In recent weeks, I have been repairing and rebuilding the transmitting array of a fellow Part 15 AM broadcaster in Worcester, MA. Currently, there are three Part 15 AM transmitters in operation in this city. All three of them are Procasters and all three, to a greater or lesser degree, have the same problem.When any of the three transmitters are operating in the clear, with no detectable interfering signals present (such as during daylight hours), they behave just like any other low power or full power transmitter. But as soon as distant stations invade the frequency, a terrible warbling sound is heard that completely distorts the audio coming from the Procaster.This problem not only cuts down on the usable range of the Procaster in areas where its signal still dominates. It also gives the listener the impression that a pirate broadcaster with cheap, inferior equipment is operating on the frequency and creating a sonic mess. Needless to say, that is the last impression any Part 15 broadcaster wants to make.At first, I thought that the transmitter was significantly off frequency, since it is a remote possiblility with PLL tuned models. But that turned out not to be the case. Then I thought that perhaps the build in audio processor in the Procaster was a cheap afterthought and it was responsible for the problem. So I bypassed the unit's own audio processing, which improved the sound. But it did not change the warbling in fringe reception areas every time another station's signal crept on to the frequency. I was wondering, has anybody with experience setting up and operating a Procaster noticed this performance flaw? If you have, did you find any way to fix it? I am appalled that the second highest priced Part 15 AM transmitter on the market would allow such an obvious problem to go uncorrected. Right now I'm really missing the frugality, intelligence, and flawless operation of the SSTran AMT-5000, that's for sure.
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