Building the AM Stereo Transmitter Part 1

Boy have I been busy tonight! (You're supposed to read this description, so please do!)

I've been thinking about getting some kind of low power AM transmitter for a while now, yet I really wanted one that could support the generation of an AM stereo broadcast. This one, designed by Youtube user fortyfiveplayer, would seem to fit the bill.

(Yes, there really are AM stereo broadcasts and a few (proud?) tuners that can decode them. There are also a few people left who seek these out and support the stations who broadcast that way. I've known about AM stereo broadcasting since I found a Sherwood car radio capable of decoding it and started to ask questions...that was way back in the early 2000s.)

This video shows what I've accomplished so far with the kit. Hopefully it'll even work by the time I get done!

I don't know if you can still get one of these kits or not. Supplies are, as they say, limited. No harm in asking, I guess: http://www.youtube.com/fortyfiveplayer

(Thanks to Youtube user vwestlife for putting a reference on his channel to the video where this kit is mentioned!)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• am
• stereo
• transmitter
• kit
• building
• process
• fortyfiveplayer
• uxwbill

[koudimm]

HELLO, COULD YOU TELL ME WHERE I CAN FIND A COMPLETE PLL AM STEREO TRANSMITTER LIKE THIS? THANKS IN ADVANCE, I AM WAITING FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

[uxwbill]

@koudimm You can ask the Youtube user (fortyfiveplayer) who sold these boards, but I'm afraid there are no more available at this point.

Your next best bet is the Talking House transmitter--it's the only thing I know of that comes close to the fidelity of this unit. They show up on the secondhand market pretty regularly.

[psyborg303]

I LOVE PEPSI THROWBACK!

[uxwbill]

@psyborg303 It's not bad. I'd like to see clear Pepsi make a comeback!

[Fuzy2K]

@uxwbill I have to wonder if I'm the only one who actually misses Pepsi Blue... :P

[uxwbill]

@Fuzy2K It was interestingly different, though I didn't really care for it. There was also a limited edition holiday "spiced" Pepsi product.

I wonder if Pepsi Vanilla is still on the market (or its variants, lemon and lime Pepsi)...I remember having an online conversation years ago where I said that Pepsi Vanilla would be a great idea and then it came out. Even though I'm sure it didn't happen because of my little post, that is The Power Of The Internet(tm).

[james42519]

@Fuzy2K i only know about that from the billboard that was in the new Italian job. never had it but would try i guess.

[james42519]

oh pepsi throwback! can't wait till can find it again.

[stidwell420]

@uxwbill clear pepsi my favorite though i havent seen it since before i was teenager about 14-15 years ago

[MyTechtime]

@psyborg303 Im Drinking it right now

[psyborg303]

@uxwbill i think that was a bit befor my time but i get throwback for the real sugar

[THEtechknight]

@uxwbill My best guess it would need a high-Q low-pass filter slapped on its output, and itll suppress the harmonies for anything outside the band.

the BH1415F is a nice IC, thats what i used. it also tunes outside the band a little bit too. .

[uxwbill]

@bradman5505 I think the Samsung monitor should stay alive for a while yet, since bad caps were the only thing keeping it down. At least I hope it does--it has a nice picture, even though there are some small scars in the top layer of plastic on the display panel.

[V8Jagnut]

@uxwbill you did good. its prolly a bad part or summet.

[uxwbill]

@V8Jagnut I thought I did well putting it together--but the stereo part didn't quite end up working. Fortyfiveplayer has agreed to take a look at it, so I've sent it back his way. It should be interesting to see what happens!

[uxwbill]

@THEtechknight The only FM transmitter I have is an Arkon Resources SoundFeeder SF120. It's not bad, but the stereo signal gets noisy quickly as distance from the receiver increases. It also tunes a little bit outside of the proper FM band (85-110MHz on my unit).

[uxwbill]

@coolbluelights Oh, right! Sorry about that, not sure what I was thinking. I probably WASN'T thinking, something that I'm guilty of more often than I should be! It's much the same thing on this end...I too have been taking stuff apart since I knew which end of a screwdriver to hold. And later, I learned that things could also be put back together (hopefully before anyone got home)! :-)

[uxwbill]

@Sansui350A With a good antenna, I gather that it is supposed to have a pretty good range, maybe even 'more than it really should'. If you want one, I'd definitely get one, because I think it was said that when these are gone, they are gone.

[V8Jagnut]

looks good!

[bradman5505]

Ahhh that Samsung monitor still lives!!! great vid

[Sansui350A]

damn, nice to see an AM-Stereo kit out there.. wonder what the range is on that.. anyway, best of luck, and check out those Atom D525 vids I made.. xD

[coolbluelights]

@uxwbill haha well I restore tube radios as a hobby, i've been doing electronics since I was 11 or 12 and I've been taking stuff apart since I could use a screwdriver so i'm definitely not a beginner :D this will be a fun project for me^^

[uxwbill]

@coolbluelights AM stereo broadcasting surfaced in the 1980s. What killed it probably depends upon who you ask. I'd say it was a combination of factors--too many standards, many radio buyers not knowing about it or caring, and the already-entrenched FM stereo broadcasting.

I didn't even know about AM stereo until the early 2000s, long after most of the party was over. Even so, a few stations still broadcast this way.

I would not recommend this as a first electronics kit.

[talldude123]

The thing I like about you Bill, you can find anything and spend hours fixing it up/working on it!

[coolbluelights]

wow that is way cool! I want to get one now! it never occurred to me that AM could be broadcast in stereo!