FM Station Display Signage Question

[MRodTV]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this and have everything functional! Just curious what some of the ways people are using to let passer bys know the radio frequency to tune into? I suppose the most common might be a simple sign with a light pointed on it, but is there a better way?

Thanks in advance!

[BMurray]

Here's a link to my sign construction with pictures and video 

https://goo.gl/photos/QvStwSkDUWFn4wyy9

[MRodTV]

really cool idea, thanks for sharing!

[k6ccc]

This is what I did for the first two years.  The sign is about 12 x 18 inches and is just painted plywood.

This year I built some new back lit signs.  This was a quickie photo with my phone that does not at all do it justice.  I need to shoot some better photos.

 

[wmilkie]

I like that Jim; how did you make that?

[k6ccc]

I'll get photos posted in the next day or so.

 

[Ebuechner]

I just used some Coro masked off what I needed to, and used black spray paint. Mounted to a wire frame and used some Coro to box in and back light

[Mega Arch]

Here's mine from the last several years:

Really like it - had to change to 94.3 last year and was easy peasy to use same sign. They give you the template for many numbers, so just undid the 5 and reconfigured for the 4. Down South broadcasting really kicks in at night and so even though the channel was showing to be clear - wasn't. I like this sign as it's flexible... 550 LEDs really "pop it" too. 

Bought it here: http://www.holidaycoro.com/Tune-To-Radio-Frequency-Sign-p/345.htm

Don't know who originally posted this one - but have seen it a few times. I'm planning to take the sign portion of mine out and make a similar candy cane holder for it for 2017 -

Good instructions here: http://www.planetchristmas.com/Magazine/November2016/#p=20

[k6ccc]

As I type this, the web page is not nice and polished, but it should give an idea how the signs are built.  I will add some better night time photos soon.

http://newburghlights.org/TuneTo.html

 

 

[whyintheworld]

Well, I learned the hard way this week that I need to mount my sign a bit higher.  I put it right at ground level and we got 8+ inches of snow at home.  My wife sent me a picture and the sign is covered half way up covering the frequency...  So take your snowfall totals into account. 

[k6ccc]

30 minutes ago, whyintheworld said:

So take your snowfall totals into account.

That's not an issue here in Southern California!

 

[robigd]

My first couple years, I used the sign that Mega Arch posted above where you put the bulbs through to spell out the TUNE TO, but it was blinding and too obtrusive in my particular setup. It could have just been that it was too close to the road, or the LED's I was using were too bright, but it wasn't for me personally.

This year, I just got a sign printed on imprint.com and just shine a light on it, so it is visible, but not "LOOK AT ME!". I also liked the sign idea because You can customize it with graphics and even your last name, etc. You can also get fancy and decorate the borders too. One thing I do recommend if you go this route is to get a legit yard frame.

Edited December 14, 2016 by robigd

[wmilkie]

robigd, can you post a photo of your sign?

[robigd]

1 minute ago, wmilkie said:

robigd, can you post a photo of your sign?

Sure, I will do it when I get home. I didn't get a heavy duty frame for it this year but will next year as it isn't very sturdy.

[Mega Arch]

5 hours ago, robigd said:

My first couple years, I used the sign that Mega Arch posted above where you put the bulbs through to spell out the TUNE TO, but it was blinding and too obtrusive in my particular setup. It could have just been that it was too close to the road, or the LED's I was using were too bright, but it wasn't for me personally.

Could put on a channel and sequence at 60%. 

[khawes]

I'm using an old computer & monitor (monitor placed in a glass front box and put on a 2nd floor balcony)  the computer runs a power point / keynote / google doc presentation  with alternating slides "Heat the lights" and "Tuine to 89.9 FM".

I've got all on a timer to turn on before the show starts and off well afterwards.  I use drop box to send a file from my show computer that tells the sign computer to power off.  It deletes the file then powers off, so that when the timer really turns off the power it's already off.  When power comes back the computer boot up and starts displaying the presentation. 

[Oliver Blatt]

I finally made a sign this year. The paint is still drying (my timeline this year got pushed back terribly, but that's a story for another thread), so I don't have a picture of it in it's native habitat, but it's just a simple piece of plywood that I painted. I have a solar light that I usually keep in the back yard around the fire pit recycled to light it for the show. With it getting dark so early, the battery lasts just long enough to keep the sign lit until the show comes down every night. It saves me from using a LOR channel for "just" a sign, and it looks nice nestled in among the shrubbery in front of my house!

[justaddmorelights]

I used a "For Sale By Owner" (real estate style) sign frame, cut out a piece of 1/4" plywood, painted the plywood black and made the letters with a fluorescent yellow paint. I put a sign off to each side of the yard for traffic and have a blue light spot light shining on them. The blue is subtle and does not shine onto the house (not noticeably anyways) and makes the letters pop but not too bright. The sign frame keeps it about 16" off the ground. I'll post a pic when I get home later. Everything is available at Lowes or home depot. I might add that I put the sign lights on a timer and do not use any channels to run them, channels are valuable space!

 

Edited December 16, 2016 by justaddmorelights

[Cdanna77]

I did something similar as "bmurry" did, except I painted the white coro black and had the letters light up using some dumb RGB on a slow test pattern. next year I will be changing to a scrolling tune to/info sign.

[saxon]

Like mega arch said you can always dim the tune to sign, I have mine at 30%. 

I normally run my sign channel steady at 30% Within a sequence then use a clean up sequence where the sign brightens and flickers a few time between songs but settles back at 30% before the next song (8 sec). ( I say normally cause I am trying something different this year ) .

My first year I got black foam board, block stencil letters that I flipped backwards, that made the letters really pop under the black light I had shining on it. It was only temporary for my first show but it was pretty cool.