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The
Information Station |
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Two Editions from
which to Choose
First
licensed by the Federal Communications Commission in 1977 as a
"travelers information station" (TIS), the Information Station
from ISS is now the most installed 10-watt AM station in the
United States with more than a thousand locations licensed to
date! Its popularity stems from its versatility and affordability
in a patented package that makes installation and operation
simple. Today the Information Station serves a broader array of
interests than originally envisioned in 1977. ISS has developed
two models to meet customer needs
— Classic and MP3 Editions
— and is the
sole provider in the United
States. |
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Complete product overview with planning, pricing & technical
specs - PDF download.
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See
also, the ALERT AM Emergency Advisory Radio System -
webpage.
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Classic Edition
The "Classic Edition" Information Station works well for operators
with a frequent need to update broadcast programs. It may be
controlled by a conventional telephone line or right from the
station’s location or from a computer workstation. The Classic
Edition features 1,000 variable-length messages that may be recorded, monitored or erased
independently. Choose which to broadcast and which to store for
future use. The Classic Edition allows you to create message
groupings
— playlists for quick and
convenient retrieval. Standard recording time is 80 minutes and up to
300 hours of recordings for stations with the
Workstation Audio Control option. |
MP3 Edition
The economical "MP3 Edition" Information Station is designed for operators
who require less frequent updates and who appreciate the advantages of
managing their audio programming via computer. Create and edit MP3 audio
files on a standard Windows-based PC and transfer them to your station for
airplay/repetition via USB message transfer sticks. Program air time may be
up to an hour. Create hundreds of messages in your PC-based library and
broadcast as many of them as you wish. ISS can provide optional
audio-editing software and an optional PC microphone and headset. |
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ISS
can help you get started with Professional
Message Recording services.
Both stations come with ISS’ free recording
service for the first 30 days. Tell us what to say, and ISS will create
professional messages for you to approve and add to your station’s message
library. If you want to continue the service, you may option to do so on
an annual basis.
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Who operates Information
Stations?
The Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) licenses the Information Station to
federal, state and local governmental entities (see the list below) for broadcasting travel, safety, weather, traffic
directions/detours, touring, historical and event information. The
primary audience? Motorists in a 3-5-mile radius area from the
station's center point. Broadcasts
are voice-only, noncommercial, and are controlled locally by
telephone (analog audio transfers via phone for digital storage
and replay — see more about equipment below). Operators commonly
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Airports. |
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Attractions
(concerts, ski areas, zoos in partnership with
communities). |
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Convention
centers. |
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Historic
sites. |
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Industries
(in partnership with communities). |
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Interpreters. |
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Municipalities (boroughs, cities, counties, towns,
villages). |
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Parks &
other outdoor recreation areas (national, state &
local). |
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Scenic
byways. |
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Tourism
departments (visitor bureaus & chambers of commerce. |
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The National Park Service is among the first
proponents of Information Stations and is the largest
nationwide user of this technology for visitor information,
orientation and interpretive applications.
See a partial list of National Parks with Information
Stations. |
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Frequency & Licensing
Considerations
On a first-come-first-served
basis, the FCC licenses stations to open AM-band frequencies
between 530 and 1700 kHz and secondary to standard AM broadcast
stations. ISS can help you find an available
frequency and apply for a FCC license. Just complete and return
the questionnaire (linked on the right) to get started. |
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Equipment Array
The Information Station
comes complete from ISS, ready to install. Included are the
transmitter, antenna, patented factory-assembled groundplane,
digital message player, lightning arrestors, batteries, all
cables, connectors, mounts, hardware and illustrated instructions.
The housing is a weatherproof cabinet, designed for pole or wall
mounting. Options include Flashing ALERT
Signs to notify motorists of your signal at key locations along
roadways within range of the station. The flashing signs are
triggered via communities' own 2-way radio systems (linked on the
right). See Technical Specifications (linked on the right). |
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Installation Styles
Pick the style of installation that fits
your situation: The Information Station may be installed at a building
with the equipment safely indoors and the antenna pole mounted in the
adjacent yard (yard style - recommended). At remote locations, the entire station may be installed on a pole
and provided with power and telephone service
(isolated style). An available option is the Vertical Profile Antenna System,
which offers minimal ground disturbance for yard- and isolated-style
installations. This attractive antenna system and pole-in-one solution
requires only one square foot of ground area, no external conduit or
wiring to encourage vandalism. It offers low installation cost and is easy
to move. |
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Services
As you would expect, ISS provides a full menu of technical
services to help put and keep your Information Station on the
air. This includes frequency and site selection, field surveys,
FCC licensing, installation and training, which can be quoted as
needed. Personal planning assistance is free.
Email or call us at 616.772.2300.
The
Source Advisory Radio Communique offers online case studies, news and technical
tips that will keep you abreast of issues that affect station
operation. See case studies, news briefs and technical tips there. |
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Budget
Equipment and services (including
licensing, installation and ground freight in the contiguous United
States)
typically total $11-17,000, depending on options chosen and
installation variables. At no charge, we will
help you brainstorm ideas for your particular application and
provide a formal quote. Just
email or call us with your request (616.772.2300).
Purchase includes, at no extra
charge, initial preparation of a professional recording, based on your
script, so your broadcast is ready to air, as soon as you turn on your
station. And
Illustrated
instruction manuals come with every Information
Station. ISS offers technical support for the life of the
product 24/7 at no extra charge. |
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Related
Links
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This page
was last updated on
May 07, 2008. |
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