Free Radio Cafe: Pirate Radio On Shortwave & FM

Hi everbody!
I have bought a FU30-E I am going on a LONG bike with 15-20 bikes, NEXT WEEK! I am looing to brodcast a play list to all the bikes! I was under the impression that a larger Wattage FM Transmiter would do the trick! It arived from China today, and I am having trouble getting it to transmite to a car in my parking lot!
Can sombody PLEASE HELP me understand what I am doing wrong, or miss understanding!
If I set up and transmit from my house or shop, I cant get a signel 200ft away!

PLEASE HELP!

Would that be this setup here?
http://www.czhfmtransmitter.com/product ... a-kit/2184" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(This page seems intermittent-- it was working the first time I looked at it..)

I presume you're using the antenna it shows as included with that....?

Just make darn sure you don't turn on that amplifier without the antenna hooked up to it,
or you'll blow the power transistors. Same could happen with the transmitter.

The smaller transmitter is used to drive the power amplifier, with coax from the output of the transmitter to the input of the amplifier.... then the antenna should be hooked up with coax to the antenna output of the amplifier. Both the transmitter and amplifier are going to have separate power supplies. How were you planning on powering these from a bike?

The antenna needs to be outside and in the clear as much as possible, and as high as you can get it. (obviously that may not be much on a bike.) If the antenna is mounted vertically, the transmitted signal will be Omni-directional. (probably the best way to do it for mobile use). If mounted horizontally, the signal will be perpendicular to the antenna, mostly in just two directions.

If you have the antenna inside a dwelling and trying to hear in a car in the parking lot, that could be part of the problem...

I see that the antenna pictured there has markings for frequencies on it-- have you made the adjustments on it to the frequency you are trying to use? Otherwise the SWR will be high, resulting in less signal and could possibly cause damage to the equipment if it is too high. Having an SWR meter for VHF frequencies would be helpful, but I presume you don't have anything like that yet.

If you explain exactly what it is you ARE doing, I might be able to help you figure it out.

Frankly, with so few bikes I presume you won't be spread out too much-- for short distances you really shouldn't need the amplifier, if the transmitter is .2-.4 watts as the web page says...

Are you getting any transmitted signal at all, anywhere?

OK yes I have it setup in the house, and for sure, antenna hooked up! now I had the antenna set up wrong! lol
(please bare with me, I am not a broadcast radio guy) but I do lots of elc projects form 600V 3P industrual, to PLC controled devices) http://www.rtmnorth.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I have not had time to setup outside, (but setup inside should be able to be recived indoor? Corect?)
This device runs on 12VDC 7amp so I am thinking there will be no prob with power! (any thing I should know, or missing)

The bottom of the antenna has small aluminum rods that come down like an upside down umbrella LOL how important is the angle of these?
What I am thinking is mounting on the KingPack, but the three will need to be pulled in by 4-6" overall, so instead of a teepee it will be a large round pointing down! and can I put threads on the end of the rods, and put nuts it atach to the king pack?

It sounds like you've got a ground plane antenna, something like this? You really shouldn't change the angle on those radials, or as little as possible. It will change the impedance of the antenna, making a poorer match to the equipment. The way it is it'll be close to 50 ohms, which is a perfect match to the amp/transmitter.

Yes, you should be able to hear the transmitter inside the house. Really outside too, with that amp, it's just that the distance may be much reduced with the antenna inside a dwelling. If you're not getting anything at all, something is wrong.
I'd try it with the transmitter alone, feed it some audio and see if you're getting anything.

As far as this "kingpack" and putting threads on the antenna, I'm not sure what you are talking about.