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CCRANE TRANSMITTER

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kb9nvh wrote:

Has anyone used these. A year ago I read up and this one the only legal one that could be modified to increase power easily.

http://www.techislands.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=26



this it the link for the MOD

http://www.xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?t=3257






I sold these a long time ago and was glad to get rid of what I had bought. They should have gotten 100' without a mod. I am not sure what you read about legally doing a mod and it being legal. The CCrane is a FCC certified transmitter and any mod to it would be illegal in the FCC eyes.

According to the mod link you provided, they say 100'. If they measured that using a wlakman radio then it is probably a good mod. You want to measure the range with a car stereo since that is what your visitors will be listening on. Car stereo is the strongest receiver out there.
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I've looked and looked, and had come to the conclusion there is no "cheap" way to get good stereo with any decent range.

After Googling and searching ebay, I decided to take a chance on this unit:

http://cgi.ebay.com/0-5-Watt-FM-Stereo-Radio-Transmitter-LCD-Antenna-meter_W0QQitemZ330004709865QQihZ014QQcategoryZ4675QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

With a scanner antenna @ 50ohms and .5mw, I'm getting a SOLID 1/2 mile range with really good audio performance (indistinguishable from a commercial station) in town.

I wound up sniping it for about $150.00, but it has a built in antenna tuner, you can simply set power and frequency outputs, and is nearly impossible to blow up, even if you forgot to attach the antenna before plugging it in.




Attached files 54958=3239-transmitter1.jpg

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Well, the mod would NOT be legal unless the transmitter met the FCC guidelines after it was done.

The way I read the FCC rules, They dont specify anything about the radio other than it cant have a removeable antenna.

The FFC rule (as I remember it) was that your transmitted signal can not be more than x number of uvolts at a distance of 100ft. Pretty much takes the hardware out of the equation. You can have a 1KW transmitter but it better not be stronger than x number of uvolts 100 ft away or your violating the law.

The Ramsey kits are illegal to use in the US also since they are too strong unless you attenuate somehow. Not many of us have the equipment to determine if our transmitter are too strong though.

I have heard about some "legal" FM transmitters that are stronger than allowed by law (XM skyfi2 has just been implicated in this). I thought the CCranes was one of them (at least after the mod). Maybe the newer versions are not "modable"

Transmitting MONO helps alot in getting extra signal strength I'm not sure why but I think it has to do with the power not getting divided by 2 for the second channel. (I'm sure its more complex than this).

Does someone have a link to the FCC rules regarding this?

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I'm running a PCIMAX from these guys

http://www.pcs-electronics.com

Direct link:

http://www.pcs-electronics.com/test/product_info.php?cPath=64&products_id=694


With the right antenna you can get out a mile or two (recieved with your car), however, at that range, any commercial station on that frequency will knock out your signal (this is what you want to happen).

This can either fit in your pc or run standalone if you put it in a box. I've never measured output but Im' sure its about 1/2 watt. ILLEGAL to use in the US unless you have a low power FM station liscense. Only churches can get thse liscense's pretty much.

I'm new to planetchristmas and I"m sure this topic has been run into the dirt. I was just wondering about the CCrane transmitter.

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Have you tried this in mono mode to see how far you can get?

This looks like a nice unit and I agree, there is really no cheap (legal) way to do FM (and get the range you need), unfortunatly.

kingshootr wrote:

I've looked and looked, and had come to the conclusion there is no "cheap" way to get good stereo with any decent range.

After Googling and searching ebay, I decided to take a chance on this unit:

http://cgi.ebay.com/0-5-Watt-FM-Stereo-Radio-Transmitter-LCD-Antenna-meter_W0QQitemZ330004709865QQihZ014QQcategoryZ4675QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

With a scanner antenna @ 50ohms and .5mw, I'm getting a SOLID 1/2 mile range with really good audio performance (indistinguishable from a commercial station) in town.

I wound up sniping it for about $150.00, but it has a built in antenna tuner, you can simply set power and frequency outputs, and is nearly impossible to blow up, even if you forgot to attach the antenna before plugging it in.


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kb9nvh wrote:

Have you tried this in mono mode to see how far you can get?

I have not, I was plenty happy with the range in stereo, and want it to sound as good as possible.

This looks like a nice unit and I agree, there is really no cheap (legal) way to do FM (and get the range you need), unfortunatly. So far, so good, thanks.

I think the antenna setup gets overlooked a lot. Just flexing the coax on mine changes the ohms drastically, another reason I like having the built in meter, makes tuning a snap.

kingshootr wrote:
I've looked and looked, and had come to the conclusion there is no "cheap" way to get good stereo with any decent range.

After Googling and searching ebay, I decided to take a chance on this unit:

http://cgi.ebay.com/0-5-Watt-FM-Stereo-Radio-Transmitter-LCD-Antenna-meter_W0QQitemZ330004709865QQihZ014QQcategoryZ4675QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

With a scanner antenna @ 50ohms and .5mw, I'm getting a SOLID 1/2 mile range with really good audio performance (indistinguishable from a commercial station) in town.

I wound up sniping it for about $150.00, but it has a built in antenna tuner, you can simply set power and frequency outputs, and is nearly impossible to blow up, even if you forgot to attach the antenna before plugging it in.


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kb9nvh wrote:

Well, the mod would NOT be legal unless the transmitter met the FCC guidelines after it was done.

The way I read the FCC rules, They dont specify anything about the radio other than it cant have a removeable antenna.

The FFC rule (as I remember it) was that your transmitted signal can not be more than x number of uvolts at a distance of 100ft. Pretty much takes the hardware out of the equation. You can have a 1KW transmitter but it better not be stronger than x number of uvolts 100 ft away or your violating the law.

The Ramsey kits are illegal to use in the US also since they are too strong unless you attenuate somehow. Not many of us have the equipment to determine if our transmitter are too strong though.

I have heard about some "legal" FM transmitters that are stronger than allowed by law (XM skyfi2 has just been implicated in this). I thought the CCranes was one of them (at least after the mod). Maybe the newer versions are not "modable"

Transmitting MONO helps alot in getting extra signal strength I'm not sure why but I think it has to do with the power not getting divided by 2 for the second channel. (I'm sure its more complex than this).

Does someone have a link to the FCC rules regarding this?


Here's the FCC's link to low power broadcasting http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/lowpwr.html
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That a good link for "Low Power Broadcast Radio Stations" rules, unfortunatly, most cant get a license to do this (only churches and non-profits that have been in business a few years).
I was thinking about the "unlicensed" FM transmitter rules actually.

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Thanks :-)

I think this looks like it might apply to the ramsey folks and might give somewhat of an out if problems arise when using the homebuilt system.

[align=left]Home-Built Transmitters that are Not for Sale[/align]
[align=left]Hobbyists, inventors and other parties that design and build Part 15 transmitters with[/align]
[align=left]no intention of ever marketing them may construct and operate up to five such[/align]
[align=left]transmitters for their own personal use without having to obtain FCC equipment[/align]
[align=left]authorization. If possible, these transmitters should be tested for compliance with the[/align]
[align=left]Commission's rules. If such testing is not practicable, their designers and builders are[/align]
[align=left]required to employ good engineering practices in order to ensure compliance with the[/align]
[align=left]Part 15 standards.[/align]
[align=left]Section 15.23[/align]
[align=left]Home-built transmitters, like all Part 15 transmitters, are not allowed to cause[/align]
[align=left]interference to licensed radio communications and must accept any interference that[/align]
[align=left]they receive. If a home-built Part 15 transmitter does cause interference to licensed[/align]
[align=left]radio communications, the Commission will require its operator to cease operation[/align]
[align=left]until the interference problem is corrected. Furthermore, if the Commission determines[/align]
[align=left]that the operator of such a transmitter has not attempted to ensure compliance with the[/align]
[align=left]Part 15 technical standards by employing good engineering practices then that operator[/align]
[align=left]may be fined up to $10,000 for each violation and $75,000 for a repeat or continuing[/align]
[align=left]violation.[/align]
[align=left]Section 15.5[/align]
[align=left]47 U.S.C. 503[/align]
[align=left]Operating a prototype of a product that is ultimately intended for market is not[/align]
[align=left]considered "personal use." Thus, a party that designs and builds a transmitter with[/align]
[align=left]plans to mass produce and market a future version of it must obtain an experimental[/align]
[align=left]license from the FCC in order to operate the transmitter for any purpose other than[/align]
[align=left]testing for compliance with the Part 15 technical standards. Information on[/align]
[align=left]experimental licenses may be obtained from the contact point listed in the Additional[/align]
[align=left]Information section of this bulletin. FCC authorization is not required in order to test[/align]
[align=left]a transmitter for compliance with the Part 15 technical standards.[/align]

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If it's A Christmas display that your useing it for this works quite well

image.php?productid=50It will brodcast two doors down and across the street, anything more is just a wast. visitors seeing my display have to be close enough to read the sign that tells them what freq. to tune into.

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I'm thinking of attempting to have a festival of lights thing in our town park and in my mind I envision lines of cars waiting to go through. I would be nice for those waiting to be able to tune in also.

My other thought on this is to have several very low power transmitters, one in front of each animated display (there would be several stops with a different theme) to narrate or play a differnent audio track for each. If the transmitter was low power enough then as you got in front of each display, its audio track would overpower the last. If this was for a nativity then this method would for sure meet my church's expectation of "nothing hinting at illegality" like an overpowered transmitter..:-)

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