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Caleb Linburg

By Caleb Linburg
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Nurples Member

Nurples

Posted
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Orville wrote:

Caleb Linburg wrote:



My only concern with this one is this:

Frequency range: 76 ~ 108Mhz

In the US, FM transmitters start on 88Mhz and go to 108Mhz, so this one could possibly be considered illegal for use in the US due to it is able to go below the 88Mhz range.

Hopefully someone here can point you(us) to a link to know for certain. As I can't say definitely.

I've just never seen any US FM transmitters for sale that goes below 88Mhz. So that would definitely be a major concern of mine before I'd buy one that did.






You can use this transmitter within the US as long as you stay within the 88Mhz~108Hmz range and stay under the Max Power limits set by the FCC. I've had many CB Radios that go well beyond the limits of an unlicensed user's legal limits (public bands and power ratings), but it doesn't make the radio illegal. It's only illegal when you exceed your limits as an unlicensed user. Use the equipment within the legal limits and you will be fine.
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Max-Paul Member

Max-Paul

Posted
Posted

Nurples wrote:

Orville wrote:
Caleb Linburg wrote:



My only concern with this one is this:

Frequency range: 76 ~ 108Mhz

In the US, FM transmitters start on 88Mhz and go to 108Mhz, so this one could possibly be considered illegal for use in the US due to it is able to go below the 88Mhz range.

Hopefully someone here can point you(us) to a link to know for certain. As I can't say definitely.

I've just never seen any US FM transmitters for sale that goes below 88Mhz. So that would definitely be a major concern of mine before I'd buy one that did.






You can use this transmitter within the US as long as you stay within the 88Mhz~108Hmz range and stay under the Max Power limits set by the FCC. I've had many CB Radios that go well beyond the limits of an unlicensed user's legal limits (public bands and power ratings), but it doesn't make the radio illegal. It's only illegal when you exceed your limits as an unlicensed user. Use the equipment within the legal limits and you will be fine.

Ah, I see that you have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express Stay hotel and now rate as a lawyer.

Being an Amateur Radio Operator I know a little bit about how FCC would view things. If for some reason FCC would become involved and they found you with radio gear that operate out of it's registered parameters, such as a C.B. that put out more power and had its frequency range expanded. Well how much is your house worth? And as a Amateur Radio operator who studied and took test for the privilege to operate on those frequencies and with a give power range. Well we take exceptions to those who would just without regard come onto those frequencies set aside for our use.

Point I am trying to make is this. Government looks at this like this. If you have something that your not suppose to have. The burden is on your shoulders to prove that you have never used it in an illegal manner. Example is, if you have an AR-15 rifle (civilian semi-auto version of the military M-16). And you have a bolt carrier that is machine differently that is used in the M-16 rifle (still semi-auto). And you do not have the proper paperwork. The BATF will still send you to jail. This one part does not make the weapon an automatic, but that does not matter. You are not allowed to have even one part without the proper paperwork. There are limits to things you can do without the proper paperwork. Rules are rules, break them and see if you get caught. Just dont cry if your caught. You gambled and lost. Ignorance is not blessed in these matters with the state.

People, unless you want to be fined for illegal operation. You all best read the part 97 regulations dealing with the use of low power (and low power is less than .5W or 500mW). Our government is going broke, maybe you are willing to make donations in the form of fines, I am not interested in doing so. I advise you all stop listening to fools with their cheap E-bay radios that exceed the legal limits.
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Posted
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87.7 is actually where the audio carrier sits (sat...) for analog TV channel 6...5.75 mhz above the low edge of the 6 mhz channel, which for channel 6 is 82 mhz...so if you had an analog channel 6 in your area, you would have heard its audio on 87.7, pre-digital transition...

What is designated by the FCC as FM channel 1 is at 88.1...

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TJ Hvasta Member

TJ Hvasta

Posted
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Why, oh, why would you want/need to go farther than a mile range? Can you see your house from that far away? (well, good for you..) It slays me that users want to get the max range they can.. even tho no one can see the lights from more than a couple houses away. How much more full-quieting(zero static) do you need sitting in front of your house?

MP has it right.. if you want to be able to see your house from space AND hear the music to go with it.. thats fine, and it will be.. a fine.. ..a large one.. many $$$$..

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emcee New Forum User

emcee

Posted
Posted

Caleb Linburg wrote:


I bought one of these exact units from this seller last year. Worked great set on low power with the included whip antenna with a range of 1200 feet. My fear of the guys in the black vans did cause me to buy a 6dB attenuator to lower the power to ~20 - 25 mW and it still worked great for about 300 - 400 feet which is more than enough for my use and short enough not to interfere with the neighbors (nearest is 700 feet away).

I would recommend an attenuator as they are cheap ~$10 and get you into the realm of legal with little or no pain. I can't think of any reason you would need a mile range on your transmitter.

This unit beat the stuffing out of the Whole House Transmitter Gold that I used they year before (100 foot range)
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Posted
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TJ Hvasta wrote:

Why, oh, why would you want/need to go farther than a mile range? Can you see your house from that far away? (well, good for you..) It slays me that users want to get the max range they can.. even tho no one can see the lights from more than a couple houses away. How much more full-quieting(zero static) do you need sitting in front of your house?

MP has it right.. if you want to be able to see your house from space AND hear the music to go with it.. thats fine, and it will be.. a fine.. ..a large one.. many $$$$..

same reason a lot of CBers, on 11 meters, would fire up their "lin-yeer", and run that big 100 watts, or more, not realizing on 10 meters, we hams were working the world on a watt...

But in this case, yea, its even crazier..why do you want to listen any further than you can see?

Its all about power, and the lack of understanding of RF and how ERP relates to dB, coverage, and received signal levels.
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Posted
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emcee wrote:

Interestingly, three digital car radios and two digital house radios I have all go from 87.7 - to 108.1 MHz.

Mike


When Digital radios first came out the lowest frequency was actually 87.50Mhz.

As we progressed more into the digital age and away from anaolog, they now start at the 88.00Mhz and end at 108.00Mhz. Any older radio with an analog dial will start lower tha n 88Mhz, but won't be marked, they actually start at 87.50Mhz up to 108.10Mhz.

All the current or more recent "digital" radios I have, will not allow anything less than 88.00Mhz except for one, which is also an "older" MP3 player, it is the ONLY one I have that goes down to 87.50Mhz, and was purchased when MP3's were still a fairly new format and analog TV was still very much alive and well. (I used to listen to our local Channel 6 TV on it, can't do that anymore).

So older radios may still go below the now set 88Mhz or just a wee bit higher than 108.00Mhz (108.10Mhz).

So I was pretty sure and from what Max-Paul has said, one of these transmitters that can transmit lower than 88Mhz can land you in the hot seat, and are illegal to even have in the US..

This is why all FM transmitters now start at 88.00Mhz and go no further than 108.00Mhz in the United States.

Older first generation FM Transmiiters operated at 87.50~108.00Mhz as I had an Cigar lighter FM transmitter that operated within this band - only 4 bands were selectable by a 4 position switch.

I no longer have it, I scavenged it for parts, as it became totally useless due to the bands that you could choose being limited, now only one was useable, the other 3 were on active bands and eventually the 4th band became an active FM station. Making that transmitter illegal to use because there was no way to select an unused band, you were locked into the 4 bands on the 4 position switch, and now all were licensed commercial stations. So it became electronic parts for my junk box.

Anything lower (than 87.50Mhz) or higher (than 108.00Mhz) on the dial, even though they are not being used, you're still taking a big risk. Sure not one I'd want to take.
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lightzilla Member

lightzilla

Posted
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Caleb Linburg wrote:


I ordered it directly from China. It arrived today. Cleared customs here no problem.

All you do is stay within the frequency range. My house radio won't go below 87.5 No doubt most vehicles will be from 88 to 108 so you will need to stay within the frequency range.

My older style Whole House cannot do the job anymore, so I went with something else.
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Posted
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Orville wrote:

emcee wrote:
Interestingly, three digital car radios and two digital house radios I have all go from 87.7 - to 108.1 MHz.

Mike


When Digital radios first came out the lowest frequency was actually 87.50Mhz.

As we progressed more into the digital age and away from anaolog, they now start at the 88.00Mhz and end at 108.00Mhz. Any older radio with an analog dial will start lower tha n 88Mhz, but won't be marked, they actually start at 87.50Mhz up to 108.10Mhz.

All the current or more recent "digital" radios I have, will not allow anything less than 88.00Mhz except for one, which is also an "older" MP3 player, it is the ONLY one I have that goes down to 87.50Mhz, and was purchased when MP3's were still a fairly new format and analog TV was still very much alive and well. (I used to listen to our local Channel 6 TV on it, can't do that anymore).

So older radios may still go below the now set 88Mhz or just a wee bit higher than 108.00Mhz (108.10Mhz).

So I was pretty sure and from what Max-Paul has said, one of these transmitters that can transmit lower than 88Mhz can land you in the hot seat, and are illegal to even have in the US..

This is why all FM transmitters now start at 88.00Mhz and go no further than 108.00Mhz in the United States.

Older first generation FM Transmiiters operated at 87.50~108.00Mhz as I had an Cigar lighter FM transmitter that operated within this band - only 4 bands were selectable by a 4 position switch.

I no longer have it, I scavenged it for parts, as it became totally useless due to the bands that you could choose being limited, now only one was useable, the other 3 were on active bands and eventually the 4th band became an active FM station. Making that transmitter illegal to use because there was no way to select an unused band, you were locked into the 4 bands on the 4 position switch, and now all were licensed commercial stations. So it became electronic parts for my junk box.

Anything lower (than 87.50Mhz) or higher (than 108.00Mhz) on the dial, even though they are not being used, you're still taking a big risk. Sure not one I'd want to take.

To MP's point, and yours, it raises an interesting point..and I have to respectfully disagree.

As a ham, until i got my extra class license, I always owned equipment that was capable of transmitting in parts of the band I was not licensed to operate..i.e., the lower 25 khz of most bands (can only speak the original classics, 80/40/20/15/10..I was pretty much dark by the time the additional bands were opened up for use)...so was it illegal for me to own that equipment?..No.

So if I own a transmitter that is capable of broadcasting using spectrum I am not licensed to use, is it illegal for me to have it in my possession? Don't believe so..not until i operate said transmitter and actually commit the violation.

Was never a CBer..but was it illegal to simply own a linear amp? Had to actually use it, and commit the violation, correct?

The FCC is going to hammer you for actual violations..not the potential to commit a violation...otherwise, anyone who collects vintage TV transmitters, or any other kind of transmitter equipment, etc..is in violation, and intuitively, we know that is not the case.

Just my 2 cents...
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jjd35 Member

jjd35

Posted
Posted




I purchased this one last year and was happy with it. I had a clear transmission up to about a block from my house, once and a while i would hear it about 4 blocks away but it wasnt real clear. Sound quality was good to. I actually used it at our Jaycee's Ice fishing contest we hooked it up to a pa system so when we made announcements people could hear them at there houses on the lake.
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lightzilla Member

lightzilla

Posted
Posted

jjd35 wrote:



I purchased this one last year and was happy with it. I had a clear transmission up to about a block from my house, once and a while i would hear it about 4 blocks away but it wasnt real clear. Sound quality was good to. I actually used it at our Jaycee's Ice fishing contest we hooked it up to a pa system so when we made announcements people could hear them at there houses on the lake.
I can hear it clear for about 1km away. 1 kilometer = 0.6213711 miles

However music was still heard at 2.5 Kms but with static. Sound quality is good as was stated.
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DonFL wrote:

Was never a CBer..but was it illegal to simply own a linear amp? Had to actually use it, and commit the violation, correct?

The FCC is going to hammer you for actual violations..not the potential to commit a violation...otherwise, anyone who collects vintage TV transmitters, or any other kind of transmitter equipment, etc..is in violation, and intituively, we know that is not the case.

Just my 2 cents...


Actually that is NOT correct. I WAS a CB'er and if you were caught with ANY type of amplification equipment(i.e. Linear), wether or not it was connected, your equipment was confiscated, you were fined(usually a $10,000 fine minimum! OUCH!) and possibly even got jail time for it. My late parents knew a fellow CB'er that just came from a "swap meet", they had purchased a linear and was sitting in the back seat of their car, FCC just happend to pull them over to verify they were licensed, spotted the linear lying in the back seat of their car, they not only got a $10,000 fine, but 60 days in jail along with it, as well as lost all their CB equipment and the right to use it for a specifed time frame in so many years.

The FCC back then figured, you own it, you're going to/planning to use it at some point or you wouldn't have it. Back in my day of CB'ing, FCC actually did random checks of CB'ers looking for these things as well as making sure you had a license to operate a CB radio. Which all fell off after the "Smokey and the Bandit" movies that made a jump in the CB craze to the point the FCC first just tried reducing the licensing fee, when that didn't work, they lifted the licesning fees all together. There were just far too many CB'ers during that time era that the FCC actually just couldn't keep up with it.

So yes it sure can be illegal to own equipment if you ARE NOT licensed for it or if it DOES NOT meet US FCC standards. But that doesn't keep anyone from buying such criteria. if it wasn't "illegal", then why do we have siuch statements as: "verify it is lawful to own and operate in your country?" Surely the US and the FCC have some reason for telling an end user to verify the legalities of such devices before purchase. So with statements such as that, I can only come to the conclusion such transmitters or devices ARE, in fact, illegal to own and operate. Get caught with and using one, even if NOT using the "lower bands" it can access, and you will be in the hot seat!

Ham operators can do a lot more than others because they take specialized tests and do a lot of other criteria, to achieve, and acquire that license, which in turn, gives them a little more free run than the average citizen would have in such matters, like radio transmission equipment.

Anyone can do what they will, but I'm going to stay on the legal side of it that pertains to any equipment I purchase for use in the US and under FCC guidelines!

I'm not willing to take such a high risk that could cost me more than I could ever afford.

But if others have that kind of money to spend on lawyers and other legal fees and fines, by all means buy what you want. But don't come crying if some how, some way you get caught with it and end up in the hot seat!
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Nurples Member

Nurples

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I'm just going to stand outside and play the keyboard and sing to the music. Oh wait... then I'll get a fine for disturbing the peace.... sigh... maybe flash cards instead. :P

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Posted
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Orville wrote:

DonFL wrote:
Was never a CBer..but was it illegal to simply own a linear amp? Had to actually use it, and commit the violation, correct?

The FCC is going to hammer you for actual violations..not the potential to commit a violation...otherwise, anyone who collects vintage TV transmitters, or any other kind of transmitter equipment, etc..is in violation, and intituively, we know that is not the case.

Just my 2 cents...


Actually that is NOT correct. I WAS a CB'er and if you were caught with ANY type of amplification equipment(i.e. Linear), wether or not it was connected, your equipment was confiscated, you were fined(usually a $10,000 fine minimum! OUCH!) and possibly even got jail time for it. My late parents knew a fellow CB'er that just came from a "swap meet", they had purchased a linear and was sitting in the back seat of their car, FCC just happend to pull them over to verify they were licensed, spotted the linear lying in the back seat of their car, they not only got a $10,000 fine, but 60 days in jail along with it, as well as lost all their CB equipment and the right to use it for a specifed time frame in so many years.

The FCC back then figured, you own it, you're going to/planning to use it at some point or you wouldn't have it. Back in my day of CB'ing, FCC actually did random checks of CB'ers looking for these things as well as making sure you had a license to operate a CB radio. Which all fell off after the "Smokey and the Bandit" movies that made a jump in the CB craze to the point the FCC first just tried reducing the licensing fee, when that didn't work, they lifted the licesning fees all together. There were just far too many CB'ers during that time era that the FCC actually just couldn't keep up with it.

So yes it sure can be illegal to own equipment if you ARE NOT licensed for it or if it DOES NOT meet US FCC standards. But that doesn't keep anyone from buying such criteria. if it wasn't "illegal", then why do we have siuch statements as: "verify it is lawful to own and operate in your country?" Surely the US and the FCC have some reason for telling an end user to verify the legalities of such devices before purchase. So with statements such as that, I can only come to the conclusion such transmitters or devices ARE, in fact, illegal to own and operate. Get caught with and using one, even if NOT using the "lower bands" it can access, and you will be in the hot seat!

Ham operators can do a lot more than others because they take specialized tests and do a lot of other criteria, to achieve, and acquire that license, which in turn, gives them a little more free run than the average citizen would have in such matters, like radio transmission equipment.

Anyone can do what they will, but I'm going to stay on the legal side of it that pertains to any equipment I purchase for use in the US and under FCC guidelines!

I'm not willing to take such a high risk that could cost me more than I could ever afford.

But if others have that kind of money to spend on lawyers and other legal fees and fines, by all means buy what you want. But don't come crying if some how, some way you get caught with it and end up in the hot seat!



Don't disgree with you re "Ham operators can do a lot more than others because they take specialized tests and do a lot of other criteria.."..its why I was working DX in HS on 15 meters every waking moment..no driver's license, but I didn't care...I had my ham ticket and all was good...:P

My parents just assumed it was a phase "I would grow out of"..I finally did, and have been inactive for 20+ years..it just took longer than they expected..:shock:

Actually, I did go dig up a copy of part 95 and in 95.411.c.1 and it does state posession of a cb radio linear amp is considered intention to use, and against the rules, unless you do posess another license (i.e., amateur radio) allowing you to own. So in that case, pure possession is enought to get you busted.

I stand corrected..thanks for the clarification.
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LarryDrumAZ Member

LarryDrumAZ

Posted
Posted

abears4 wrote:

Caleb Linburg wrote:
I wanted the MBB transmitter but it has been sold out for a long time does anyone know when the new one will be out?

http://www.mobileblackbox.com/content/view/42/76/


Caleb, i'm a newbie at this too and i got one from fry's and it would not transmitter more than 20ft if that. i return it ....i got one off of ebay and this thing works great!!!  i set it up with the antenna kit that came with it in my living room plug my ipod to it... i got in my car and drove about a mile away and it was clear as a bell. here is the link

http://cgi.ebay.com/FMUSER-7w-PLL-broadcast-FM-transmitter-GP-antenna-set-/260711044975?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb396d76f

the price is not bad $125.00

later


BE CAREFUL! I would only use the 1.5 Watt setting. You can get in SERIOUS trouble for running high power and walking over someone else's stations. 1.5 watts can get you 10 miles or more distance in the clear and 7 watts could blow smaller stations in the area out of the water. Just a warning, be careful! FCC Fines get pretty steep!
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Ultamitking73 Member

Ultamitking73

Posted
Posted

Ok it's probably to late but here it goes I bought the transmitter on ebay from china itself played with it alot since then decent price decent distance great sound in front and around the house http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250679532258 love it long wait for it but works great 1 1/2 blocks north 4 blocks east 4 blocks west 1 block south is the range i get

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