Build Your Own Low-Power Transmitters: Projects for the Electronics Experimenter [Paperback]

Rudolf F. Graf Professional Technical Writer (Author), William Sheets (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2001

Rudolf Graf and William Sheets have written a book containing twenty low-power (LP) transmitter projects, perfect for the electronics hobbyist and radio experimenter. Now that the FCC has changed its regulations about "pirate" transmissions, more and more people are setting up radio and video stations for broadcast from their homes. Build Your Own Low-Power Transmitters addresses applications for hobbyist broadcasting of AM, SSB, TV, FM Stereo and NBFM VHF-UHF signals with equipment the reader can build himself for thousands of dollars less than similar equipment sold on the retail market. The authors also fully explore the legal limits and ramifications of using the equipment as well as how to get the best performance for optimum range. The key advantage is referencing a low-cost source for all needed parts, including the printed circuit board, as well as the kit.


Projects in the book include: LP FM stereo transmitter; digitally synthesized PLL FM stereo transmitter; LP AM transmitter for 150-1710 KHz; radio control transmitter/receiver; carrier current transmitter and AM and FM receivers; LP VHF one-way and two-way audio links; 1-watt 40-meter CW transmitter for ham radio use; SSB LP transmitter for 10-meter ham radio use; 2-meter VHF FM ham radio transmitter; FM video link for 900 MHz NTSC/PAL operation; 2-watt TV transmitters for 440, 900 and 1300 MHz amateur TV NTSC/PAL transmissions; linear amplifier for 440MHz, 10-15watt NTSC/PAL operation; Downconverters for 440, 900 and 1300 MHz with VHF channel 3 or 4 output; TV video receiving systems and AM-FM IF systems; LP video link for UHF channels 14-18; 1-watt CW beacon transmitter for Part 15 LF radio experimentation; CW identifier for transmitters; test equipment projects for LP transmitters; as well as an RF power meter and modulation monitor.

Complete source information will be included to help each reader find the kits and parts they need to build these fascinating projects.

Unique among comparable project books, this one offers a low-cost source for all parts, including the printed circuit board. This allows immediate completion without needing to search for difficult to find parts

Features twenty low-power transmitter projects

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Newnes; 1 edition (August 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750672447
• ISBN-13: 978-0750672443
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,087,171 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Disappointing Book, December 3, 2004

By 

C. Niday - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Build Your Own Low-Power Transmitters: Projects for the Electronics Experimenter (Paperback)

This is a very disappointing book. The preface promises "All projects use standard parts and have been thoroughly tested, with PC board layouts given for most the projects, as well as parts lists, coil data, and complete setup information." However, the only time it delivers all this information is when the transmitter in question is a kit from a certain vendor in New York State. For everything else, the information supplied is minimal at best.

For instance, Chapter 16 (Low-Power Narrowband FM Transmitters) provides a schematic for a ¼ watt amateur 2 meter FM transmitter that completely omits data on all coils, inductors, etc. in the design. There's no parts list, no PC board layout, and minimal description of the circuit. The chapter goes on to describe a UHF transmitter based on an obsolete integrated circuit.

Now I can't fault the authors for including a design based on an obsolete chip. The chip was probably in full production when this chapter was written. However, omitting the coil data for the 2 meter transmitter is unacceptable.

Chapters describing the various transmitter kits are chock full of information. There's also some interesting chapters on FM stereo generation and serial data remote control. However, on a whole, the book leaves out a lot of detail on the transmitters I bought it for. I would have been better off looking for a suitable ARRL publication.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars it's hard, July 5, 2007

By 

Rafael Vilchis Alonso (Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Build Your Own Low-Power Transmitters: Projects for the Electronics Experimenter (Paperback)

The projects in this book are very hard to complete. Don't buy it unless you are really familiar with advanced electronics.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Book review, July 20, 2009

By 

Quentin - See all my reviews

This review is from: Build Your Own Low-Power Transmitters: Projects for the Electronics Experimenter (Paperback)

The book was not what I was looking for. I was looking for a book to help me design and duild a simple low power transmitter. The book had a realy good section on Oscillators circuets and what type of oscillator works best for what type of application. Other then that, the rest of the book was pre-cand Low Power Tranmitters circuet designs, to build. Don't take this as bad. It just did not work for me. The transmitter circuet designs look good, just did not fit my aplication.

The book was well ritten and easy to read.

If you are looking to design and build a simple low power AM transmitter, I have found "Basic Radio: Understanding the Key Building Blocks" is a good place to start.