Vast FM-01

[RickeyS]

Is it okay to leave powered up (with everything hooked up) but nothing playing? Will this hurt the transmitter? I have everything set up in the garage and is set to start automaticaly all works well, but was just wondering about the transmitter.

Thanks
Rick

[Aurbo99]

I left mine running last year with no problems.

I intend to do it again this year.


Suggestion.

Use Vixen's music player and load up about 3 hours of Seasonal music, songs you didn't use on your sequences.

let it run with a recorded announcement playing about every 20min telling the listener when the display is in action.

My neighbors love the music, I run just over 8 hours, it will loop at the end of the playlist, so make sure you dont kill anyone with "Grandma got run over by a Reindeer" replaying every 10 minutes..

[Dino242]

Setup Vixen's music player to play Christmas Music when your show isn't running :)

[LabRat]

Is it okay to leave powered up (with everything hooked up) but nothing playing? Will this hurt the transmitter? I have everything set up in the garage and is set to start automaticaly all works well, but was just wondering about the transmitter.

Thanks
Rick

I've been wondering about this same issue. Ideally I'd like a real "relay" to turn the radio on/off just before and after the show. I'm thinking about trying to use an extra SSR module, with care to ensure that I only turn it on/off (no dimming).

Then it occured to me, that I can do one better as I should be able to build up another DCSSR (with the same ON/OFF from Vixen). Just need to make sure that Vixen doesn't turn the channel off between sequences.

[51fordf2]

I have a timer, I bought at Menards for about $7, that handles 15 amps. I have it turn on both my controllers, and transmitter about 10 minutes before the show starts, and turns them off about 15 minutes after the show is over. I thought about playing music, but this came first, so I use it.

R

[rice66]

I have left mine on also, after about 5 hours I checked it and the output transistor was perceptbly warm, therefore I see no harm in leaving a carrier on the air, with no modulation as far as the fm01 is concerned, however the idea of running music with identificaiton and an announcement is a good idea , just in case you are causing interference, you then could be contacted and the problem resolved, before the FCC gets into the matter. Just my .02 worth
Rice66

[dirknerkle]

How about using an Internet Radio channel as a source for Christmas music? That way you don't have to make any MP3 files, don't have to build a program, don't have to worry about repeating the same music over and over and over... it just plays.

I use Shoutcast all the time at my office for the same thing. (http://www.shoutcast.com As I write this, Nat King Cole is singing Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song..."

mellow.. 8-)