Most people don't tell you about radiation exposure but if the antenna is 1 watt, is that dangerous to be so close to the antenna ? My range shows about 1 mile but the antenna goes out further is one direction over all directions (N, S, E, W).
The overall length is about 36 inches (top to bottom). Is this legal ? What about FM broadcasting at all, since they say it all has to do with your output and antenna length ?
I have given the name "Closettenna" for "Antenna in a Closet", and these are my views about what you asked, YCDB.
There is a different reason to avoid getting too close to your antenna, and it does not have to do with safety.
When a person is nearby a transmitting antenna there will be a capacitive reaction which changes the signal being sent to listeners, and you might actually cause them to have a loss of signal which changes everytime you move around.
36" is just about perfect for FM, but 1-Watt could bring problems, however being deep indoors might help the situation.
If the FCC ever comes to measure your FM signal, they will be out on public streets, and you hope their signal reading doesn't exceed the rules, however being in a closet inside the building will reduce the actual energy reaching the outside.
Try it, and be ready to get worried if your signal goes very far, in which case you are probably taking a risk.
Let us know.
I would suspect if you are getting 1 mile with more in one direction, you would be found out of compliance.
Prevailing opinion is you are doing great if you get a few hundred feet-trouble if you're getting more.
With one watt in the closet I wouldn't worry about the RF exposure too much. But that's me. I will defer to the opinion of our Engineering types found on Part15.
I love the idea of stealth radio stations,
of any kind.
For legality and RF exposure - I'm not an
engineer or a comunications lawyer - but
I agree with what our friends have stated
above.
There is a guy who has an entire Part 15
station in his closet. I think that's really
neat, too.
Bruce, DOGRADIO
I found this thread very interesting, as my station IS in my closet, including 4 computers, my disk array, etc. Although I guess that's not entirely accurate, as the transmitter is on top of my dresser, so that the antenna points out the window.
That is great! Your station in the
closet, I mean. I understand that
the FM transmitter would have to
be near the window. I have done
that also with some FM set-ups in
the past. I think you qualify for
the "station in the closet" category
anyway. And 4 computers, wow!
Also, it's great you are back up and
running! (I know that's another thread.)
Bruce, DOGRADIO
I actually have 6 computers in that closet (although 2 are on hot standby for backup purposes).
Moving to an apartment has been a challenge, as the traditional tower computers just don't fit. Particularly 6 of them. So I've had to switch to much smaller, what would be called network computers (although they're still more powerful than the tower ones I had.
Unfortunately, they don't run Windows 2000 (no drivers), and I've found that even with Windows XP, there are dropouts and garbled audio on some lower powered boxes.
So here is my setup:
1. An XS35 shuttle, running Windows Vista (it takes advantage of the dual core processor, plus it supports GPT drives to allow large disk arrays), for audio and stream generation
2. An ASUS B202 (single core processor), running Windows Server 2003, serving up the website and the stream
3. Another ASUS B202 and an ASUS EB1007 as backups, currently on Windows XP and Vista respectively. I could run in slightly crippled mode with the, hope to replace them with dual core Shuttles at some point
4. A slightly larger box, a Compaq Q something or other, running Vista (again to support large disk arrays), for audio editing
5. An almost up to date HP something or other, SFF, for audio editing and processing, running Windows 7.
It's a bit of a compromise running Vista as a production box, as you can't run unsigned drivers on Vista and later Windows operating systems - you have to 'kludge' the O/S by either running in test mode, or actually modifying the drivers with test certificates (but there are tools to do that, and they're free as well).
All these, plus disk arrays and monitor, fit nicely in a small corner of the closet, along with a wireless network bridge, microphone and UPS.
That sounds like a serious closet. Do you have desks and chairs and an office staff in there, maybe a snack corner? Lighting, heating?
Step into the closet for an interview.
I am looking in my closet and I can't imagine doing much in there.
Very impressive!
Bruce, DOGRADIO
Carl, you're a genius!
Bruce, DOG (whatever it is...)
No, no staff 🙂
The entire setup fits into a 24 inches wide by 54 inches high by 16 inches deep space (including desk). I added a little chair which can easily be removed, and use some of the closet shelves for book shelves to store my music reference books (Joel Whitburn stuff, mostly).
I can even close the closet door if I want some privacy to record.
The only thing I miss is a washroom, but there's really no space for that.