Bicycle Mounted Piracy...
« Reply #18 on: November 14, 2013, 0538 UTC »
Great advice here, will consider it carefully. I realize now my biggest problem isn't lack of knowledge, its is being able to understand the information being imparted here.

So what I'll do is get my HAM licenses and spend some time learning more about radio and electronics before getting a little crazy with it all.

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Bicycle Mounted Piracy...
« Reply #19 on: November 15, 2013, 1118 UTC »
You don't have to get a license, just read the ARRL Antenna guides, some stuff on audio processing, and go have fun. FM antennas are dead easy to make.

BTW, the oddest thing happened the day after this thread turned up. One of the local heathens stashed a mountain bike in the bushes next to my house. It's a sign from the Radio Gods.

Offline outhouse radio

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Re: Bicycle Mounted Piracy...
« Reply #20 on: November 15, 2013, 1741 UTC »

BTW, the oddest thing happened the day after this thread turned up. One of the local heathens stashed a mountain bike in the bushes next to my house. It's a sign from the Radio Gods.

 can you still ride a bike :D

Offline ff

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Re: Bicycle Mounted Piracy...
« Reply #21 on: November 15, 2013, 1754 UTC »
BTW, the oddest thing happened the day after this thread turned up. One of the local heathens stashed a mountain bike in the bushes next to my house. It's a sign from the Radio Gods.

The Radio Gods desire a VOTAB resurrection...  ;)
Hailing from the upstate boondocks region of the progressive paradise which once was New York State

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Bicycle Mounted Piracy...
« Reply #22 on: November 15, 2013, 1940 UTC »
Outhouse, I was wondering the same thing. LOL.

 

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