About
Community
Bad Ideas
Drugs
Ego
Erotica
Fringe
Society
Technology
Broadcast Technology
Cable and Satellite Television Hacks
Radio Free Amerika
Radio Scanner Frequency Lists
register | bbs | search | rss | faq | about
meet up | add to del.icio.us | digg it

The FM- 10 transmitter


NOTICE: TO ALL CONCERNED Certain text files and messages contained on this site deal with activities and devices which would be in violation of various Federal, State, and local laws if actually carried out or constructed. The webmasters of this site do not advocate the breaking of any law. Our text files and message bases are for informational purposes only. We recommend that you contact your local law enforcement officials before undertaking any project based upon any information obtained from this or any other web site. We do not guarantee that any of the information contained on this system is correct, workable, or factual. We are not responsible for, nor do we assume any liability for, damages resulting from the use of any information on this site.

WB8EOH Gizmo Report
(Very Long)

The Ramsey FM-10 is a low power FM stereo transmitter kit that is
easy
to build and has many practical applications around the home and
ham/swl shack. After living with one for several weeks, I could
never
go back to life before I acquired this little "freedom machine".
The
audio quality and stability of the signal give the unit many HI
FI
type applications, and indeed I am already planning to buy
another
unit to patch into the Audio/Video system.

Egad, you mean you have to BUILD this thing?

When my XYL saw that this package I had spent fifty bucks on
consisted
of a couple of polyethylene bags full of plastic bugs and little
metalic button like pieces, she shook her head in dismay. Though
I
tinker with computer and radio gizmos all day long, I will admit
that
the past 20 years have seen me become an "appliance operator"
more
content to sit back and PLAY than get in there and tear into the
circuitry, much less build something from scratch. Well, the
folks at
Ramsey have honed the art of kitbuilding, and even a klutz like
me CAN
have the satisfaction (like in the old Heath ads) to say "I built
it
myself".

Constructing the FM-10 was in part a happy trip down memory lane.
In
my distant youth, one of my happiest memories was the
construction and
operation of an Allied Radio Knight Kit #83Y706 three tube AM
Phono
Oscillator. This wonderful little gadget paved the way not only
for
my interest in Ham radio, but also got me interested in
broadcasting,
a field which put bread on the table for many years. Well in the
more
than 30 years between the two kits, things sure have changed.

First right off, don't even think about dragging out the old
Weller
soldering gun and the old roll of Kester solder. First thing I
had to
do was borrow a low wattage iron, and get some super thin solder.
The
Lifetime Supply of solder I bought in 1968 (five pounds) was fine
for
antenna work, and gobbing up audio connectors, but the old stuff
is
actually WIDER than many of the separate connections on the FM-10
PC
board. EGAD these components are TINY.

Kudos to Ramsey for the way their whole concept. The manual is
very
well written. My only problem was I did not get the companion
booklet
on how to build a kit (the generic HOW TO SOLDER book). Well I
hoped
that the instructions that came with my 1957 Knight Kit still
applied,
because I remember them. Heat the component, don't glob it all
over
the place, and try not to melt the PC board. I was on my own to
develop a technique. Ramsey even takes this into account by
having
you mount some of the larger "landmark" components first, namely
three
RCA jacks (left and right audio and the antenna jack).

Now I wanted this thing to work. I would not be able to face
Elaine
if it became necessary to send the completed unworking mess back
to
Ramsey for their $18 an hour bail-you-out plan. So I took
absolutely
extrordinary steps. With a (borrowed) digital meter, I measured
every
resistor, even though Ramsey gives the color code for each one in
the
manual as you install it.

One of the nicest touches is the GIANT print of the PC board,
upon
which you place all the components in the same place they will go
in
the final kit. I did this with most of the components, except
for the
multitude of .01 capacitors, which I left neatly together (Ramsey
uses a masking tape type type medium for keeping similar value
components together).

The scariest moment for me was soldering in the 18 pin DIP socket
that
houses the heart of the kit, a ROHM stereo transmitter on a chip.
We
are talking TEENY TINY little pins separated by seeming microns.
EGAD. After each dot of solder, I held the PC board a quarter
inch
from my eyeballs to make sure there were no solder bridges. And
I
measured all the components with the Digital meter a second time
before installing each one. You probably won't take these
extrordinary steps, which make the simple kit an all night
project.

But it was a FUN night. The scent of melting tin/led/rosin...
The
occaisional absolutely PERFECT joint... Kitbuilding is not only
an
art, it is positively a cosmic experience. It is relaxing,
creative,
and there is the anticipation of all the wonderful things you
will do
with your kit upon completion.

3:25AM

Ah. The moment of truth.

Connect the nine volt battery, push the power switch, and TUNE
around
on the FM radio to find the carrier.

And I found.......

NOTHING.

It did not work.

Now this is where we separate the men from the boys. How well
you
manage not to throw the thing through the window.

So I went back through the whole manual. checked EVERY joint.
Eyeballed EACH component. I could find NOTHING wrong.

Elaine came into the shack as I was holding the PC board. I
hated to
admit defeat. But I told her it did not work.... yet.

She held the board and looked at it with wonder. She could not
believe that I had placed each of the little parts in their
places.
She told me I would figure out what was wrong with it.

The next day, I went through the manual again. I took voltage
measurements, and found all the proper voltages on the chip and
RF
amplifier. I was stymied.

Then I looked very closely at the OTHER side of the board. I
stared
at the ROHM chip, which Elaine had called a "train trestle".
Hmmm. I
wonder if I pushed on the chip if it would go in any farther.

Push. Click. It snapped into place.

I pushed the power switch, turned on the FM radio, and found a
nice
clean carrier at 102.3, with the stereo light blazing away in
pure
clear silence.

Hot DAWG it WORKS!

First thing I did was to move the frequency. Since it was
transmitting on top of one of the local stations, this seemed in
order. Ramsey's manual stresses the importance of selecting a
clear
channel so as not to bring the wrath of neighbors and the FCC.
Up
here in the boonies, there is a tremendous clear swath from about
98
Mhz to 102 mhz. (I plan to pouplate it).

The next thing required is adjustment of the subcarrier frequency
and
stereo balance. Surprisingly mine was already right on for the
subcarrier adjustment, and I found out that this adjustment is
actually pretty critical. There is a test point if you have a
freq
counter to get it exactly on 19khz, but it can be done by just
turning
the little variable capacitor until the stereo light goes on.

The "stereo balance" control takes a bit of explaining. This is
not a
simple LEFT-RIGHT adjustment, but actually adjustment of the
level of
left MINUS right. It is more of a separation adjustment, and
also
seems to have a real effect on tonal quality. It took quite a
bit of
diddling to get it right, and there seems to be some interaction
between the two controls, as the stereo light will go out just
when
you think you have the sound right... The end result is a
surprising
quality signal with amazing separation. However, one thing to
make
note of... The RM-10 is designed with NO audio level controls.
This
is a bit of an oversight, because when using it with components
that
have fixed level output, the unit is prone to overmodulation.
You
MUST be able to lower the audio level of whatever it is you are
feeding to the tranmitter, as it is too sensitive with EVERY
component
I tried connecting direct. Once you get the level under control,
though, it actually sounds better than many local FM stations
because
the signal is not run through all sorts of "Enhancers" that
broadcasters use to be the loudest thing on the band. I did find
though that adding an audio limiter (an old DBX 119) really
helped
tame the overmodulation problem.

I finished the project by mounting it in the $12.95 Ramsey Kit
cabinet. OK, this is where the Ramsey guys make a few bucks. It
does
give the kit a finished look, but I would have to say that this
is a
bit dear for a simple plastic case. I think the next one will
be
built into a VIDEOTAPE plastic case or other cheapo cabinet.

One oversight is that there is no hole in the cabinet for the
whip
antenna which mounts to the circuit board. Ramsey suggests
constructing a dipole or groundplane antenna, which I did
initially in
the final installation in my hamshack. I have since stopped
using
this antenna however (more on why later)

OK NOW WHAT CAN I DO WITH THIS LITTLE GADGET

Ramsey gives many practical applications in the manual. I found
the
unit handy for listening to MDS stereo TV on a little sony
walkman in
the wee hours without having to run headphone cords. Remote
listening
of ANYTHING on your main stereo system in any room in your home
by
just tuning the radio is just ONE thing the kit can be used for.

My own application is a bit unique. I have the FM-10 in my
ham/swl
shack, and it is connected to a stereo mixer, to which I have
several
receivers patched in. I am a communications junkie and often in
the
shack I listen to several things at once. The only problem is
that
one can not stay in ones hamshack all day long. Well with the
FM-10
and a pocket stereo receiver, you can monitor whatever you wish
in
your home or yard. Now since the Ramsey Kit is a STEREO
transmitter,
you can do what I do (if you are insane enough) I have a 2 meter
rig
on the LEFT channel, scanner on the RIGHT channel, and the HF rig
panned dead center. The ears and the brain manage to sort it all
out.
I feel sorry for any of the neighbors who happen to tune in when
in
this configuration (when I am in my active monitoring mode).

No Code, No License, No Kidding It's LEGAL

Now speaking of neighbors, lets focus for a moment on the
LEGALITY of
using this kit under part 15 of the FCC rules. In 1989, the FCC
revised part 15, changing the way the measurements are taken to
determine if a device is legal. The new standard is: 250
microvolts
per meter. A calibrated Field Strength Meter is needed to make
sure
the signal complies with this regulation (FCC rule 15.239).
Beyond
this, part 15 requires that the unit produce no interference to
licensed stations. Basically those are the rules. What you put
on
the device is YOUR business. It comes under the same type of
regulation as cordless phones, baby monitors, and walkie talkies.
the
only difference is that this unit operates in a BROADCAST band
rather
than a semi-hidden part of the spectrum like the others.

The Ramsey manual has a chart that shows that even if one
complies
FULLY with this measurement, the transmitter has a surprising
range.
Doing the math of the inverse square law, we find that there is
still
.41 microvolts at 5000 feet from the transmitter, nearly a mile.
Since the Ramsey kit has a FINAL AMPLIFIER, it is much more
powerful
than a similar kit sold by another manufacturer which uses the
chip
output only (that one can be heard well within only 20 feet). I
found
that the kit with a dipole antenna cut to the operating frequency
has
TOO MUCH range for my own use. Those who wish to "Play DJ" might
be
interested in running the recommended dipole antenna (making
CERTAIN
they make the Field Strength Measurement) to get the maximum
range out
of the unit. I found that just a small piece of wire gives me
all the
coverage in my home that I need.

For someone interested in providing a broadcast type service, to
a
college dorm, appartment complex or local neighborhood (Legally
the
signal can be quite loud over a quarter mile away) It can be
legally
done under part 15 of the present FCC rules (as ammended in June
of
1989) by simply adding a mixer, microphone, and sound sources to
the
Ramsey Kit.

An application I am considering is connecting the audio output of
my
new satellite system and tuning it to the BBC audio feed and just
leave it run that way when I am not using the dish for other
purposes.
This way I can enjoy BBC in FM quality and so can my immediate
neighbors. Now before the flames begin, please remember that
copyrights, etc, do not apply to part 15 transmissions. You can
put
on ANYTHING you want. Just as if you were listening on closed
circuit
speakers. The only difference is that your immediate neighbors
CAN
also enjoy the transmissions as well.

FCC RULE 15.215(a) Says: "Unless otherwise stated, there are no
restrictions as to the types of operations permitted under these
sections." This general provision *APPEARS* to leave you free to
use
the fm transmitter for just about ANY type of operation you
desire,
including becoming a "legal low power broadcaster".

Now the nitty Gritty:

RAMSEY FM-10 FM STEREO TRANSMITTER KIT

Price: Circuit Board and Components -- $29.95
Cabinet (black plastic) -- $12.95

Shipping add 6%.

Ramsey Electronics
793 Canning Parkway
Victor, NY 14564

(716) 924-4560 (Voice)
(716) 924-4555 (FAX)

o Operates from internal 9 volt battery
o Choice of onboard whip or external antenna
o Stable output, from 88 to 108 MHz
o Left and Right channel RCA line audio input jacks
o Use with Mixers, cassette or CD decks etc.
o Clear, step-by-step assembly instructions
o Helpful information on FCC rules included

TYPICAL USES:

o Extension of home stereo system without wires
o Student-operated school radio station
o Home or neighborhood radio station
o College dorm favorite music broadcast service
o Listening aid for auditoriums, churches

NOTE1: I am in NO WAY affiliated with Ramsey Electronics other
than
being one of their very satisfied customers.

NOTE2: If you plan to use the kit as a "broadcasting" service, I
would
STRONGLY SUGGEST you have the output level CERTIFIED by an
engineer assertaining for SURE it is no more than 250
microvolts per meter. This kit has an almost amazing
range,
and I imagine it could very easilly exceed LEGAL
SPECIFICATIONS
if you are not careful.


25-200MHz / 8-45W AMP
*****************************************************************
************
--------------------O input
| D1 __ |
*-------|>|---- --)|--
| R2 -- | C1 | R1
*---/\/\/-----*----------|-/\/\/---
| ^ | |
| C2 | R3 | |
*--)|-*----/\/\/----*----- |
| | |
| / |
| \ |
| / R4 |
| \ |
| | g |
| Q1 ----- |
| ----- |
| s| ^ |d L1 |
*-------------------|_| |-*-(()((-*
| < C3 L2 | |
*-----)|---*-------(()((--| C5 |
| | --)|--*
| | > output | C6 |
| --|(----O -----)|--*
| C4 |-----| |
-------------------- --- |
- +12-24V
*****************************************************************
************

SchemAsciit® (skem-as-kit) Symbols Key
========================================
> g
-|(- = trimmer capacitor -----
----- = RF power
transistor
-|(- = capacitor | ^ | g)ate s)ource
d)rain
s|_| |d
-/\/\/- = resistor
* = connection
point
-(()((- = coil
__ --|-- = jump (not
connected)
-|>|--- = Zener diode ___
-- _ = ground

Component Listing
=================
R1 - 2.5K ohm L1 - 5 turns, #18
varnished,
R2 - 20K ohm trimmer potentiometer 5/16"
inside diameter
R3 - 68 ohm
R4 - 10 ohm L2 - 3 turns, #18
varnished,
C1 - 220pF Tantalum, 35 volt 5/16"
inside diameter
C4 - 16-100pF trimmer capacitor
C2,C6 - 4.7uF Tantalum, 35 volt D1 - 1N5230 (4.7V
Zener diode)
C3 - 8-50pF trimmer capacitor
C5 - .1uF ceramic disc capacitor, 50 volt Q1 - (see chart)

Transistor Data (input --> output watts at 100MHz, 24 and 12
volts)
===============
PART # IN OUT IN OUT
------ ---- --- ---- ----
MRF134 - 0.4W --> 8W || 0.6W --> 3.5W
MRF136 - 0.4W --> 19W || 0.6W --> 8.5W
MRF137 - 1.0W --> 45W || 1.0W --> 17W
MRF138 - 1.5W --> 45W || 1.5W --> 15W
[24V] [12V]

* ASSEMBLY: Watch it with static around the TMOS transistor. It
is VERY
sensitive. If there's any static voltage difference between the
drain or
gate and the source, you can toast it! Keep it in the
static-proof bag in
which it was shipped until you're ready to install it as the LAST
component.
Then solder the source tabs first, then the gate (opposite
diagonal tab) and
drain (diagonal) tabs. (See diagram:)

S /\ __ D
\ \___/ /
/====\/MRF\/====\
| O | 137 | O | <--- mounting
flange
\====/\___/\====/
/ / \ \
G \/ \/ S

Mount the TMOS flange to a metal box with some heatsink compound.
Ground your
PCB to the same cabinet.

* TESTING: Connect the output to a dummy load which can handle
the power level
you'll be generating. Set the trimpot at mid-range and apply
your 12 or 24V.
At this point, the power transistor shouldn't get warm until you
turn the pot
up more. If it does start to warm up, turn the pot down a bit
until the temp.
remains the same or lowers. DO NOT adjust past this point. Now
feed your RF
signal to the amp's input. Use C3 (tuning) and C4 (load) to
adjust for max.
output. You may also have to readjust R2 for the best reading.
Keep and eye
on the meter for sudden jumps in output - this shouldn't happen.

* TROUBLESHOOTING: If tuning is erratic, the amp is probably
going into self-
oscillation which can be caused by insufficient grounding,
bypassing of the
power supply leads, too long of input or output wires, or too
high a bias.

* PARTS: Contact "RF Parts" at 619-744-0728 for the transistor
you choose. Ask
'em for their latest flyer, too. It's free. Your local
electronics supplier
other than Smack Shack ought to have everything else you'll need
(at least mine
does!). If not, try "Mouser Electronics" at 800-346-6873 and get
their free
catalog, too.
(BTW - The complete plans including schematic, PCB
layout, and detailed assembly instructions are available from
Panaxis Prod.
P.O. Box 130, Paradise, CA 95969. No copyright was listed on
the plans, so
I copied what little I could tolerate for you folks.)
 
To the best of our knowledge, the text on this page may be freely reproduced and distributed.
If you have any questions about this, please check out our Copyright Policy.

 

totse.com certificate signatures
 
 
About | Advertise | Bad Ideas | Community | Contact Us | Copyright Policy | Drugs | Ego | Erotica
FAQ | Fringe | Link to totse.com | Search | Society | Submissions | Technology
Hot Topics
What should I be looking for?
CNN Top of The Hour
Just got my first CB
Police Scanners?
cb?
What to do with cordless phones
Almost ready to hit the streets...
old truck raido
 
Sponsored Links
 
Ads presented by the
AdBrite Ad Network

 

TSHIRT HELL T-SHIRTS