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Author Topic: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!  (Read 5192 times)

Offline ThaDood

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Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« on: April 29, 2020, 1725 UTC »
Huh... Looks like a new Part #15 AM TX is in development. https://parkinglotradio.com/    It will be neat to see what becomes of this.
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline JimIO

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2020, 2043 UTC »
    * When and how can I get one?
We plan to release the product within a matter of a few weeks.

https://www.fcc.gov/engineering-technology/laboratory-division/general/equipment-authorization

Ain't gonna happen.

~

Offline skeezix

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2020, 2049 UTC »
That's a nice Grundig they're using for testing.
Minneapolis, MN

Offline chanito

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2020, 1407 UTC »

With a dipole at about 20', my Ramsey FM-25A with no jumper in place has a usable range in excess of 1200' measured on my car radio driving around the 'hood. This level of transmitters costs about $100 at most.

Just wondering why the effort to go AM with all the attending problems with hum and antennas, when an inexpensive Part 15 compliant FM transmitter is easier to implement for equivalent coverage. Besides, a TH AM transmitter already exists and costs less than $250.

For $120, you can get a Part 15 compliant USB stereo FM transmitter with RDS.

The assertion and reasoning for the product development (from the Radio World article) that the RF limit for Part 15 AM is much greater than for FM doesn't translate to better coverage.

Not convinced a church would be willing to dig up the yard and parking lot to accommodate the radial field needed to make this AM transmitter cover even a modest area with a clean signal.

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Offline ThaDood

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I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline JimIO

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2020, 1845 UTC »

Offline chanito

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2020, 2226 UTC »
For $300 I want a device that has a proper 120VAC IEC power cord connector, and a good linear power supply internal, not some cheesy 15vdc switching wall wart. Not like at Part 15 output levels they are spending a lot on the RF section. And it has crap for inputs and no other features at all other than price.


This is a way better buy for church radio, IMO, and les than half the price right now at $179 [size=78%]https://rolls.com/product/HR70[/size]



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Offline Dave Richards

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2020, 0101 UTC »
They have a GoFundMe to finance this project which, so far, has raised $100 towards a $20,000 goal.

I don't know. I'm not holding my breath.
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(SF Bay Area)

Offline Kingbear Radio

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2020, 0643 UTC »
Just saw the Parking Lot AM transmitter, and I'd be glad to have something more pro than what most kits have offered.

It's sad in this high tech world that any FM or Am part 15 transmitter under $100 is pretty much a toy, or a cheap kit.

Companies must use a separate "wall wart" supply for their equipment, it may already be approved by an electrical regulator, such as UL, so the company doesn't have to apply for approval on their own internal power supply design.

AM is supposed to have range advantage when following the rules, and I'd guess it's good for voice radio, like the pastor's voice. I don't know about the radial field, the kits don't come with radials, but you could connect to a handy ground like a fence post or faucet, I've heard of people doing that.

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Offline JimIO

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2020, 1806 UTC »
Why use a wall wart when you could use USB ?
And why not make it on a card that goes inside the computer?

~

Offline chanito

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #10 on: September 04, 2020, 1829 UTC »
Why use a wall wart when you could use USB ?
And why not make it on a card that goes inside the computer?

~

PCS Electronics still makes a PCI card FM transmitter. VAST makes a USB powered FM transmitter with RDS. Both roughly the same price. About $130.







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Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #11 on: September 04, 2020, 1951 UTC »
Why use a wall wart when you could use USB ?
And why not make it on a card that goes inside the computer?

USB power is often quite noisy, lots of RFI.

A PCI card is not trivial to design or build (been there, done that, got the t-shirt), and limits the market.
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Offline RobRich

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #12 on: September 04, 2020, 2347 UTC »
Typical USB switching noise is bad enough, but inside the computer is a whole other mess for RFI mitigation, power conditioning, etc. o.0

Take a look at the RF shielding on even an old-school basic WinTV PCI card compared to the often pratically non-existent shielding of a cheap RTL-SDR USB tuner.

^There are several interesting VHF/UHF tuner, demodulator, etc, chips on those old WinTV cards. Too bad any serious interest did not take off in the SDR community, as the cards often can be found for around $10 or less these days.
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Offline tybee

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #13 on: July 24, 2022, 1419 UTC »
No updates on the transmitter since October 2021. Wonder if it will ever hit the market.

Offline tybee

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Re: Introducing Parking Lot Radio!
« Reply #14 on: September 29, 2022, 1530 UTC »
Saw in the Carl Blare blog that Parking Lot radio transmitter is not going to happen, a few hours later the HB forum reported the same thing. Here's  a copy of their announcement:

"After careful consideration of the general market, supply chain and logistics issues,
as well as FCC licensing costs, it has been deemed that we will be unable to proceed
with the production of Parking Lot Radio.
For those of you generous followers that committed funding in advance,
please contact Jim Hendershot at jim@radiodesign.com
for details on how to receive a refund.
We appreciate your support and offer our apologies for the inconvenience.
We sincerely thank you for your interest in Radio Design Group and our products.
We hope you’ll find our continuing communications helpful and informative.
Follow our social media pages for more!"

Is getting transmitter tested for certification really that much of an expense?
« Last Edit: September 29, 2022, 1532 UTC by tybee »