----- Original Message ----- > > I made a 1/4 wave dipole out of a PL259 and coat hangers, and stuck it on > my vent pipe on the roof. > I never checked the range, its on 90.4 MHz. > A good antenna would likely get me in trouble. > > 4 watts and a good antenna would likely go many miles.
That's an excellent way to lose your ham license while courting a $10,000 fine from the FCC for unlicensed operation. Current Part 15 rules permit a MAXIMUM field strength of 250 microvolts per meter at 3 meters from the transmitting antenna. If you check the FCC Enforcement Log, available on the Enforcement Bureau page of the Commission's Web site, you will see numerous people who got busted for transmitting in the FM broadcast band without a proper radio station license. A few of these show up every week. If the bootlegger is a college kid or a preacher who puts an unlicensed station on the air as a hobby or to broadcast his church services, he may get away with a warning not to do it again. Since you are a ham, and, therefore, licensed by the FCC, you would lose your license and be hit with a heavy fine. Your radio equipment could also be confiscated. In Florida, you would also face state charges, as the Sunshine State passed a law a couple of years ago that makes unlicensed operation in the broadcast bands a felony. BTW, the FCC just levied a massive fine against Ramsey Electronics for marketing "export only" FM broadcast transmitters that did not have FCC type acceptance for regular broadcast use. The bottom line is, such equipment is illegal. And the FCC is vigorously enforcing the rules that apply to the AM and FM broadcast bands. If you want to hear your AM roundtable while you are called away to the telephone or using the bathroom, get a good speaker, attach it to your receiver, and turn up the volume. Phil K2PG
