FM Transmitter for Broadcasting Music

Melb69 on 06/03/2019 - 07:17
Last edited 09/03/2019 - 14:11

Wanting to transmit some music around the house and outdoors. Is there any issue with the broadcast channel I use and range. Obviously you can't use a licensed commercial radio channel. Was saying like use 104.2 seem to be free. I am in Melbourne. Does anyone see any issues?

There's this unit with the current specs.
FM LCD 7W Transmitter Stereo Broadcast Radio Station 76~108MHz Full Kit CZH-7C. This one seems to be able to transmit a long distance though. At least 1km. It does have a power setting, so can shorten the signal.

Thanking everyone in advance for your comments.

UPDATE:

We can close this post out.
Sounds like its ok to use the 10mW and on a channel not used by anyone near by.

Thanks all that commented.

Electrical & Electronics FM Transmitter

Comments

  • boomramada on 06/03/2019 - 09:08
    +2

    Why you want to do that when you can listen to the music via streaming these days?

  • akaakmdm on 06/03/2019 - 09:16
    +4

    Irrespective of whether you're on the same channel as a commercial station, I believe you're legally restricted to using equipment with a rated signal power limit below 10µw according to this source (https://auschristmaslighting.com/wiki/FM-Broadcasting). I doubt the ACMA will hunt you down or anything but you never know.

    If you're just transmitting around the house and outside, is there any reason why you don't want to use a wifi based solution? The sound quality is probably going to be better, assuming you set it up properly.

    • Melb69 on 06/03/2019 - 13:20

      So it looks like you can transmit as long as its in the low range and not interfering with other broadcasts in area. Also an option for special users to pay to gain increased signal.

      Want to beable to use old radio rather than an internet one.

      • pjetson on 06/03/2019 - 13:37
        +3

        Just remember that 10µw is seven hundred thousand times less power than the 7 watts that your transmitter can provide.

  • djkelly69 on 06/03/2019 - 09:36
    +4

    Are you connecting this to your Walkman, or do you have a MiniDisc player?

    • Melb69 on 06/03/2019 - 13:25

      Probably a cd player. Yeah I know. Old school.

  • Skramit on 06/03/2019 - 09:48
    +4

    Seems like a difficult way to do it. Ever heard of WiFi?

  • pjetson on 06/03/2019 - 11:10

    Does anyone see any issues?

    Other than it being against the law? And subject to fines as large as $200,000? A quick google finds this, which shows that people are being found and fined:

    https://www.google.com/search?q=%2Bsite%3A.au+unlicenced+fm+…

    • Melb69 on 06/03/2019 - 13:22
      -3

      Fair enough if your broadcasting a full on station I would expect a door knock. Not if your just plugging in a cd player to it so you can listen to it in your backyard. This unit you can also use a mic so can call out to backyard if need be.

      • pjetson on 06/03/2019 - 13:30
        +1

        It's the act of broadcasting without a licence that is the issue, not what you plug into the transmitter or whether it's intended only to cover your own back yard.

        If you don't have a licence, you're doing the wrong thing and if you're found, you'll be fined.

        Why not use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth?

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 06/03/2019 - 14:12
    +5

    At first I thought this might have been an archived post from 2004.

    I was wrong.

  • TwentyTwoCarats on 06/03/2019 - 14:38

    I'm just imagining a family singing songs to each other over the mic input and streaming it in different rooms like some weird horror/thriller

    Are you trying to tap into Insidious demons?

  • qwerty on 06/03/2019 - 17:29

    Cant you broadcast on cb radio ?

  • ozzie freddo on 06/03/2019 - 21:12

    What you need is CAT.NO: KJ8114
    from Jaycar. No licence is required and it should have the range you are after.

    • Melb69 on 06/03/2019 - 21:55

      All good except I would have to put it together. No spec about it either.

  • Melb69 on 06/03/2019 - 21:59

    On another note. There's this guy down the street who has a commodore and it has all these radio antennas on it. Would that be the radio police. Unmarked.

    • pjetson on 07/03/2019 - 13:31

      The car is attracting attention by having antennas all over it - that doesn't sound much like an unmarked car to me.

      Could be the "radio police", though. Perhaps they saw your posts here?

  • alvian on 09/03/2019 - 02:28

    Is there any issue with the broadcast channel I use and range. Obviously you can't use a licensed commercial radio channel. Was saying like use 104.2 seem to be free. I am in Melbourne. Does anyone see any issues?

    You have contradicted yourself within two sentences. You obviously knew that you can't broadcast on a licensed frequency at the range and power that transmitter provides, yet you chose to ask about 104.2 MHz which is a clearly a commercially licensed frequency and you want to send the signal omnidirectionally more than 1 km away. That is enough to cover a small neighbourhood.

    The only legal way you can broadcast on 104.2 MHz unlicensed is to use a battery powered in-car FM transmitter, with a range of less than 10 metres. The transmitter you asked about is too powerful, and the broadcast radius of more than 1 km is way too large for the unlicensed class.

    • Melb69 on 09/03/2019 - 03:54

      Well that is the question. Thought that channel was not a commercial one. I suspect you can't use 104.2 for a short distance either as it may interfere with others listening to that station.

      • alvian on 09/03/2019 - 07:55

        10 micro watts is the limit. That's how those in-car FM audio adapters are okay to use by any car driver. The transmitted signal should barely reach the next car. It is sufficient for an indoor room and perhaps the next, depending on the antennae. Give them a try first, they only cost a few dollars and you don't need to solder them together.

        That Jaycar kit, when combined with antennae, can reach the whole house. I have constructed a similar transmitter myself.

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