I like radio. I'm a member of the radio underground. I've got enough decisions to make, so I'm happy to let somebody else with skills and insight select my listening content for me. Surprise me. Stereophiles much smarter than I tell me that the quality of a radio signal rivals that of commercially mastered CDs. And when you have the radio on, you've always got a friend in the house.
I pump my radio signal throughout my entire premises, and - in simple terms - I'd like to show you how. My objectives with my whole-house radio project was as follows:
- A clean, quality 24/7, whole-house signal.
- On/off/volume room by room.
- Try not to make the FCC's most wanted list :)
The Gear
1 - A PC. Good news - you know that beater notebook you've got in the closet that barely works? It's probably more than fine for the job. I use a tiny vintage XP netbook - this one. See that notice that says "This product is currently not available"? That means you can buy one for only $119 like I did.
All your PC will need is a good sound card, working USB ports, and the ability to use a browser on the internet. That's it!
2 - A USB Post-Amp. Not as scary as it sounds - it's easy. The idea is this - your PC's sound card doesn't put out a very strong signal. We'll want a simple external amplifier to boost the signal before we broadcast it. Your post-amp will also take your PC's digital signal and change it to analog, which your FM broadcaster will want.
Now lets find one. On Amazon, try the search terms "usb amp". Try the same thing on eBay. You might get a good result searching for "usb headphone amp".
You're looking for a small box unit - something like this:
E10 Headphone Amp
uDAC-2
AUNE T1 24 bit
A USB connection is great because it also supplies the 5v power source you need to run your post-amp. No need for wall warts!
Cost for your post-amp/headphone-amp can run anywhere from around $55 to well over $350. I'll suggest that if it's over $200, you're paying too much - great ones can be had for as much as $70 less than that.
3 - An FM Transmitter. This device sends your radio signal throughout your house. You will use radios to tune into the signal provided by your transmitter.
Make sure the output signal is at least 0.5W (a half a watt), and the better the device, the cleaner your radio listening experience will be. There's lots of really cheap ones out there - resist the temptation. A small investment in a quality FM transmitter will reward you well!
Here are a few that are pretty good - here, here and here. But my suggestion is the classic Ramsey FM25b.
The FM25b was originally designed as a kit, and it can still be purchased that way. It's been steadily improved and optimized for decades, has a measured output of 1.2W(!), and aficionados swear by it. I have two, and one of them has been in continual service now for over seven years. That's solid, quality electronics!
Ramsey FM25b
A more economical version is the
Ramsey FM10c. The video at the top of the page deploys an FM10c, but I'm pretty sure she's got a broadcast antenna attached to it. Be careful with that - make sure the FCC continues to smile on you!
Ramsey transmitter products use
dip switches to tune your transmitter to a particular station. I chose 89.0 Mhz after checking that band to see if it was already occupied by another commercial radio channel. You don't want to potentially stomp on your neighbor's favorite radio station!
See the jack in the picture above, marked "Audio Line In" on the back? That's where the signal from your post-amp should go. On your post-amp look for a jack marked something like "audio out" or "headphone".
4 - Radios. When I designed my radio project, I thought about handling this part of the project in different ways, but I decided on simply putting a quality radio throughout my premises anywhere I wanted to listen. This way, I can turn one room off to answer the phone, or turn down the volume in one room without affecting the volume in another room. I've even got a powerful one in my basement and another in my garage. And don't forget the shower!
Quality radios today are plentiful. Mouse over the radio's image for Amazon's current price:
Sangean PR-D5
Tivoli Model One
Logitech UE
CMIK MK-55UR
Waterproof FM Radio
Hang 'em out, plug 'em in, and tune into the broadcast frequency you've established on your FM Transmitter, and you should be able to hear anything that comes out of your PC throughout your house!
But, of course, NetrootsRadio works the best :)
Well, my keyboard has run out of pixels for this particular diary, so I'll take up how best to tune into NetrootsRadio on your PC next Sunday (07 Sep 2014) at 9:30am EST.
