In Savannah we have a city run bus service called CATS (Community Area Transit Service), but this below is a 2005 article, it's about a different service having the same acronym: "Community Audio Touring Service' (CATS), and part 15 AM transmitters are used.. not transmitting from a house, but rather to an entire sub division. This article was from News and Observer, Apr 22, 2005:
Is that unreadable? ... Here's the text. It's also interesting that it talks a little about Kieth Hamilton..
Community Audio Touring Service' (CATS), News and Observer, Apr 22, 2005:
"Signs, signs, everywhere a sign. Blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind."
The 1971 hippy ballad from The Five Man Electrical Band echoes Raleigh's struggle as the city tries to control sign clutter on roads. It is getting help from one of the worst offenders.
Raleigh-based Benchmark Signs Inc. is testing a new concept, the Community Audio Touring Service. CATS could direct potential homebuyers to homes for sale through a low-wattage AM transmitter that works through car radios. CATS, now being tested in Ohio, broadcasts for about a mile around the transmitter. "Radio may help to alleviate some of the sign clutter," Sam Wedell, Benchmark co-owner said.
The idea is similar to small. radio stations along highways that notify motorists of traffic conditions.
Keith Hamilton, a Cary-based engineer, designed the AM1000 RangeMaster trans mitter in 1999. The $1,000 transmitter is also used by small community radio stations and to broadcast church services to surrounding neighborhoods.
About a year ago, Bench-mark approached Hamilton to use the technology for CATS and a small community radio station in Clayton, Wedell said that the technology will re-duce, but not totally eliminate, the directional signs used to point out developments.
"We've had some good results," Wedell said.
@richpowers Isn't this similar to "talking houses or signs" that has been around for as long as part 15?
Also people have to be listening to the station on AM. A sign has to tell them to turn to a certain station....still signs needed.
@mark Yeah it's all the same thing, each scenario having a different spin. In Ohio instead of broadcasting from individual houses it broadcast to entire subdivisions, with the additional objective of cutting down on signage use. Note this 2005 article says the Rangemaster was a $1,000 transmitter...