Xref: utzoo rec.radio.shortwave:6555 rec.radio.amateur.misc:1097 sci.electronics:18915 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!samsung!umich!sharkey!lopez!flash From: flash@lopez.UUCP (Gary Bourgois) Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave,rec.radio.amateur.misc,rec.radio.noncom,sci.electronics Subject: Re: The RAMSEY FM-10 STEREO TRANSMITTER KIT REVIEW (Longish) Message-ID: <1991Mar29.180531.2137@lopez.UUCP> Date: 29 Mar 91 18:05:31 GMT References: <1991Mar27.061649.17157@lopez.UUCP> <1991Mar27.235352.17436@informix.com> Organization: Great White North/UPLink Lines: 76 In article <1991Mar27.235352.17436@informix.com> randall@informix.com (Randall Rhea) writes: >I big thank-you to Gary for his outstanding review of the Ramsey FM >Stereo transmitter. You be more than welcome.... >I have had the following problems: >1) I cannot get the thing to work on frequencies above 98 MHz. You have >a choice of three capacitors to solder into the unit depending on the >frequency range you want. Only the capacitor designed for the low end of >the band seems to work. Mine is on 100.1, which used to be used here, but the station moved (to add more power) I used the capacitor supplied for the TOP of the band (there are three to chose from, so do your research first before you solder it in). Mine came on at 102.3 so I had to tune it DOWN. I think your problem is probably just localized to your particular unit. You might try purchasing a replacement capacitor from radio shack. >2) That little variable capacitor that controls the subcarrier is indeed >important. You need to be very patient in adjusting this thing, or your >receiver's stereo light will not come on. Well like I said, MINE came on IN STEREO (believe it or not) but you have to tune it slowly because there is only 5% of the range of the adjustment that works. >3) Getting the transmitter tuned to exactly the right frequency is >not easy. You need a TV alignment tool and a lot of patience. On >modern digital FM receivers, such as my car stereo, you will not get the >stereo light to come on unless you've got the transmitter tuned correctly. I did not have a TV alignment tool and at 3:25AM no way to get one. I busted a tine of a plastic fork, and it worked PERFECTLY. I have noticed the following though: The unit does drift slightly, and your antenna loads the tank circuit somewhat. Depending on which antenna I use, the unit will shift frequency. A bigger antenna puts the signal higher in the band. >4) Finding an open frequency in the SF area, or any large metropolitan >area, is very difficult. This of course is not a problem with the >transmitter, but it can reduce its usefulness. Well no such problem here. We have only four stations, and they are all horrible. Now the RAMSEY is my FAVORITE local station (I am sure the neighbors don't agree, since the format is so CHANGEABLE :-) >I hooked the transmitter to a 2-meter ham J-pole antenna on the roof, >and found that its range was about 1/2 mile. If I built an antenna >that was tuned to 88 MHz, I could probably increase its range. I started with the indoor ground plane, and loved the nice solkd signal all over the house and yard. UNTIL one of my ham friends a mile away and over a hill said the signal was copyable on his ZENITH TRANS-OCEANIC with indoor antenna. This was during some weird weather, so that might have had something to do with it, but I immediately made a smaller antenna to keep the signal on my own block. Now it is a little noisy in the computer room on my walkman, but at least the FCC won't be trying to find the location of the "weird" station, hi. If I had a field strength meter, and could verify that it was indeed 250 microvolts at one meter away (I kinda think it was, but did not want to take chances) -- =Marquette MI: It's Not the END of the world, but you can see it from here= == Gary Bourgois flash@lopez (rutgers!sharkey!lopez!flash) GWN UPLink == == 3.950 Nationwide Amateur Radio Nightly after 0200z=Learning Channel == =============== WB8EOH = The Eccentric Old Hippie = WB8EOH ================