I regularly check e-bay for reasonably priced Decade and other legal transmitters. I went off on a tangent when I saw that someone relatively local here (in BC) was auctioning off a 25 watt FM transmitter! Several searches later for reviews and looking for similar transmitters, I'm both astonished and saddened.
There appear to be numerous well over the legal limit (not even just 500 milliwatt) transmitters available, and probably more people that are either eager to purchase them or have already purchased them.
What are these people thinking? I'm not going to rail on about specifics of the rules. We all know them. Even these yahoos know them. There's absolutely no possibility that you purchase a 25 watt transmitter by accident, thinking it's OK.
My view is that there's no respect any more for authority. When the politicians (i.e., authority) of the day regularly bend and break the laws and rules, I guess the feeling is why should others? Particularly when there's little chance of being caught unless you're stupid and transmit over top of licensed stations.
There's also little respect these days for others. Some of these transmitters will wipe out the FM band for blocks in all directions when in use, disrupting any listening. Still using the transmitters is not too surprising when these same politicians are the epitome of selfishness, and regularly attack and belittle others.
Who cares about anyone else as long as you get to do what you want?
Leaders are supposed to be role models. I guess that's really what they're being used for.
Hard to say what drives the urge, I notice a lot of citations often are often for the other than english languages community, airing specifically what their surrounding community wants to hear but have no such options on the airwaves, so someone decides to buy an FM transmitter and create a station - illegally, because it's the only genuinely plausible option they have.
What I don't get is why are the transmitters so plentiful as readily available from so many different manufacturers.. Isn't the primary objective in combatting anything to target the source? Why don't they apply that to the Pirate Act?
I can answer why. Because they are there and the typical buyer doesn't know or care about the legality. They are all on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca, all over ebay even from USA sellers. Here's are videos of someone promoting "part 15" but look at the transmitters and antennas he is showing as part 15 FM. A few videos....
This is what people see and then see all of them available.
Gerry(Procaster) hasn't sold one new Procaster FM yet except to me and I showed him what he is up against and he knows but still thinks it's the economy and tariffs but I showed him no this is the problem.
A CZE Chinese transmitter from 500mW to 7 watts can be had new from $80 to $150.
And look how many were sold in the last month on Amazon! 100s! for each model. It's not the economy.
This guy is telling everyone how to be illegal in all these videos. And calling it Part 15. Even building your own antenna with these various Chinese ones.
As Rich says, why doesn't the FCC/ISED see this and stop it at the source? We have been asking this for years. ISED isn't doing it either. And even if ISED did something Canadians can just get them from Amazon .com USA and Ebay.
They are there cheap and easy to get.
. Here's are videos of someone promoting "part 15" but look at the transmitters and antennas he is showing as part 15 FM. A few videos.....
This guy is telling everyone how to be illegal in all these videos. And calling it Part 15. Even building your own antenna with these various Chinese ones...
It really seems we've talked about Farpoint Farms here before but I'm not finding it in a search. He describes himself as "Owner of a small homestead in the mountains of NC called Farpoint Farms." Of the three videos you posted I find the third the most interesting, but I really don't see him calling anything "part 15" that isn't, nor do I see him promoting piracy.. I watched a good bit of it of it but didn't watch any in its entirety, so maybe I missed something, but from what I saw everything he said seems to be on the up and up.
Incidentally, I did watch this video of his all the way through, it's titled The Shocking Realization I Had About Radio During The Hurricane Helene Disaster
@richpowers You miss the part about him showing and describing the 7 watt up to 25 watt FM Chinese transmitters and how great they are for your community station. He does an unboxing and detailed description of the 7 watt ones referring to part 15, or pirate, "whatever" you call it. He is giving them away to the best comments on why you want to start a community station. He talks about all the different types of antennas you can put on these things....on the 15 watters!
He then goes on to show at the end of one video all the books for making your own antennas for better range.
Then he says don't go over a commercial station and you are "OK". He is definitely promoting the Chinese transmitters as what is available for the part 15 market showing and detailing their use. Therefore promoting pirate stations.
The point artisan made starting this thread is the disregard for the law and why these Chinese ones are such big sellers which this guy encourages making videos using these transmitters and showing all the antennas you can make in the context of part 15.
I thought of posting something in the comments but didn't. Imagine the replies I'd get!
@mark I guess I'll have to watch them completely, but I did see some of the parts you're talking about, but I also saw him repeatedly say they could be used for part 15 when putting them on that setting, and how he picks up those FM signals across his garage , and how he uses a Rangemaster for AM, I just didn't see him suggesting those FM transmitters as legal unless set for part 15 power limits.
I guess if I ever get one of these I'll have to look for the 100 nanowatt setting (or 1 microwatt in Canada).
Yeah, right. None of these transmitters have settings low enough to comply with either the U.S. or Canadian rules. Unless you add a honking attenuator, and I don't think he mentioned that.
They also seem to be nudge nudge wink wink videos. Talking about supposed Part 15 settings on 7 watt transmitters, and then recommending antennas that will extend your range (and take them out of compliance even if they were there in the first place).
Just more pirate stuff masquerading as Part 15.