BenWoodfield

14/08/2016

raser.13@hotmail.com

Raspberry Pi 2 Model B
FM Radio Transmitter
(Basic notes on Software and Antenna)
#Thisdocumenthastherequirementstobroadcast/transmitfromaRPi2toANY
#radioreciever(Audiochannelsusually)withinthefrequencyrangesof76to
#108MHz
#
#NOTEtheresaFEWsoftwarepackagesoutthereforthisFMtransmitterRPi
#project
#Theydon'tallworkandItriedthemALL(August2016)
#BelowisthewayIgotitworkingexactlyinorderofwhattotype
#IusedaRaspberryPi2ModelBRunningRaspbianJessieupdatedregularly
#ThissoftwareisNOTmyownwork.Itiscalled"PiFmRds"andcanbefoundon
#Github
#
#
#AsImessroundwithitIwillupdatemyfileforthissoftware,andmy
#UltimategoalistogetthisdowntoCBUK40channelfrequenciesandtalk
#Usingavoicesynthesizerorsomething.27MHzto29MHzapprox
#
#NEWBIESwhereveryouseethissymbol($)youtypewhatfollowsBLUE
#colourwriting.
#Itrepresentsthecommandterminalcursormark.
#
#BenWoodfield.Hardwaresalvager,CB'er,StudyingforHamRadioLicense,
#Softwarewriter,PythonProgrammer,Electronicsnut,HighVoltageHeadcase
#CBHandle:Apprentice/Location:SouthWalesUK

#Belowaretheinstallationanddownloadcommandsinorder
$sudoaptgetinstallsox
$sudoaptgetinstalllibsndfile1dev
$gitclonehttps://github.com/ChristopheJacquet/PiFmRds.git
$cdPiFmRds/src
$makeclean
#NOTEIhadanerroronthiscommand.Justskippedit,no
issuesyet.
$make
#InstallationFinished.AtthispointifyouhadNOothererrorsyouregoodto
go.

#Nowtoopenthenewprogram(itrunsfromthecommandterminal....noGUI)
$sudo./pi_fm_rds

BenWoodfield

14/08/2016

raser.13@hotmail.com

#Toplaythesoundfileincludedinthesoftwaredownload(navigatetothe
folder"PiFmRds/src"andyoushouldseetheresafew.wavaudiotestingfiles
withthesoftware)
Try:$sudo./pi_fm_rdsaudiosound.wav
#Toplayyourownaudio...MoveANY.wavformataudiotothesrcthesamedir
astheother.wav's
thenalterthepreviouscommandtoplaythembyreplacingsound.wavforthename
oftheoneyouwant

#Tochangethefrequency(range=76108MHz)addthefolllowing
$sudo./pi_fm_rdsaudiostarwars.wavfreq97.85

#OtherCommandsusedbythesoftware:
Syntax:pi_fm_rds[freqfreq][audiofile][ppmppm_error][pipi_code]
[psps_text][rtrt_text][ctlcontrol_pipe]

#Hardware
#
#Soyouhavethesoftwareinstalledandrunning....youneedanantennato
#transmitoveradistancemorerealisticthanafewcm's
#
#YourantennaisbasicallyGPIOPIN4.SinceIamusingaRPi2ModelBIwill
#explainitforthatparticularmodel
#AlthoughIamsurethe26and40pinsmodelshavethesamegpio4location!
#
#ConnectajumperwiretoGPIOpin4.seemycrudediagramofpinsbelow.So
holdyourPiupandfromthetoplefttorighttheygo1,2...nextline,3,4
...etcBUT...TheGPIOpinsnamesarealsonumbersandthayareNOTthesame.I
suggestyousearchimagesforyourmodelsGPIOlayout....theyarealmostalways
locatedherethoughfropmwhatIhaveseen..SEENEXTPAGE:
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BenWoodfield

14/08/2016

raser.13@hotmail.com

X=GPIOPin4
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X=GPIOPin4.....4thdownfromtopontheleftcolumn...justgoogleapic...
#REMEMBERthepinnumbersandGPIOpinnumbersaredifferent.Somegeniusisa
completeidiot.
#SoamanualmaysaythepinnumbersinorderoftheirplacementbutGPIO
numbersarebasedontheirfunction
#GetareliablechartforYOURMODELOFRpi
Thelongeryourwireantennathestrongeryouwilltransmitasignal.Ifyou
DONTwanttobreakthelawwhereyouliveorinterruptlifesupport
machines...shortentheantennasoONLYYOUcanrecieveitonthosefrequencies.
Shorterantenna=Shorterrange
#AntennaDesigns:
#NowIgota20cmjumperwireandattachedittoGPIO4.Thenconnectedabout
50cmofspeakerwiretothejumperandtapedtheendupverticallylikean
antennashouldbe.Thisworksgreat.Igotoutalmost100metersoutdoors
withmyPitransmittingfromindoors
#Noantennaconnectedwillgetaweaksignaltoastereoonthesametable
dependingontheantennapositioningofthestereo
#ItWILLworkwithjusttheGPIOpinbutanantennaisbetter
#NowIhaven'ttriedthisyetbutIhaveseenDipoleantennasbeingmadefor
this,utilisingapowerwireastheGround/lowerpoleoftheantenna.If
you'refamiliarwithCBandHamyouknowwhatadipoleisalreadyandthiswill

BenWoodfield

14/08/2016

raser.13@hotmail.com

comenaturally
#Ifyourenot...itis2poles(dipole)oneuponedown.Groundtothelower
polewhichistheshieldedorbraidedpartofthecoaxwire,Innertothetop
(BasedonusingCOAXcable.Thebetteryoubuythethickertheinner
braiding/shieldingandthebettertheground,andreception/transmission
shieldingfrominterference)
#Youonlyneedawire.UptoameterlongtouchingGPIO4(TRYtouseapropper
jumperwiretopreventANYshortstootherpins.Youcouldfryyourpiifyou
shortsomeofthem)
#Ihaveabreakoutkit...itisacableandconnectorthatclipsontomywhole
rowofGPIOpinsandthenconnectstoabreadboard.Icaneasilyandsafelyput
jumperwiresintothiswithoutriskofshortinganything!Iconnectajumper
wiretoameterofspeakerwire,andjusttapeittosomethingvertical(the
wallforme)