More controllers and transmitters

The last couple weeks have been busy with things like work, taxes, technical directing at CCV, and setting up an IBM iSeries (AS/400) recently added to my computer collection. However that does not mean the Christmas lights project came to a stand-still; far from it! I have completed 4 music sequences now so far. The four Light-O-Rama CTB16PC controller kits I ordered from their "Secret Sale" arrived. The FM transmitter kit from EDM Design also arrived this week. I also had the pleasure of meeting Craig in Tucson who is building LED flood lights controllable via Light-O-Rama to produce any desired color. These are the flood lights that William Morris has been testing.

Tonight I built the EDM Design FM-TX-LCD kit. What they consider a kit is hilarious; yet fantastic! The kit required me to press the processor chip into its socket, solder the power connector to the corner of the circuit board, and mount the board inside a supplied metal case. After only a couple minor adjustments, I was on the air. I set the transmit power to 1mW (lowest power setting) for testing. The supplied wire test antenna was laid out horizontally across the table for simplicity. I got in the van and was able to hear the broadcast up to three houses away in either direction. It will work perfectly well when it is moved outside and the antenna is vertically oriented.