Hey, all: I have seen some discussion in this forum regarding transmitters so that you can create your own station to listen to on your vintage receivers. My question is, how well do they work? Is the sound quality worth it? Obviously, it is AM, so it won't be any better than a what a commercial station transmits, but is it close? I am thinking about buying one due to the shrinking number of options for music. I understand that the power level is low to comply with FCC. Does that affect the quality of the sound? Mark from Kalamazoo

Mark: To comply with FCC rules, the transmitter must comply with "Part 15" regulations, and have less than 100 milliwatts output. There's also a limit on antenna height. If you tune them to a blank frequency, you should be able to receive it anywhere in your house. Knight-Kit and Lafayette used to sell them and the single tube transmitters show up on Ebay from time to time. A newer solid state version with synthesized tuning is available in kit form from Ramsey Electronics and other companies (see their website at: http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/). They have 2 versions available from $35 or $100 for the fancier model. For a lot less money, you can also buy the parts yourself and follow the plans on the Antique Radio website at: http://www.antiqueradio.org/transmitter.htm. It uses a 117L7 or 117M7 tube.
Steve

Mark

Might like to search here:

http://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=12

You can search for 6888 or transmitter. I suggest using a crystal oscillator. A tunable oscillator will cause FM distortion when it's modulated.

Norm

:Mark: To comply with FCC rules, the transmitter must comply with "Part 15" regulations, and have less than 100 milliwatts output. There's also a limit on antenna height. If you tune them to a blank frequency, you should be able to receive it anywhere in your house. Knight-Kit and Lafayette used to sell them and the single tube transmitters show up on Ebay from time to time. A newer solid state version with synthesized tuning is available in kit form from Ramsey Electronics and other companies (see their website at: http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/). They have 2 versions available from $35 or $100 for the fancier model. For a lot less money, you can also buy the parts yourself and follow the plans on the Antique Radio website at: http://www.antiqueradio.org/transmitter.htm. It uses a 117L7 or 117M7 tube.
:Steve
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Thanks for the replies. I will do the search you suggest. But, has anyone had any direct experience with these transmitters and, if so, what it the sound quality like? I don't want to waste my time and money on something that is going to sound like two cans with some string in between! Thanks everyone. Mark from Kalamazoo

:Thanks for the replies. I will do the search you suggest. But, has anyone had any direct experience with these transmitters and, if so, what it the sound quality like? I don't want to waste my time and money on something that is going to sound like two cans with some string in between! Thanks everyone. Mark from Kalamazoo

::Thanks for the replies. I will do the search you suggest. But, has anyone had any direct experience with these transmitters and, if so, what it the sound quality like? I don't want to waste my time and money on something that is going to sound like two cans with some string in between! Thanks everyone. Mark from Kalamazoo

They can sound very good, it's up to you, percent of modulation is very important, too low is weak sounding and too high will distort. Frequency responce of audio is completely up to the users choice of componants, but over all they can sound very good.

:Thanks for the replies. I will do the search you suggest. But, has anyone had any direct experience with these transmitters and, if so, what it the sound quality like? I don't want to waste my time and money on something that is going to sound like two cans with some string in between! Thanks everyone. Mark from Kalamazoo

My two cents worth, as an old radio engineer, we used a TRF receiver at our downtown studios, and the quality was excellent, with reception thru all the equipment and the telephone lines to the transmitter, and back at the studio in excess of 12 KHZ., However, getting more than 5 or 6 KHz through the IF amplifier of a radio was impossible. I would think that a homebrew transmitter will put out better sounding music than a radio will receive.
Lewis