COMM AM/FM radio for challenging location
- Thread starter Pebbles
- Start date
I'm not an expert, but I'm guessing the radio is NOT your problem. It is your antenna. A little extendable piece of metal on the back of the radio will not cut it in a challenging location like what you describe. You probably need an outdoor one up high, like the old TV antennas on the towers we all had back in the 70's/80's. I would check out Amazon or something similar, look for one with a LOT of good reviews and go from there. If I have time later I'll try to link a few that might work for ya.
In a challenging location, it’s not the radio, it’s the antenna. You’ll probably need an external one.
homecanner1
Veteran Member
C Crane are excellent for difficult reception radios. They may have something in their inventory like an external antenna to boost your signal reception.
ccrane.com
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ccrane.com
Portable Radios for Sale | AM/FM Radios & Antennas | C. Crane
C. Crane is a US-based radio store offering the most powerful long-range AM/FM radios, emergency radios, Wi-Fi antennas, and Internet repeater systems. Shop now.
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ccrane.com
Yes, you will need a good external antenna to pick up signals well in a location as you describe, especially for FM reception. Since FM is in the VHF frequency range (88 to 108 MHz, meaning that transmissions are more line of sight than at the AM broadcast band frequencies), you will need an antenna mounted as high as you possibly can. Even for AM and shortwave, you'll probably need an external wire antenna to enhance reception and you should mount that as high as possible also. Not sure of the details of your local geography, but the higher up you can get your antenna, the better.
I've had C Crane for almost 20 yrs It is the best AM radio bar none. In fact I own two. It has the best reception across all bans. Plus weather and short wave. It has a exteral antenna hook up, make sure you use the ground for the best reception. They also sell a antenna boster. I hunt on a ranch in south Texas. At night I can pick up San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, St Louis And somtimes Shit congo. I can get three NOAA weather chanels with alerts. Very good speaker very clear sound. If AM is what your after, it's the way to go.C Crane are excellent for difficult reception radios. They may have something in their inventory like an external antenna to boost your signal reception.
Portable Radios for Sale | AM/FM Radios & Antennas | C. Crane
C. Crane is a US-based radio store offering the most powerful long-range AM/FM radios, emergency radios, Wi-Fi antennas, and Internet repeater systems. Shop now.
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I'll also chime in to support C. Crane. Read the reviews. I'm not up on their current models.
Also, check out vintage radios from the 50's/60's. They all had a lot better on-board antennas than most built later.
Yes, the " boomer" all night stations from afar can be picked up after sunset many nights. It's fun to play around and see how far you can reach out.
Also, because I'm a radio nut since childhood, was tickled to find that many commercial AM stations are available on IHeart radio, internet streaming radio, etc., for free. I have an Alexa that gets used mostly for listening to radio stations I can't pull in here (N MN). For instance, WABC out of NYC, WSM - Nashville. Or OTOH, a low power relatively local station like WTIP out of Grand Marais, MN. Alexa finds 'em and plays 'em.
Also, check out vintage radios from the 50's/60's. They all had a lot better on-board antennas than most built later.
Yes, the " boomer" all night stations from afar can be picked up after sunset many nights. It's fun to play around and see how far you can reach out.
Also, because I'm a radio nut since childhood, was tickled to find that many commercial AM stations are available on IHeart radio, internet streaming radio, etc., for free. I have an Alexa that gets used mostly for listening to radio stations I can't pull in here (N MN). For instance, WABC out of NYC, WSM - Nashville. Or OTOH, a low power relatively local station like WTIP out of Grand Marais, MN. Alexa finds 'em and plays 'em.
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#1 oldskool
"You finally really did it. You maniacs!
Get a roll of 12 -14 guage wire at wallyworld and a pack of alligator clips. Put something heavy on 1 end a throw it over a couple of limbs. Use alligator clip to attatch to the radios antenna . You will be amazed....!
bracketquant
Veteran Member
I have an AM/FM/UHF/VHF (I think) unidirectional antenna with a rotor, mounted above the peak of the roof on my house. I haven't used it for about 20 years (as there is nothing good to listen to), but recently checked the rotor and it's working fine. I can change stations, crowded college ones, by rotating the antenna, not by rotating the tuning knob on the receiver. And, yes, my equipment is old school, even some vacuum tubes.
I may eventually change out the old antenna wiring to receive digital TV broadcasting (but then, there may be nothing good to watch).
I may eventually change out the old antenna wiring to receive digital TV broadcasting (but then, there may be nothing good to watch).
Siskiyoumom
Veteran Member
C Crane is located in Fortuna California. They ship fast and have been in business twenty plus years. Very nice folks. Excellent products.
I like the C Crane stuff as well. For a good add-on AM antenna, I suggest taking a look at this one:
ccrane.com
This is the one I went with for the AM side. It works well, but at $100 it is a bit pricey.
Twin Coil Ferrite® AM Antenna Signal Booster
Twin Coil Ferrite® AM Antenna Signal Booster
C. Crane offers the ideal AM radio signal booster antenna for improving most AM radio reception problems. Click here to improve your AM reception.
ccrane.com
This is the one I went with for the AM side. It works well, but at $100 it is a bit pricey.
Dobbin
Faithful Steed
Of course MANY major broadcaster have "online broadcast." These you likely can get (you're getting us now) but you need to know what their "call sign" letters are and do a search on that.
WCRB in Boston is my fave. But I'm a very refined equine. Did I mention intelligent?
Search Term "WCRB - Boston" in Google.
First search reply CRB - Homepage | CRB
One of the few times that Google actually returns on a search term that I'm looking for. Of course WCRB is an offshoot of Boston Public Radio and receives funding from National Public Radio (NPR)
Fortunately they stay largely non-political. But Google doesn't know this.
Dobbin
WCRB in Boston is my fave. But I'm a very refined equine. Did I mention intelligent?
Search Term "WCRB - Boston" in Google.
First search reply CRB - Homepage | CRB
One of the few times that Google actually returns on a search term that I'm looking for. Of course WCRB is an offshoot of Boston Public Radio and receives funding from National Public Radio (NPR)
Fortunately they stay largely non-political. But Google doesn't know this.
Dobbin
homepark
Resist
Terk AM Advantage These also work well. You can just place the loop near the radio you are using. It RF couples to the radio's internal antenna.
^^^THIS^^^ is what I do and if you can get the antenna up as high as you can in the tree the better the reception on the radio.
Early 1950s, Aunt and Uncle had tall tower to get one local tv station, perhaps 3 stories tall in their yard. Cable eventually was available and tower was disassembled and left in the side yard. One day a man came to the door, offered some money for the tower, and loaded it in his pickup to take to a more remote area for his television. Aunt and uncle happy to have the metal removed, buyer happy to have cheap tower. Perhaps place a request on neighborhood or Craigslist bulletin board.
ChicagoMan74
ULTRA MAGA
So I know this is about over the air radio...but...to find just about any station online I would first try to search here: Radio-Locator.com
For instance, I really liked a station out in Spring Hill, FL and went looking for it one day...found this:
radio-locator.com
Gave me tons of info including the website and audio link.
For instance, I really liked a station out in Spring Hill, FL and went looking for it one day...found this:
WGHR-FM 106.3 MHz - Spring Hill, FL
Radio Station Information for WGHR 106.3 MHz FM, Spring Hill, FL
radio-locator.com
Gave me tons of info including the website and audio link.
energy_wave
Has No Life - Lives on TB
How to Improve Radio Reception
How to Improve Radio Reception: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
An easy-to-follow guide on improving your radio receptionIt can be hard for many radios to pick up a weak signal properly, even in a good location. If this is the problem you are struggling with, don't worry. There are many things you can...
www.wikihow.com
Gotta love the TB hive mind….
Barry Natchitoches
Has No Life - Lives on TB
A ham operator friend of mine lives in one of those subdivisions where the Homeowners Association is ruled by a bunch of anal Karens and Kens.
They didn’t just forbid the outdoor antennas, they forbid any ham radios at all.
My friend knew that he could (and did) put filters on his transmitter to keep it from interfearing with his neighbors. But the prohibition on any and all outdoor antenns was a bigger problem, as he wanted to work all ham bands and not just 2 meter, 440 and maybe 6 or 10 meters.
Then he got an idea. He got a G5RV antenna, with a matching tuner.
AND he got himself a commercial sized flag pole, used, when Holiday Inns was closing down their corporate HQ in Memphis. This was 25 or more years ago. Holiday Inns had a set of those really tall, commercial flag poles in front of their HQ.
He was able to buy one when they took the poles down. He placed it in his front yard, and then put a commercial sized American flag on it.
In the back yard, he already had a tall oak tree.
He took the G5RV and strung it from the flag pole, over his one story roof, and into that tall oak tree.
His neighbors, Ken and Karen HOA, never realized that wire was actually attached to a forbidden HF transmitter. In fact, they never actually noticed it at all. Nobody seemed to, although the way he strung it, he purposefully placed it in a way that would make it as least visible as possible.
Later, he ran a different cable from his police scanner inside the house, through buried conduit outside, till it reached the front yard flag pole. Then the cable ran up the flagpole, and connected to a discone antenna up top of the flag pole.
His neighbors did not realize that it was a discone antenna on top of that flag pole.
They just thought it was some kind of modern art type decoration or something.
He happily transmitted right under their noses for over two decades, until he became a silent key a year or two ago.
They didn’t just forbid the outdoor antennas, they forbid any ham radios at all.
My friend knew that he could (and did) put filters on his transmitter to keep it from interfearing with his neighbors. But the prohibition on any and all outdoor antenns was a bigger problem, as he wanted to work all ham bands and not just 2 meter, 440 and maybe 6 or 10 meters.
Then he got an idea. He got a G5RV antenna, with a matching tuner.
AND he got himself a commercial sized flag pole, used, when Holiday Inns was closing down their corporate HQ in Memphis. This was 25 or more years ago. Holiday Inns had a set of those really tall, commercial flag poles in front of their HQ.
He was able to buy one when they took the poles down. He placed it in his front yard, and then put a commercial sized American flag on it.
In the back yard, he already had a tall oak tree.
He took the G5RV and strung it from the flag pole, over his one story roof, and into that tall oak tree.
His neighbors, Ken and Karen HOA, never realized that wire was actually attached to a forbidden HF transmitter. In fact, they never actually noticed it at all. Nobody seemed to, although the way he strung it, he purposefully placed it in a way that would make it as least visible as possible.
Later, he ran a different cable from his police scanner inside the house, through buried conduit outside, till it reached the front yard flag pole. Then the cable ran up the flagpole, and connected to a discone antenna up top of the flag pole.
His neighbors did not realize that it was a discone antenna on top of that flag pole.
They just thought it was some kind of modern art type decoration or something.
He happily transmitted right under their noses for over two decades, until he became a silent key a year or two ago.