radio with good reception advice

[dogear52]

Out here at Ehrenberg I'm getting only get marginal reception using my truck radio....forget it inside the CT using an older Bose. Radio is my main form of entertainment esp at night when my favorite show airs. I was considering picking up another auto 12v radio to install in the CT since the antenna (and quality of) is the key here.....but still would like to get better reception out in the boonies. Any thoughts on this and boosting reception?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Are you talking AM or FM?  The key will almost certainly be a better antenna, possibly mounted higher, certainly external, rather than just a new radio. Maybe one of those all band receivers that gets the BBC, NOAA weather, etc as well as domestic AM and FM, since they all have arrangements for an external antenna.

Regards
John

 

[SternWake]

Once, deep in Baja, I was listening to a lot of AM radio from the states, and found if I touched my stock antenna, a bunch of background static disappeared.

I took a wire with a toothed clip on one end attached it to the antenna, and stuck the other end into the dirt next to my Van, for the same result. When I next did an Auto search I was getting 5x as many stations from quite distant locations.

Later on I found the Antenna connector into the back of my Sony Stereo head unit was compromised. When patched it was better, but the grounded antenna in the dirt still improved reception.

Last year I finally replaced the antenna. Its base is supposed to be well grounded to the metal body, and I found this mating area on the underside of the body panel had grown brocolli and cauliflower like a battery terminal.

Reception much improved when I installed an aftermarket 'whip' antenna, and I figure it was the new clean ground where it attached to the body, as with antennas, usually the larger the better, and this new antenna was 16 inches tall compared to the stock Stainless steel 3 footer.

Also, see if turning off LED lights helps reception. They are electrically noisy, especially those with a wider voltage range like 12 to 24V. Ham radio operators hate noisy LED's.

I have several LEDs which will knock out strong TV stations. Twisting the wires to the LEDs tightly in a drill can help, so can the snap on ferrite chokes.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...d_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687542&pf_rd_i=B009U14CVI

I set up my old TV in my workshop and use some 12-24v mr11 LEDs which completely know out an actual channel 8. When I twisted the wires from power source to light tightly in the drill and snapped on ferrites as close as possible to LEDs and to 12v power supply, channel 8 came back in at full strength.

So often it is not about improving reception, it is counteracting nearby sources affecting reception, or a bad ground, or some combination.

 

[bcbullet]

As far as portables, I bought a Tecsun PL-660 a couple years back. I should have been the cat's ass at about $120.00 CDN but in reality, it gets no better reception than the $10.00 unit it was replacing. I then bought a tunable Terk antennae that helped, but still did not set the world on fire. Just an FYI although not really what the OP is asking as it is battery powered.

 

[highdesertranger]

a marine AM/FM antenna is what I found works best. my buddy just installed this one. http://www.westmarine.com/buy/shakespeare--centennial-am-fm-antenna--159314 . it's 8 feet tall and can really bring in weak stations. he also bought the folding mount for it, so he can put it down for travel. get your antenna as high as possible no matter what type you have that will greatly improve reception. highdesertranger

 

[dogear52]

Thanks for the good advice/info guys.

 

[eDJ_]

Back in my High School years there were still a lot of non digital Radios in Cars and many of them were just AM.  They had "trimmers" in their circuitry back then and the trick was to drive up on a hill top and adjust the antenna to the height it would normally be set at.  This was generally done during the twilight hours.

The tuner was set down around 140 KC to sweep and find a faint station to lock in on.  Then a small blade screw driver would be inserted to the "trimmer" port to turn the trimmer screw left or right so that the faint station could be brought up to optimum audibility.   At this point the AM band was trimmed to the antenna.

I understand the newer digital radios don't have this feature.


Now here is a suggestion. I own one of these.  A DX (long distancing reception) GE/RCA Super Radio 3 AM/FM ac/dc portable receiver.

Size 13.4 x 4.3 x 9.2 inches  Weight 5 lbs.  Uses 6 D cell batteries.

The RCA RP7887 Super Radio III is still the best in long-range performance and sensitivity. This high performance radio can pick up frequencies from a distances that other radios can't match. It also provides crisp and clear audio. It has a 2-way speaker system that's driven by a 6.5" high sensitivity woofer and 2" cone tweeters. The separate bass and treble controls leaves the control of your audio. It also features 2-Way Power with Automatic (AC/DC) Switching. The RP7887 automatically switches from DC to AC when the unit is plugged in to avoid using battery power. Receive AM/FM frequencies with ease, or easily connect your own antenna to the external antenna terminals.

 what I would suggest,  look around in Pawn Stores and you may find these for $25 dollars or so.  The earlier ones by GE may be the better radios.   But these have been around for some time now and they still sell them every day.

http://www.amazon.com/RCA-RP7887-Super-Radio-3/dp/B00120WRSU

 

[Goshawk]

After reading too much about amateur radio, and am finding it all depends on the antenna. At the FM and AM band you want a great antenna system. General rule of thumb for ham radio is the antenna system will cost as much as the radio. Just make sure you get a good antenna tuned to the band you are listening. If you want long distance radios aka SWL you need to consider a different path of tech investment.