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Forum URL: http://www.eyrie-productions.com/Forum/dcboard.cgi
Forum Name: Symphony of the Sword/The Order of the Rose
Topic ID: 425
Message ID: 11
#11, RE: Also, For the Record
Posted by BobSchroeck on Apr-16-14 at 09:21 AM
In response to message #8
LAST EDITED ON Apr-16-14 AT 09:31 AM (EDT)
 
>>Here is a true story: my elementary school had a student-operated
>>radio station. >Title 47 CFR Part 15
>is what it is under. That covers everything such as your WiFi,
>cordless phones, and hobby transmitters. For AM, you are allowed a
>max of 100 mW with an antenna no larger than 3 meters.

This whole discussion reminds me of a story I heard from friends who attended Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. When I first visited the Stevens campus circa 1986, I found out that they had a student radio station (WCPR) that broadcast over the campus electrical system, which I found rather odd. When I asked why this was, I was told that the radio station used to broadcast on the AM band at some small but license-necessary power level. But in 1968 some clever EE type decided to hook the antenna feed to a steel cable that ran between the campus and the S.S. Stevens, a ship converted into a floating dorm parked on the Hudson river which housed the station at the time. According to legend, this cable turned out to be exactly the right length to be a "perfect dipole" antenna for the station's assigned frequency.

Suddenly, because of the efficiency of the improvised antenna WCPR could be heard up and down the entire east coast. (According to Wikipedia, it could be heard as far away as the Florida Keys, but I've found other accounts online saying that this claim has been somewhat exaggerated.) Long story short, the FCC ended up yanking the station's license, forcing them to go the electrical system (and more recently, web radio) route.

-- Bob
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My race is pacifist and does not believe in war. We kill only out of personal spite.