New type of project, advice needed

[ashardin]

I know there are a lot of people here with varied backgrounds, maybe you can help me with a project I was thinking about this weekend that would be a gift for my dad.

My parents just retired down south to a rural Alabama area.  One complaint he has had is that he can't get any radio stations out there.  Now, in the house and car it isn't a problem, as they have gone to XM and in the house he can stream WGN out of Chicago.  But, the lot they are on is over 5 acres, and he is out working on mowing, light landscaping around there, etc and has nothing that he can listen too, he's told me that is gets a little boring.  Before he went down he got himself a really nice Sennheieser headphone radio that is now useless so here is my question.

Is there something I can get him and set up that will allow him to input an audio signal (probably from the sound card out of his computer) and it will broadcast a low level AM or FM signal, maybe a quarter mile radius?  The same idea as an FM modulator for car audio, that lets you tune in other audio components via fm stations on your radio.  I would like to keep it under a few hundred $$$ and know there there can be all sorts of issues with this (FCC, etc) but there are in a secluded area in the middle of nowhere.

If some has any ideas, please let me know. Thanks!

[maraxle]

Hmmm...  I think rebroadcasting a quarter mile would be illegal, so I don't think you'll find anything that will let you do that.  Well, maybe some guy in a back alley will sell you one, but that's about it.  Have you considered investing in an iPod or similar device?  Even the 4gb iPod mini will store enough music to keep your dad busy all day.

[SirPeale]

Sure, that's easy, and you can pick it up @ Wal-Mart.

It's a low-level FM transmitter.  It transmits a hundred feet or so.

I know, I know.  you're looking for a 1/2 mile.  That's where surgery comes in.

Open the unit, and take a length of wire, about three feet long.  Find where the antenna attaches, and add in the wire.  You'll boost your signal strength significantly.

Want more power?  Look on the board, you'll see a resistor inline with the antenna that limits the power output.  Either remove it and jumper it, or find a resistor with less resistance.

[maraxle]

... says Peale from the back alley.  

[SirPeale]

Heh...when I started to reply to this topic there were no replies.  You jumped in just seconds before me.

[Santoro]

Sure, that's easy, and you can pick it up @ Wal-Mart.

It's a low-level FM transmitter.  It transmits a hundred feet or so.

I know, I know.  you're looking for a 1/2 mile.  That's where surgery comes in.

Open the unit, and take a length of wire, about three feet long.  Find where the antenna attaches, and add in the wire.  You'll boost your signal strength significantly.

Want more power?  Look on the board, you'll see a resistor inline with the antenna that limits the power output.  Either remove it and jumper it, or find a resistor with less resistance.

Take it from an FCC Licensed HAM radio operator (callsign W2DHS) - this will all probably work, but you are modifying a type-accepted transmitter so that it is used in a non type-accepted way.  If it causes interference to someone, you could be tracked down and fined by the FCC.  

Not likely, but he should be aware it is technically illegal.  (Probably more likely to be nailed for this than for owning a full ROM set though.)

[Sasquatch!]

Take it from an FCC Licensed HAM radio operator (callsign W2DHS) - this will all probably work, but you are modifying a type-accepted transmitter so that it is used in a non type-accepted way.  If it causes interference to someone, you could be tracked down and fined by the FCC.  

Not likely, but he should be aware it is technically illegal.  (Probably more likely to be nailed for this than for owning a full ROM set though.)

TALK HARD!

(Obligatory Pump Up the Volume movie reference.)

[Santoro]

Unfortunately I didn't see it ...

[hyiu]

transmit half a mile ?? how about hacking those talk about walki-talki ??....

they're like $60 or so a pair.... and they're up to like 2 miles or 5 miles radius.... (go to epinions... some models are good... some are bad.... so... pick a good model...)

well.... the sound quality is not that good....

but I guess that's where the hacking part comes.. haa haa..

btw... I have no knowledge with these stuffs....
so.. I'm just throwing ideas up in the air...

 

good luck.... father's day is coming in like a month or so...

[Santoro]

Also, XM makes a boom box for one of their receivers - goes for about 100$.  Probably the best option.  

http://www.xmradio.com/skyfi/onthego.jsp

[SirPeale]

The device @ Wal-Mart costs ~$20, and can be hacked in 1/2 an hour if you're handy.