As we're on the subject of FM antennae, how about AM? My parents like to listen to an oldies station at 1370 KHz; the transmitter is about
25 miles away but they are picking up a lot of noise. Quite a bit of the noise seems to be coming from LED traffic signals (can hear the noise change).TIA!
- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®
Found this. No idea if they work.
Plus: (I'm an AM listener too) It helps to start with a good radio. Good not necessarily = expensive. I've found that Sony puts good quality AM sections into their boom boxes, clock radios, etc. I have a little Sony mono AM/FM Cassette radio (with speaker, no need to use headphones) that gets better AM reception than 99% of radios I've ever used. You can't hook up an external antenna to it, so I can't comment on its "distance" performance, but something tells me your folks are close enough for a good radio to do the trick.
Get a passive MW loop antenna, which is an about 12" diameter thing you set next to the radio, and it couples to the internal ferrite bar in the radio to improve the impedance match. (Select-a-tenna, Terk). The active versions don't work any better but cost a lot more.
In the _daytime_ you get a spectacular increase in the sensitivity of the radio. I can hear 17 copies of Limbaugh in Central Ohio with one, in different places.
In the _nighttime_ it has practically no effect, because the problem at night is too many too strong signals from a thousand stations, not weak signals; so it doesn't help to boost signals.
For interference from traffic lights : every radio has a null direction. Rotate the radio and minimize the noise. If you have a MW loop, you have to rotate radio + loop. A lazy susan is an easy way to do this, except you don't get any aiming in elevation from it.
Indoors, the necessary direction may be any old thing, because the incoming signals are reflected all over by items in the house.
My computers add a lot of noise. The radio and antenna have to be at least 5' from them.
Lorance:
LM> > As we're on the subject of FM antennae, how about AM? My parents like LM> > to listen to an oldies station at 1370 KHz; the transmitter is about LM> > 25 miles away but they are picking up a lot of noise. Quite a bit of LM> > the noise seems to be coming from LED traffic signals (can hear the LM> Found this. No idea if they work. LM>
- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®
IM> >> As we're on the subject of FM antennae, how about AM? My IM> >> parents like to listen to an oldies station at 1370 KHz; the IM> >> transmitter is about 25 miles away but they are picking up a IM> >> lot of noise. Quite a bit of the noise seems to be coming from IM> >> LED traffic signals (can hear the noise change). IM> IM> IM> > Found this. No idea if they work. IM> >>
Agree. Need a good "front end" with high sensitivity, adjacent channel rejection, etc. My parents are doing things a little backwards: we like the radio, now try to do something to get the station in.
IM> that Sony puts good quality AM sections into their boom IM> boxes, clock radios, etc. I have a little Sony mono AM/FM IM> Cassette radio (with speaker, no need to use headphones) IM> that gets better AM reception than 99% of radios I've ever
Hmmm: part of the solution would be a better tuner. Could buy like what you have, tap the audio pre-amp stage to the present amplifier's input.... My mother would have a fit!
IM> used. You can't hook up an external antenna to it, so I IM> can't comment on its "distance" performance, but something IM> tells me your folks are close enough for a good radio to IM> do the trick.
Maybe if Dad and I go into kahoots and can hide the other radio.....
- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®
Hi Ron!
RH> Get a passive MW loop antenna, which is an about 12" diameter thing RH> you set next to the radio, and it couples to the internal ferrite RH> bar in the radio to improve the impedance match. (Select-a-tenna, RH> Terk). The active versions don't work any better but cost a lot more.
Might be easier than crawling up in attic to update that antenna!
RH> In the _daytime_ you get a spectacular increase in the sensitivity RH> of the radio. I can hear 17 copies of Limbaugh in Central Ohio with RH> one, in different places. RH> RH> In the _nighttime_ it has practically no effect, because the problem RH> at night is too many too strong signals from a thousand stations, RH> not weak signals; so it doesn't help to boost signals.
As I recall the S-meter (LEDs) did go down by one but station's website indicated constant transmitting power and no pattern change. (They did install a passive antenna years ago to lessen interference with a station in Ohio but that was decades ago.)
RH> For interference from traffic lights : every radio has a null RH> direction. Rotate the radio and minimize the noise. If you RH> have a MW loop, you have to rotate radio + loop. A lazy susan is RH> an easy way to do this, except you don't get any aiming in elevation RH> from it.
Oh is my mother going to have a fit with that one!! Hopefully the AM antenna is end-mounted so can rotate that way. Could get away with moving the receiver out to accomodate the antenna but sitting catty- whampus........
RH> Indoors, the necessary direction may be any old thing, because the RH> incoming signals are reflected all over by items in the house.
?? Could sort of understand/make sense of that if lots of large metal items, maybe even metal studs. Not arguing with you, just don't comprehend and requesting more information. I know aluminum siding will cut signal strength. ...Also have experienced when my movement/ positioning will increase/decrease signal strength (antenna effect). ..OK, your statement is starting to make some sense! :)
- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®
William:
WW> > As we're on the subject of FM antennae, how about AM? My parents like WW> > to listen to an oldies station at 1370 KHz; the transmitter is about WW> > 25 miles away but they are picking up a lot of noise. Quite a bit of WW> > the noise seems to be coming from LED traffic signals (can hear the WW> > noise change). WW> WW> My computers add a lot of noise. The radio and antenna have to be at WW> least 5' from them.
Not problem in this instance but a valid suggestion. Have experienced intereference with the FM and TV, all explained by that 10.7 MHz IF stage.
- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®
In the nighttime, it varies. Sometimes it's like you say; but the stuff I listen to at night just isn't available to me without my tuned loop. And on those occasions when you end up with two strong stations on the frequency of interest, sometimes you can use the loop to weaken one of them (as opposed to using it to strengthen the other) to make things more listenable.
Most nights I listen to 920 AM in (West?) Lafayette IN. Sunday morning from 1 to 3 AM I listen to KMOX in St. Louis. Neither is listenable without the loop strengthening the signal. During the winter, sometimes KAAY in Little Rock is available, but again not without the loop.
Most of the time I use a Radio Shack DX-396; it's no slouch. When things are rough I go for the DX-398 or the DX-399; they're "hotter", the 1 KHz tuning helps sometimes, and the 399 will hear things neither of the other two will hear.
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