Customer Review
"Visitation has increased
approximately 14% since the billboards and radio stations were
put in place." |
Fred
Sanchez
Chief Interpreter & Resource Manager
Andersonville National Historic Site,
IN |
See the Andersonville case study. |
Related LinksInformation Station
Home Page
Technical
Specifications
|
Below are things to consider in setting up an
Information Station service in your area. Feel
free to
email us for personal planning
assistance (or call Bill Baker at 616.772.2300
Ext 102). We have a network of representatives
across the country; and, after initial
brainstorming, we can put you in touch with one
in your area who can visit your site(s), help
test frequencies and find the best antenna
location(s) — even install the system — whatever
is needed. |
Step 1 - Order a
frequency search.
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We will
develop a list of AM frequencies that are open
in your area and send them to you with our
suggestions and instructions on how to monitor
them.
Contact us to order a frequency search.
Just provide the general area where the radio station
might be located. This service includes the
license application work (Step 6, below), as
well, should you decide to move forward. |
Step 2 - Survey the
listening area.
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Survey the
streets and roadways where listening is required
with an automobile digital AM radio tuned to
your candidate frequencies. Monitor all of the
candidate frequencies throughout the listening
area at least once during daylight hours and at
least once after dark. Select the frequency that
is best for your needs. (See
why nighttime monitoring is important.) |
Step 3 - Choose a
general location for optimal coverage.
|
Use a map
to select a general antenna location such that a
3-mile-radius circle fully encompasses the roads
and streets that require coverage. The signal
will usually carry 3 to 5 miles and be heard
much farther away on some radios; but the
strongest part of the signal will always be in
that area. If a certain street, highway or
intersection is critically important to cover,
consider locations within a half-mile. Mark the
map to show the area within which the antenna
should be located to meet your coverage goals. (See the Signal Penetration
webpage, regarding
in-home / in-vehicle listening.) Consider
where signs will be placed to alert motorists
entering the area about the Information Station.
(See
Flashing
ALERT Sign Systems.) |
Step 4 - Determine the
site for antenna installation.
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For best
coverage, the immediate area near the antenna
should be free of objects that exceed 25 feet
(about 2 stories.) This includes tall buildings,
trees, terrain features, power and communication
poles and towers. We do not recommend installing
antennas on rooftops or within 50 feet of
buildings that contain electronics because of
the potential for interference and equipment
damage. This does not apply to non-building
oriented situations, such as isolated-style
installations, in which a cabinet with the
electronic equipment is attached to the antenna
support pole. |
Step 5 - Choose an
antenna mounting style.
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If your
site has a building that would host the radio
station, choose yard style. If there is no host
building at the site, choose isolated style.
Yard Style Installation (recommended)
Equipment in a building with the
antenna/groundplane system in an adjacent yard.
Advantage: high security.
See drawing.
Isolated Style Installation
Equipment and antenna/groundplane
system on a pole where there is no building.
Advantage: high flexibility of location.
See drawing.
Requirements for Yard and Isolated
Styles
There should be no underground
obstacles or structures taller than 25 feet in
the immediate vicinity of the antenna and at
least a 40x40-foot area of open ground for pole
and groundplane installation. Make certain 120
volts of AC power and telephone service is
available; or, if remote control via a network
is desired, that network service is also
available. (NOTE: although the IP Information
Station can operate via Ethernet connection, it
may also be programmed locally through its USB
port. In that case, no network lines would be
required at the site.)
Optional VP.9000 Vertical Profile Antenna Support and Grounding System
for either Yard or Isolated Style
If ground space is at a premium, choose
the optional
Vertical Profile Antenna Support and Grounding System (VP.9000). Because no
groundplane is required, only one square foot of
open-ground area is needed. All wiring is inside
the pole. The VP.9000 is aesthetically pleasing,
highly secure, and is the only antenna solution
that meets hurricane wind standards in all parts
of the United States.
See drawing.
|
Step 6 - Complete a
FCC License Application Questionnaire.
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Request a
Information Station Licensing Questionnaire,
so we may secure your operating license from the
FCC in a timely manner. The questionnaire
requests basic contact information and details
about the proposed antenna location and
frequency chosen for broadcast, with which we
can also assist you. When we receive your
completed questionnaire, we will prepare the
necessary engineering work and submit your
application to the FCC for approval, which often
takes a few months. As part of
an overall
license package, we will handle any
additional filings you may require to get up and
running, such as temporary licenses, minor
adjustments and the required FCC notification
that your station has been built.
NOTE 1: Because FCC processing time is
unpredictable, we recommend you request
licensing and other FCC documentation services
as soon as you know for sure you will have a
station – definitely no later than when you
place your radio equipment order.
NOTE 2: The FCC considers 10-year, renewable
licenses for information radio stations
secondary to full-power broadcast stations. This
means, that in a rare situation in which a
full-power station might move into a given area,
the Information Station already in that vicinity
might need to change frequency. We can assist. |
Step 7 - Consider
equipment.
|
Contact Bill Baker to brainstorm the best
setup for your application and to receive a
quote.
Checklist for Receiving a Quotation
Provide Bill the following details for a precise
quote:
-
Your name, agency, phone and fax numbers; email
address, if desired.
-
Product name: Information Station (IP or USB
Version).
-
Installation style: yard or isolated with or
without Vertical Profile Antenna option.
-
Desired options. See options noted on the
Technical Specifications webpage.
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Step 8 - Prepare the
transmitter site.
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You can get
ready for installation by preparing your
transmitter location. This preparation is
detailed in the instruction manual provided with
the system and includes 3 primary activities:
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Antenna Support System Preparation
For yard and isolated-style stations, this
includes setting the antenna support pole,
burying the coaxial cable and groundplane in the
earth beneath.
-
Equipment Cabinet Installation
For building-oriented stations, this means
locating the equipment cabinet inside the
building with the antenna support pole in the
yard next to the building. For isolated style
stations, it means installing the equipment
cabinet on the pole at the antenna site.
-
Power, Telephone and Network Services
Installation
For building-oriented stations, this means
making sure the 120VAC power and a shielded-line
telephone or network service are
present/installed at the equipment operating
location in the building. For isolated-style
stations: installing power and shielded
telephone or network lines into the equipment
cabinet. (Note: telephone lines are required
only for Classic stations. Although the
Information StationIP can operate via Ethernet
connection, it may also be programmed locally
through its USB port. In that case, no network
lines would be required at the site.)
Contact Bill Baker if you would like an advance
copy of your station’s illustrated instruction
manual, which details the exact site preparation
procedures. Just tell him whether you are
interested in the Classic or IP, outlined in the
Information Station homepage linked below,
Information Station and which installation
style, frequency and options you have selected.
We offer
turnkey installation services and
Bill can
provide a quote for your project.
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Step 9 -
Plan the broadcast.
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The
Information Station package can, if you choose,
include
professional recordings, ready to
broadcast. And, remember, you can stream
broadcasts via the optional
HearMoreInfo
StreamCAST Service. See our
What May Be
Broadcast webpage for information about
permitted content. |
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