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FM Transmitter


djewell

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Hi I am looking at a new FM transmitter I currently run a CANAKIT UX300-CA transmitter and am looking at a this

http://www.allyelectronics.com/product_info.php?products_id=43&osCsid=9kcc24egd0hprkav0e0ub51av1

has anyone used one of these and not sure if .5 watt of power is any good not even sure of the brand HLLY

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

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You get what you pay for. I've not heard good things about the HLLY transmitters thus far. I think they are similar to the Vaseltec units ... but I have heard much better reports from Vaseltec owners.

You are better off going for an EDM or Ramsey. My recommendation is to spend no less than $100 on a transmitter.

At the $100 level, the choice is easy.

The EDM LED can be had for $102 shipped in the 10mW version. Thats a budget buy on a unit that compares favorably to the Ramsey FM25B and is very simple to assemble by comparison. I've seen a number of reviews from FM25B units saying the LED blew it away in terms of sound quality and similar range.

http://www.edmdesign.com/orders.html ... look for the $102 shipped LED model ... the downside?, 3 week delivery time.

I also have the flagship EDM LCD for sale on my web site, with quicker delivery options.

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I am using the CANAKIT UX100 and it has been a very good solid transmitter and very clear even before processing the signal through my DSPN1424 as it is pre-synthesized. I have not had any problems with it and good very good range with it.

Here is the site for it....

http://www.canakit.com/direct-access-synthesized-pll-stereo-fm-transmitter-export-only-kit-ux100-ex.html

I bought it at Hobbytron assembled, but I think they got busted for selling them assembled. So I think you can only buy it as a kit, but you can check anyways.

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  • 1 month later...

Hello All,

First post here.

I bought a HLLY on ebay and it turned out to be junk. The seller was combative and wanted me to ship it back to China for a refund. Shipping was most of the cost and returning with shipping would have put me in much deeper (never mind delivery confirmation). Fortunately paypal did a rescue job.

The transmitter works, buy only for a few seconds, and shuts down.

I just purchased my first controller (LOR1602W), a mini director, LOR software, and a USB adapter. I'm planning on launching next Christmas with 32 channels and 10,000 LED bulbs.

Curtis

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Hi Curtis.

You have a few months before you need to decide. Keep your eye on the EDM. It looks like they will add RDS this year. If you don't want RDS, then jump in and get the current EDM when you are ready. It's the single best radio to date.

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I have an EDM LCD and a Ramsey FM100B. I like them both, but for the cost and simplicity I would go with the EDM. Very simple to set up and ran flawlessly this season. Good range with a cheap home brew antenna.

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Whats the difference between the watts for the EDM 10mw or 100mw. On the villa it says .5 watt. Are they about the same? Need to spell it out for me.

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friskybri wrote:

Whats the difference between the watts for the EDM 10mw or 100mw. On the villa it says .5 watt. Are they about the same? Need to spell it out for me.


The EDM LCD has 2 power ranges. 1 to 10mw which is enough for most Xmas light displays with minimal risk of a visit from the FCC, and 2 to 100mw, which should cover just about any display. You select the range with a slide switch and adjust the power with a potentiometer.

.5 watt (=500mw) is a bit much for a legal unlicenced FM transmitter, which is defined to be LOW POWER. The amount of power of the transmitter is not regulated, but the power transmitted at a specified distance is, which is a factor not only of the transmitter power, but the antenna efficiency, location and environment.
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I contacted the company about the Eclipse 4000 to ask if it's power was adjustable like the V6000, but they said no, it's output is constant at 500mW.

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Do you think the Eclipse 4000 is better then the EDM. The price is lower and has stronger settings. I might be wrong but this is based in California so how can they sell this if this is close to the FCC rules. I am confused? Or should I say always confused. It sounds like you get more from the Eclipse then from EDM. To bad you cant adjust the watts.

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friskybri wrote:

Do you think the Eclipse 4000 is better then the EDM. The price is lower and has stronger settings. I might be wrong but this is based in California so how can they sell this if this is close to the FCC rules. I am confused? Or should I say always confused. It sounds like you get more from the Eclipse then from EDM. To bad you cant adjust the watts.


No, I don't think it is possible that the 4000 is 'better' than the EDM. There are 4 aspects. 1) quality of signal. unless the 4000 specs are published and verified by an independant entity, I won't believe they are 'better' or even 'as good as' the EDM. 2) reliability. only time will tell. EDM has a good record, this has none, and I suspect it is a repackaging of one of those cheapo Chinese units. 3) support. EDM has a record of good support. Some people may have had good response from this company, but I could not even get any info from them when I was first researching transmitters (possibly a 1 time glitch, but it turned me off). 4) ease of staying 'legal'. EDM is exceptional, allowing any power from 1mw to 100mw. This one would be very difficult to force into legality, being hard wired for 500 mw.

Feature wise, you want one which allow any frequency (this one is the same as EDM, so that is a null factor) and won't lose its memory when you power it down (settings via switch or non-volatile memory). I set up my EDM when I got it and plugged it in early December and it worked just like I set it up several months before. Can this one say the same?

But what it comes down to is you. If the price is right and the quality and features are acceptable to you and you don't worry about the FCC and/or you don't want to deal with a company outside the US, then this may be a good choice. Make sure you know where you have to go for service for this because just because the company selling it is in the US does not mean the company servicing it is.

Just because the FCC regulates something does not mean that someone won't violate those regulations (a 'famous' company was busted for selling completed Ramsey kits a while back). As far as I know, the only regulation is against selling a working transmitter with a power greater than some value, 10 mw I think. But an individual can build (from scratch OR from a kit) a transmitter with any power he wants. So, if this is sold 'working', it is probably not legal and the company will probably be slapped some day. If it is not working (a 'kit') then them selling it and you building it is completely legal.

And there is no limitation on operating a transmitter at any power. The regulation is the actual power transmitted at a specified distance. Since this value is very small, the equipment to verify this is fairly pricey. So most (wise) people shoot for a transmission range of 200' or less, or the minimum to cover their viewing area, whichever is greater. The other regulation is interfering with other users of the airwaves.

Note that the FCC is not looking for violators of the Low Power FM regulations, but they WILL respond to complaints. So in addition to keeping your range as short as will suffice, you want to be very sure that your transmitter is as 'clean' as possible (so 'harmonics' do not interfere with your neighbors TV or nearby aircraft) and that you choose a frequency which is not being used by any licenced transmitter receivable within the range of your transmitter.

And if you do bother someone and you are notified to cease, stop transmitting immediately until the complaint is resolved (changes to antenna, transmitter, filters and/or frequency). Usually this will prevent worse penalties.
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I just got my EDM LCD. My wife ordered for a Christmas present, but we didn't know about the Christmas shut down. I soldered the power connector and put the chip in. VERY easy. And I just put a dollop of solder on the iron and held the connector to the board to tack it in place. Real easy. I still need an antenna, but plan to try it out with the wire here shortly.

KD

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Couple questions about the EDM...

Does the $102 model comes with an enclosure? It doesnt state it.

What is the approx range of 10mW and 100mW. I only need about 300-400ft. 100mW may be overkill for my needs?

Is there a difference in quality of sound between the LED and LCD? Say both were set at 10mW or 100mW.

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Cracker wrote:

Couple questions about the EDM...

Does the $102 model comes with an enclosure? It doesnt state it.

What is the approx range of 10mW and 100mW. I only need about 300-400ft. 100mW may be overkill for my needs?

Is there a difference in quality of sound between the LED and LCD? Say both were set at 10mW or 100mW.

As the EDM LCD came set from the factory, (10mw range, no idea if the pot was set at the max), using the provided wire antenna sticking straight up into the air starting about 7 feet off the ground (transmitter mounted to roof beam, antenna taped to a wood flag pole), I could hear bits and pieces of my transmissions about a 1/4 mile away. Getting within a couple blocks of my house, the signal was solid and good, so 10mw should be more than enough for your 400' range (unless your antenna placement is very challanged). More than 10mw would be too much for many displays. Whatever it was set at from the factory was too much for my display; hopefully next year I'll be able to start early enough to try cutting it down a bit.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Happy New Year. Does anyone have a recommendation for an antenna I can purchase for use with my new EDM. Whole House now relegated to use in the truck! tx.

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