Hi,

I am thinking about getting a low power AM transmitter to cover my house, about 1100 square foot ranch. I would like to get some of the old radio programs on CD and listen to them on my Sparton Junior and other radios.

Does anyone have any experience/recommendations with the off the shelf low power transmitters?

Thanks.

I you don't mind building a kit, the SStans AMT3000 works great. See: http://www.sstran.com/ for details. I use mine to get Big Band and Swing music off one of the cable channels and it has great fidelity. Nothing like some Benny Goodman on a vintage radio.
Steve

:I you don't mind building a kit, the SStans AMT3000 works great. See: http://www.sstran.com/ for details. I use mine to get Big Band and Swing music off one of the cable channels and it has great fidelity. Nothing like some Benny Goodman on a vintage radio.
:Steve
:
If you g back a few years, I guess it is, we had quite a discussion about AM transmitters on this forum. There is a thing called L'il 7. Also, try "Bunker of Doom". Somewhere in all that guy's craziness is an excellent little AM transmitter.

I cheated, and got a FM transmitter for cars, and converted that to internet headphones, so I can listen to old music all over the house on FM. Someday, I hope to become honest and listen to them on AM like you ought to.
Lewis

:I you don't mind building a kit, the SStans AMT3000 works great. See: http://www.sstran.com/ for details. I use mine to get Big Band and Swing music off one of the cable channels and it has great fidelity. Nothing like some Benny Goodman on a vintage radio.
:Steve
:
Mark from Kalamazoo

::I you don't mind building a kit, the SStans AMT3000 works great. See: http://www.sstran.com/ for details. I use mine to get Big Band and Swing music off one of the cable channels and it has great fidelity. Nothing like some Benny Goodman on a vintage radio.
::Steve
::
:
:Mike: I've got the same transmitter and it works well. You have to assemble it, but it's not too hard. Just get those reading glasses out...
:Mark from Kalamazoo
:

HI Mike

Before you decide to build a transmitter search here:

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

Look for items about 6888, 6LE8 and 6GY6 tubes. There is plenty of information. If you have questions ask..

Norm

:::I you don't mind building a kit, the SStans AMT3000 works great. See: http://www.sstran.com/ for details. I use mine to get Big Band and Swing music off one of the cable channels and it has great fidelity. Nothing like some Benny Goodman on a vintage radio.
:::Steve
:::
::
::Mike: I've got the same transmitter and it works well. You have to assemble it, but it's not too hard. Just get those reading glasses out...
::Mark from Kalamazoo
::
:Thanks for all the replies guys. I searched the forum and came up with a bunch of information. Looks like the sstran may be the winner. I might try the L'il 7 though.
:
:

:I you don't mind building a kit, the SStans AMT3000 works great. See: http://www.sstran.com/ for details. I use mine to get Big Band and Swing music off one of the cable channels and it has great fidelity. Nothing like some Benny Goodman on a vintage radio.
:Steve
:

:I you don't mind building a kit, the SStans AMT3000 works great. See: http://www.sstran.com/ for details. I use mine to get Big Band and Swing music off one of the cable channels and it has great fidelity. Nothing like some Benny Goodman on a vintage radio.
:Steve
:

Here is a link to one AM transmitter. It's a kit form with a single tube in it.

http://www.tubesandmore.com/

Hi Mike,
I have one thing to warn against.

I got a hold of two 1960's vintage baby monitors. Like radios their capacitors were shot, so I re-capped them.
I modified them to take the input from a CD player. One for left chanel and one for right
Then I got an Airline Miracle radio on one side of the room and a Zenith 5S127 on the other side to play stereo.
Results were awful. First, the fidelity is poor because they were meant to broadcast baby crying and fidelity is unnecessary for that. Second, AM has so much electronic noise on it now that it was impossible to find a channel that doesn't have a staion or noise on it.
For the second reason they don't work well as baby monitors anymore, either.

Best Regards,

Bill Grimm

I have the SSTRAIN AM transmitter for over a year, it has great fidelity and covers the house with no problem. If the signal is strong enough you will not hear much static. I don't think compairing it to a baby monitor is a fair comparison. Assembly is quite easy but you do need good eyes, but the last time I looked they also sold a wired unit. I have never heard of anybody having complaints about this unit.

Bob Z

:Hi Mike,
: I have one thing to warn against.
:
: I got a hold of two 1960's vintage baby monitors. Like radios their capacitors were shot, so I re-capped them.
: I modified them to take the input from a CD player. One for left chanel and one for right
: Then I got an Airline Miracle radio on one side of the room and a Zenith 5S127 on the other side to play stereo.
: Results were awful. First, the fidelity is poor because they were meant to broadcast baby crying and fidelity is unnecessary for that. Second, AM has so much electronic noise on it now that it was impossible to find a channel that doesn't have a staion or noise on it.
: For the second reason they don't work well as baby monitors anymore, either.
:
:Best Regards,
:
:Bill Grimm
:

My only experience is with the SSTRAN. (Well, I take that back. I built one from an Allied Radio kit in the 1950s. It came with a mic, and I had visions of setting up a neighborhood radio station, selling ads, covering neighborhood news, etc. But, I digress.)

The SSTRAN is a solid-state design, very stable. I like its precise frequency selection and the ability to control audio compression.
Doug

:My only experience is with the SSTRAN. (Well, I take that back. I built one from an Allied Radio kit in the 1950s. It came with a mic, and I had visions of setting up a neighborhood radio station, selling ads, covering neighborhood news, etc. But, I digress.)
:
:The SSTRAN is a solid-state design, very stable. I like its precise frequency selection and the ability to control audio compression.
:Doug
:
SStrans hands down I use my unit nightly. I have been thinking about beefing it up, just a couple small changes needed and it can transmit up to a couple miles. It's in the instruction booklet. They have instructions on building an antenna also. My unit covers the house with no problem. I listen to (loudcity radio dismuke) google it, they play music from the 1920's/30's great stuff. I come out of the headphone jack on my computer and into the SStrans, broadcast on channel 950 and all's wonderful. Pay the few extra dollars and get the 16 pin component already installed. Best Regards, George T
:

::My only experience is with the SSTRAN. (Well, I take that back. I built one from an Allied Radio kit in the 1950s. It came with a mic, and I had visions of setting up a neighborhood radio station, selling ads, covering neighborhood news, etc. But, I digress.)
::
::The SSTRAN is a solid-state design, very stable. I like its precise frequency selection and the ability to control audio compression.
::Doug
::
:SStrans hands down I use my unit nightly. I have been thinking about beefing it up, just a couple small changes needed and it can transmit up to a couple miles. It's in the instruction booklet. They have instructions on building an antenna also. My unit covers the house with no problem. I listen to (loudcity radio dismuke) google it, they play music from the 1920's/30's great stuff. I come out of the headphone jack on my computer and into the SStrans, broadcast on channel 950 and all's wonderful. Pay the few extra dollars and get the 16 pin component already installed. Best Regards, George T
::
:

:Hi,
:
:I am thinking about getting a low power AM transmitter to cover my house, about 1100 square foot ranch. I would like to get some of the old radio programs on CD and listen to them on my Sparton Junior and other radios.
:
:Does anyone have any experience/recommendations with the off the shelf low power transmitters?
:
:Thanks.
:
I have had an SSTRAN in continuous operation for about a year now. I broadcast the streaming audio feed from a New Orleans noncommercial, all music radio station to the sets around my house.
As others have attested, it has great fidelity, coverage, and is reliable.
I am considering building the coil loaded antenna to extend the coverage to my outbuilding, and beyond.

::Hi,
::
::I am thinking about getting a low power AM transmitter to cover my house, about 1100 square foot ranch. I would like to get some of the old radio programs on CD and listen to them on my Sparton Junior and other radios.
::
::Does anyone have any experience/recommendations with the off the shelf low power transmitters?
::
::Thanks.
::
:
:
:I have had an SSTRAN in continuous operation for about a year now. I broadcast the streaming audio feed from a New Orleans noncommercial, all music radio station to the sets around my house.
:As others have attested, it has great fidelity, coverage, and is reliable.
:I am considering building the coil loaded antenna to extend the coverage to my outbuilding, and beyond.
:

Hi Mike

The 1'st stage of a AA5 radio could be modified to be used as a transmitter. A 12SA7 or 12BE6 can be used in a phono oscillator circuit. AES and others sell kits using a similar circuit.

Several problems. Signal will be fairly weak and distorts easily. With much modulation the output frequenct will shift causing FM distortion. You don't want FM on an AM signal.

Suggest anyone interested search through Homebrew section on AntiqueRadios.com.

Norm

:::Hi,
:::
:::I am thinking about getting a low power AM transmitter to cover my house, about 1100 square foot ranch. I would like to get some of the old radio programs on CD and listen to them on my Sparton Junior and other radios.
:::
:::Does anyone have any experience/recommendations with the off the shelf low power transmitters?
:::
:::Thanks.
:::
::
::
::I have had an SSTRAN in continuous operation for about a year now. I broadcast the streaming audio feed from a New Orleans noncommercial, all music radio station to the sets around my house.
::As others have attested, it has great fidelity, coverage, and is reliable.
::I am considering building the coil loaded antenna to extend the coverage to my outbuilding, and beyond.
::
:
:Maybe I'm out in left field on this but has anyone ever tried using the first stage of an AA5 radio for a cheap and ready xmitter? It seems that with few mods it might work.
: