Ramsey am-1 transmitter problem

[layziebone2152]

In addition to anyone having problems with "hum" in the audio if you using a "wall wort." First don't use switching power supplies, try to use linear, and then add a filter capacitor, a 4700uFd should suffice, this took out the hum on mine. For antennas use a long wire (beware of FCC part 15 rules - 10 ft maximum), or wind a coil to make the antenna electrically longer, this will give better range, less noise. I can cover 1.5 acres with this transmitter with my setup.

[layziebone2152]

Check all solder connections, back to basics. You MUST use some kind of antenna to get proper operation, without an antenna your transmitting signal will be poor, unstable, and full of noise. Consider using a "base loaded" antenna, loop enameled copper wire (magnet wire) around a paper towel tube 190 times to be (somewhat) resonant at 1000 kHz (1 MHz). If you're using a "wall wort" you may want to add a large electrolytic cap. to filter out the 60Hz hum, and wire the ground plane to earth ground

[MeEncantaKiley]

My ramsey station blocks out the station but the audio wont play

[patrick9648]

it's the AC adapter doing it. It ususally doesn't hum when using batteries. Even my portable radio hums when using one of those battery eliminators. you have every thing well grounded and shielded to get rid of the hum. sometimes you can make a filter for the power supply will help.

[OTTFM]

i need help can anyone help me with this?

[malignantpoodle]

Well, obviously the transmitter is emitting radio. I've no clue as to your antenna arrangement. Try using a plain copper wire just a couple of feet long. If you still have the same issue, then it's going to be something with your audio going into the transmitter. Consider that the ipod puts out stereo and the transmitter along with rca is mono. Could also be the cable. Just don't have much info to say for sure.

[SmashCOBamberg]

OMG use a DC power supply!!!!!! Otherwise u'll fuck it up! and use a bigger antenna!!!

[wannawatchu66]

The SSTran is an excellent value for the money as it has onboard processing, which will rival a licensed station. There's also the Procaster, which combines the self-contained mobility of the Rangemaster with the processing of the SSTran. However, I don't know how well the Procaster performs rangewise. My advice, if you haven't already, is to get whichever one of these other 3 your budget will allow, and either throw the Ramsey away, or display it as one of your "old" transmitters.

[wannawatchu66]

Your problem is that you have a Ramsey. For better results, get a transmitter that's actually worth the money you're gonna pay for it. Ramsey AM transmitters are JUNK, plain and simple. I had one myself, and it wasn't worth a damn. I then went with an SSTran AMT3000, and it sounded EXCELLENT. Problem was the signal didn't go very far. The Rangemaster is by far the best if you're looking for a big coverage area, but you also have to get external processing as it doesn't have that.

[urbex2007]

Power supply - try it on a battery as it sounds like AC hum or unregulated supply. That's what causes the hum!

[Mastercorder]

A good antenna is everything with this kit. I has that hum when used on peace of wire antennas and the like, I hooked mine to my tv antenna tower and used the tower for an antenna that coupled with using another antenna for ground canceled out all my hum , this kit has been hurt by bad antennas run a long wire antenna and get a good ground those little antennas people make for those just make the kit worthless a good antenna fix`s that hum I know its hard to believe.

[Cringle84]

having a properly set up antenna is also important, I had problems with hum when I did not have a good ground plane, because radiation got into the houses electrical wiring. Try getting rid of the antenna tuning circuitry, then instead use your roof as the ground plane, get a large welding wire reel, wind several metres of 1mm diameter wire around it to make a loading coil with multiple taps, set up a steel pole, 3 or (oops..) metres high with a 4 prong capacitance hat. you get more range too.

[Cringle84]

Hmm, One thing is use a battery on that one, or get a regulated "linear" power supply. some transmitter designs dont go well with DC ripple. I have transmitted...ahem... up to 8 Km with one watt, my transmitter had a design based on a class A audio amp and a class C RF together in one circuit, and the whole thing sort of balanced itself like an audio amp does, making it DC ripple immune. I had crisp sound quality but the antenna also was important for that, So if it hums, not a good design.

[kimosabi6180]

I had one of these, hum was bad if I used an AC power adaptor source. Hooking it to a battery did better, like a 9 volt or even a 12 volt car battery (not very portable though)

[kc7fys]

Good luck with this. Are you an amateur? Licensed, I mean. I hope to meet you on the air.

[badfender223]

Try strapping some 0.1 mf disc caps across all 4 diodes in your power supply bridge. I ran into this problem on a small F.M. TX many years ago, but the capacitors cleared it right up. I'm not sure why it helped, but I suspect it's something to do with stray RF from the diode junctions switching on and off. Anyway, it may not help but it's cheap and worth a try - certainly won't hurt anything. Next, keep your antenna vertical and earth ground the heck out of signal ground trace.

[reckonman]

oh and your cable conectors are fuked up too

[reckonman]

yout tuning coil is dicked up

[hobbyradioman]

I have fixed this from this point, i did have a problem with my powersupply but also my one cap was bad... Ramsey doesn't have super great tech support, i had left a message and recieved no call back or no email as i had emailed them as well. If you are an expert or have access to one the kits are fine, but if you are intermediate level like me, make sure you are patient as it may take months to get your answer.

[sz42781]

Did you see the 10w sw transmitter they sell for like 300 or 400 bux? Id be pretty pissed if that fucker dident work! BTW Look up radiomorningstar fm loop antenna that is a simple fm transmitter you can build that will go like a mile with no antenna and a 9v! throw that pos away! START FROM SCRATCH

[malignantpoodle]

@hobbyradioman

A cap and the PS was bad? How did you find this out with multiple variables?

[reckonman]

technician here . the problem truly is your power supply . very typical symptom .

[dream501]

I built one of the am-1 also and cant get it to reach over 2 feet.

[radiorob1]

I also own a AM-1. I replaced the L-C (inductor, cap) with a 1 MHz crystal. It now sounds WAY better, and there is no freq. drift!

Also different antenna's sound different, what sounds good on a 50 ohm load, can sound crappy on some antenna's. This is more noticeable on a TX with an L-C.

I always try to avoid tx's with a VFO. Nothing beats a xtal.

That's the problem with Ramsey kits... they always need some kind of modification for improvement.

[radiorob1]

Change the L-C with a crystal.

[AltPhoto]

The problem is in your power supply, not the am-1. I am Ramsey repair tech by the way.

[biggestdigger]

I just built the Antique Radio Supply K-488 tube transmitter and I have the same problem you're having.

One thing is for sure, this kits are much more difficult to build than some would have us believe.

To bad somebody doesn't make a nice no-drift pre-wired AM transmitter ($100-$150 range) for those of us who don't want to study electronics but just want a good transmitter for our antique radios.

Some day some wise person will do this.

[Tonyssongs]

Where is the voltage coming in at? I can't tell on video. Also, using RCA plugs for antenna, you will have to connect an alligator clip wire to the center prong of plug to extend hot wire out several feet from inside ground shield of cable for signal to radiate into room better.

[Tonyssongs]

it sounds like your power supply has AC voltage in it (ripple voltage), maybe its missing a diode or filter capacitor, or capacitor is installed backwards (electrolytic type). Maybe u should give it DC voltage like jlm6180 stated. :)

[jlm6180]

I built one of these kits, and had the same problem if I used an AC power source for the 12 volts. Using a old car battery stopped the hum but was not practical. I finally gave up and built a "Lil7" using a tube and it works great.