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MeFM
A legend in you own drivetime | |
Devices already exist that let you transmit the output of your mp3 player on an FM radio frequency of your choice, allowing reception on your car stereo, kitchen radio, whatever.
This would be a simple extension that as well as allowing you to receive your mp3 player on your car radio also incorporates
a microphone and also allows a slightly boosted transmission range.
The (hands free) microphone allows you to interrupt playback and unleash your hidden dj talents. Technology to bass-boost your voice to sound like a fairground operator is, of course, a standard feature.
Possible uses:
1) In-car child-management
<interrupts Busted's 'Thunderbirds are Go'> "Andrew, stop wiping your nose on your sister. It doesn't match her top."
2) Getting home earlier
This setting *only* transmits on a given frequency when the mic is activated and boosts the range to the surrounding traffic.
So, using the same frequency as the local drivetime station:
"We're getting reports of an accident on Allendale Road northbound causing closure. Traffic on this road is advised to take the next right. Those wishing to join Allendale are advised to take alternate routes for the next 15 minutes until the way is cleared."
The waves part and you get a quiet and exclusive drive home.
3) The Voice of God
Like use (2), but at any time:
"You. Yes, you in the blue Mazda. I hear your thoughts and find them unclean. Pull over, get out of your car, raise your hands to the heavens and repent for your sins!"
Inspired by: Mark and Lard on Radio 1 in the '90s cheekily asking people to avoid driving on the roads they use to get home, and Top Gear attempting to micro manage traffic using local radio and cctv.
UK: Wireless Telegraphy Act (and Amendments)
http://www.ofcom.or...exempt/regulations/
Personal FM transmitters were previously unlawful. [Jinbish, Oct 22 2007]
It might be baked (legal range version)
http://luxpro.manuf...-FM-Transmitter.htm
But I'm not sure what the microphone function does on this one. [boysparks, Oct 22 2007]
[link]
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Beware of self-mastorbatory truckers blasting obscenities over the waves. Any volunteers to man the broadcasting complaints department's telephone lines?
The RDS could be your vehicle's registration plates, to negate above. |
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No RDS or any other identification. Just like the existing wireless radio transmitters for mp3 players wot you can buy for $50/£25 at W*l-Mart (I think those devices may still be illegal in the UK but they are used in North America at least). |
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Google for "pirate radio". |
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//Google for "pirate radio".// |
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This idea would be no good for resurrecting Radio Caroline or the like; it's very short range - just a daft extension of an existing legal technology that involves the use of an in-built mic. |
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//Any particular reason?// |
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Well, the concepts are the same, aren't they? Personal radio broadcasting, I mean. |
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Many pirate radio stations are low-power, some are even portable. The technology you want may already be available. |
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I remember reading about some young fellow who was so proud of his own music skills that he'd stand on street corners with an FM transmitter and play his music to passing radios. |
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I'm not against this idea, really. Though I never listen to radio, as I have a good CD player and hate to listen to DJs and commercials. |
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//existing legal technology// |
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The small-scale FM broadcasting devices used come under the Wireless Telegraphy Act (1949) but since 1996 have some exemption from this. Firstly, they have to have a CE mark (conformity Europe), and secondly, they have to have a range of no greater than 8 metres. |
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Thanks for the clarification [Jinbish]. Less than 8 metres would be perfect for spooking the car in front whilst frustrating any would be Delbert Wilkins out there. |
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Isn't this called "Mr. Microphone" from the 60's? |
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Well it would be if Mr Microphone was hands free and attached to an mp3 player like wot this does. |
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I'm aware that this idea lives in crowded territory, so to clarify: |
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It's a device that attaches to an mp3 player, broadcasts on fm frequencies over a very short distance (illegally souped up to 50m max for uses 2 & 3) and allows hands-free microphone interruption of what's playing. It draws power either from the mp3 player or a car's 12volt socket. |
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You really didn't invent anything here. You just buy powerful radio transmitters, violate FCC rules and get arrested within a month of broadcasting. |
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These already exsist. They are referred to as "pirate" stations. Radio stations that are not liscensed by the FCC, aka ILLEGAL. |
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A small self-contained POWERFUL transmitter? LOL. Do your homework, these systems are huge and take a lot of power to transmit. The only reason MP3 FM transmitters are legal is because they can't transmit very far. Most are under 1 watt of transmitting power. |
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I like this idea, but you just can't fit the workings of a radio station into a handheld device, currently. |
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"can i hear me now? good!" |
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[evilpenguin] did you read the idea? More specifically did you read the last paragraph of the anno directly above yours? I never said 'powerful'. I did say 'slightly boosted' and 'very short distance'. |
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//Do your homework// - hah! [edit: temptation for a more vitriolic response heavily resisted] |
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So it's a hands-free Mr. Microphone? For those who didn't suffer through it, from Wikipedia: "Mr. Microphone. "Hey, good looking, I'll be back to pick you up later." Broadcast your voice on any FM radio!!!"" It worked on only one FM frequency. |
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Also on Wikipedia: "In the episode of The Simpsons entitled "Radio Bart", Bart Simpson receives a "Superstar Celebrity Microphone" for his birthday. The toy and the TV advertisements for it were modeled after Ronco's "Mr. Microphone"." (I can grab the DVD with that episode without getting out of this chair.) |
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Bart was magically able to broadcast on the neighbors' radio--"Rod, Todd, this is God."--but the Mr. Microphone advert clearly says to set the dial on your radio. Many folks thought it could hijack any radio at any frequency, but building an adjustable-frequency FM transmitter would have cost a lot more than $14.99. |
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But it could be made. That it could. |
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What's the MP3 player for? |
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Maybe I subconciously wrote the Voice of God suggestion because of that Simpsons episode; I dunno. |
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Why the mp3 player? Ah, I see that wasn't made clear, hence the confusion - apologies and edited. The gadget's 'normal' use would be transmitting output from an mp3 player to a car stereo, as already exists. I already have an mp3 player connected to a wireless radio transmitter (frequency adjustable) and use it in the car with the kids. Sometimes when they're fighting noisily I'd like them to hear me from 2 rows back when I'm screaming at them to wind their necks in. |
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Cutting their music *and* boosting my voice with the car's speaker system *might* get their attention. There could be a feedback issue there, of course. I don't know if the mic or software can compensate for that. |
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The other possible uses - spooking neighbouring car drivers or convincing them to make unnecessary detours to suit my journey home, that should all be possible, especially if it can draw power from the 12v connector, but what the range of that would be I don't know. I'd suspect it's a bit more than the legal 8 metres (my iTrip manages at least 3 metres powered by an iPod Nano alone), but it's certainly not enough to become a true pirate radio station. |
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In fact, a 'powerful' transmitter would be undesirable, making the user more likely to be detected by some authority (not necessarily the FCC - amazingly we don't all live in the US). |
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[k_sra] hit the nail on the head with the likely audience - hence 'legend in your own drivetime'. |
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See link for what might be this idea - I can't tell if the mic included there is for recording (not like this) or live presentation (quite like this), but I'll happily take this one down if it's baked. |
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(If the truth be told I just want to annoy/embarrass my kids by being a 'super cool' in-car dj while they're trying to listen to Crazy-Frog, Aqua and everything else they've subjected me to for the past few years. Daddy wants his 'proper' car music back...) |
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ya got me. i didn't read, needed to anno. just very aware of US FCC law. |
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so, in terms of wattage, what are you talking about exactly? |
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Fair enough, I hadn't worded it clearly enough to begin with. |
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Wattage? I've really no idea. |
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I'm just guessing that if an iPod+iTrip can override the reception of an existing station on a pisspoor kitchen radio from 3 metres away, then something that can plug into a car's 12volt supply might have enough juice to reach neighbouring cars in stationary/slow moving traffic. The very one's you'd want to convince to take another route home today. |
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Whether anyone would be dumb enough to be convinced by a godawful British East Midlands accent suddenly hitting the airwaves in the part of Canada I live in is pretty easy to answer. |
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Well in the US, the FM transmitters are legal because they are under 1 watt. |
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The way in which the antenna is orientated (FM transmitter power cord) can really determine the broadast range. |
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If you put a huge antenna on your car you'd be in business. If you wanted more power there are DIY solder together multiple watt transmiter kits. |
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