Pirate radio!

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Fnord
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01 Nov 2021, 9:57 am

Link to USA FCC Rules: Low Power Radio - General Information

Rossall
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01 Nov 2021, 10:24 am

Fnord wrote:

GadgetGuru wrote:

Anyone else here interested in "pirate radio" (meaning unlicensed transmission of radio signals)? ...

Yes, and as a licensed Amateur Radio Operator and a licensed Radiotelephone operator, I have participated in monitoring and locating illegal transmitters here in the U.S.

I am also a licensed radio amateur. My callsign is M0GXL. I did have a 2 metre handheld about 10 years ago but I'm off air at the moment.

Have just ordered a Yaesu FT-4XE 5W VHF/UHF FM Portable Transceiver so hopefully I will be back on the air soon.

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03 Nov 2021, 12:20 am

Since you're looking at the FM broadcast band (88-108MHz) I'm guessing you're looking to broadcast material either voice or entertainment like music. Have you looked at who your market is going to be? What sort of material you're going to be broadcasting? How you're going to recruit listeners? What sets your station apart from other ones in your area?

Very few people (except radio nerds like me) scan the airwaves looking for new services.
There is a very good chance you could spend a lot of time setting up and operating a transmitter and not have anyone listening to it. If you're okay with that fair enough.

Fnord
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03 Nov 2021, 8:05 am

Eurythmic wrote:

... Very few people (except radio nerds like me) scan the airwaves looking for new services...

It is more fun (for me) to DX the HF bands looking for new stations.

Redpaws
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03 Nov 2021, 8:24 am

It's an idea that has intrigued me since I saw a movie about 2 teens doing just that. At the time it inspired me to write a story about some teenagers who started a pirate radio and transmitted from a closed down oil rig. It felt really rebellious lol
I've never done any pirate radio stuff myself though.

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Eurythmic
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03 Nov 2021, 11:43 pm

Fnord wrote:

Eurythmic wrote:

... Very few people (except radio nerds like me) scan the airwaves looking for new services...

It is more fun (for me) to DX the HF bands looking for new stations.

I haven't been in a position to mount outdoor HF antennas for some time. This year I bought and moved into a house so I'm looking forward to setting up a long wire and perhaps a beam and get back into HF again.

Archmage Arcane
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30 Nov 2021, 10:53 am

Rossall wrote:

Fnord wrote:

GadgetGuru wrote:

Anyone else here interested in "pirate radio" (meaning unlicensed transmission of radio signals)? ...

Yes, and as a licensed Amateur Radio Operator and a licensed Radiotelephone operator, I have participated in monitoring and locating illegal transmitters here in the U.S.

Best of luck with your re-entry to the hobby. 73.

Archmage Arcane
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30 Nov 2021, 10:57 am

Eurythmic wrote:

Fnord wrote:

Eurythmic wrote:

... Very few people (except radio nerds like me) scan the airwaves looking for new services...

It is more fun (for me) to DX the HF bands looking for new stations.

Had wire set up for HF where I used to live. Moved a year and a half ago and haven't had the energy to hang wires in trees here. Getting stir-crazy enough from missing HF that it will happen soon.

One nice thing about moving is I was in a valley and now I'm halfway up a big hill with a bit of a view. Nice VHF/UHF in certain directions.

Fnord
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30 Nov 2021, 12:36 pm

Has anyone here looked into Carrier-Current Transmission ?

Archmage Arcane
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20 Dec 2021, 5:55 pm

*leaving trail of breadcrumbs*

Rossall
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15 Apr 2022, 3:56 pm

Have one of these little beauties on the way:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274022711819

It's just gone through customs in China.

Fnord
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15 Apr 2022, 4:32 pm

This is mine.

LINK

Archmage Arcane
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15 Apr 2022, 4:52 pm

That's a deal!

Paid a lot more than that for the FM25B back when Ramsey was still around. I'm assuming that it's tunable (not PLL synthesized) at that price? Looks like a fun little project.

EDIT- Wait, there are DIP switches... Tell me it's not synthesized at that price.

Fnord wrote:

This is mine.

LINK

Fenn
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19 May 2022, 12:59 pm

There is a thing now called a software defined radio. Apparently you can make them yourself with salvaged parts-if you know what you are doing. Some are online so you can access them over the internet with no equipment costs.
Once heard a story of someone who hacked a toy “Mr. Microphone” which used FM, and amped up the signal to broadcast.
A car “3.5mm audio jack to FM” could work too - cheep on newegg . You can switch frequencies easily too. Amping the signal is up to you. Look out for Fnord and the Rough Riders kicking down your door. Don’t do this by the way. It is illegal - don’t tell people i told you to do it. I told you not to.

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Jakki
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19 May 2022, 1:36 pm

Fenn wrote:

Lolololzzz .. a underground ham network ???. SSShhh… ! It seems a lot of hams use salvaged parts too.
( as always it is better to be “”legal “” with a FCC license). Fun to learn with appropriate classes as well .

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Fnord
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19 May 2022, 3:08 pm

Archmage Arcane wrote:

. . . Wait, there are DIP switches... Tell me it's not synthesized at that price.

Features:

Kit model: RF-03PLL
Kit use: private radio, car audio transmitter, cable audio to wireless
Operating voltage: DC4-6V
Operating current: 20mA-40mA
Launch distance: 20-80 meters barrier (affected by production level)
Transmit frequency: 87-108MHz, 14 frequency, through the DIP switch to change the frequency
Power indication: Yes, less than 4V Auto light off
Antenna: 300mm soft wire, you can also modify to launch farther distance
Oscillation mode: PLL phase-locked loop
Frequency stability: zero drift
Sound quality: excellent, stereo two-channel transmission, automatic gain control
Microphone: Yes, PCB onboard
Microphone distance: 1 meter normal speech
Microphone and audio input conversion mode: pull out the audio line microphone automatically work
PCB size: 74mm * 52mm

The carrier frequencies are "synthesized".

Check out the schematic

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