AM Radio ?

[DavidTHR]

I like to listen to a syndicated AM radio show, but it is often preempted by local sporting events.

This same syndicated radio show is also on another AM station about 40 to 50 miles away, but I can hardly hear it on that "far away" AM station.

Question: Does anyone have any ideas how I can get better reception from that other AM station about 40 to 50 miles away?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Thanks.

 

[kitelights]

You can add a decent length of wire to the AM antenna and aim it until you get the best reception. Works best if you actually have a lug for an external connection.

 

[paulr]

Adding a piece of wire to your existing antenna can help. Next step after that is buy a receiver built for long-distance reception, which basically means it has a bigger antenna to start with. The GE SuperRadio (find on Froogle.com) is a low cost favorite. After that, there are fancier ones that are more expensive, but you have to ask yourself what it's really worth to you to hear that show.

 

[NewBie]

You can also couple it in with a coil, from an antenna. Add a capacitor, and make the coil the right value, and you can use it to help screen out other strong stations that might bleed in.

 

[PhotonBoy]

If you're using a portable radio, try rotating the radio left and right, up to 90 degrees in each direction. They usually have ferrite antennas which are highly directional. If that doesn't work, try going to the highest point in your house. Failing that, try some of the ideas above. Higher priced, sensitive portable radios from sources such as Sony and Grundig will usually pull in distant stations very well. They often tune in shortwave frequencies too. YMMV.

 

[eluminator]

For AM radio reception it's hard to beat the GE Superadio. I have the original model that must be at least 25 years old and I use it every day.

It has a large loopstick antenna. These antennas are somewhat directional so you may need to rotate the radio for best reception of weak stations.

A directional antenna is a good thing if you are a serious radio listener because it can diminish interference that's coming from another direction.

 

[DimBeam]

Another outstanding radio I would add to that list is the Grundig S350. It has outstanding AM and also features SW and a neat retro turning dial that is analog with a digital readout and that is very sensitive.

 

[Malpaso]

If it's a syndicated show, check to see if one of the big stations (50,000w) carries it. You may be able to hear it there, even though that station may be much further away. I know WBZ 1030 in Boston reaches well into the midwest. Another possibility is listening to it on the internet. Big stations like WBZ simulcast on the net.

 

[Phaserburn]

The Sangean CCRadioplus from CCrane is awesome. I use it with a circular AM Advantage tuneable AM antenna. It allows me to get distant AM stations, even in my metal framed office building, which is murder on radio reception.

 

[Lasernerd]

This is what I use...
http://www.ccrane.com/am-antenna.aspx

 

[UncleFester]

If that station has a website, they may have streaming audio. No radio needed, eh?

 

[eluminator]

I should make clear I have the Superadio I. The Superadio III may not be as good as the I or II.

I also have the original CCRadio.

Both pull in distant stations equally well and both will run on batteries or AC.

The advantages of my SuperRadio are:
Much cheaper.
Much better sound, surprisingly good for a portable.
A set of 6 D cells will probably last you many months.

The advantage of the CCRadio:
Digital tuning with presets.
Somewhat smaller.
Only 4 D cells, but won't last nearly as long.
Higher quality construction and feel.
Lighted dial and weather band.
A horrendously loud alarm that gets set accidentally from time to time that will start sounding off at either 6am or 6pm. If you don't run over and shut it off, the entire neighborhood will think the end of the world is coming. Of course if you're not a practical joker, you may not see this as a good thing.

So I would buy a Superadio II on eBay.
GE Superadio II

 

[wmirag]

I can't make a comparison with the other suggestions, but I can tell you my experience.

After a fair amount of research on the web, I bought a Sony ICF-SW7600GR receiver, about $140 I think. It has great reception on FM and shortwave AM bands. On regular broadcast commercial AM, I regularly get local station broadcasts from Chicago, Canada, Boston, Ohio, and I think Florida. And I live in New York! I think it is safe to say that I can pick up a station at every 10khz stop on the digital dial.

I don't know if you need that much radio for just the 40 mile thing. But if you like listening to radio, this one can really pull in the stations. When I'm bummed at the crappy weather around here, I just tune in local stations from Chicago and Montreal. They're nice places but their winters...

 

[eluminator]

I'm sure all the radios mentioned here will serve you well, and many of them will have features you won't find on the Superadio. But as a longtime fan of the Superadio, I couldn't help but notice it seems to be the standard for judging AM broadcast band reception.

Here's a review of a $150 Grundig AM/SW radio. Grundig has had an excellent reputation for many decades.

One reviewer said it performed on AM just as well as the Superadio. Another reviewer said he loved his Grundig but the Superadio outperformed it on AM.
Holy Grail?

 

[DavidTHR]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[chmsam]

There used to be, and maybe still is, an antenna at Radio Shack for about $40. It is a loop antenna for broadcast band AM.

There are three things to do to use it --

1). Place it close to the back of the radio. While there is a method for connecting it to your radio, you usually don't have to do this. Close is good enough. Why the back of the radio? The loop antenna "couples" itself to the ferrite bar antenna in the radio, which is usually on the back of the set. Works even better sometimes, if you have a radio that is small enough to fit inside the antenna.

2). There's a knob on the antenna to tune it to the frequency you want. Tune the radio first, and then tune the antenna. You'll hear a change in the reception.

3). If need be, to get better reception, rotate the antenna and/or the radio. Two stations on the same frequency will require you to "null out" one of them. That is, you turn the radio and/or antenna so that the station you don't want to hear fades out enough so that the other comes in.

I had one for many years and it worked very well. I live near (<30 miles) a 50,000 watt AM station and have a lower power AM station within 5 miles of my home. I could tune around them pretty well. I could easily get a good signal from AM stations several hundred miles away.

Remember, too, that reception is much better during the evening and night.

Good luck & enjoy.

 

[geepondy]

If you are happy with your current radio then an external loop antenna may be all you need or certainly worth a shot.

I've owned both the GE superradio III and the CCrane radio plus. The GE is better value for the dollar if you don't mind analog tuning with an inaccurate dial as it has great reception and superb sound. But it is built very flimsy. Mine did not survive a single drop to the floor. My Ccrane radio serves as my bedside clock radio and has survived multiple drops to the floor. But a word of caution on the Ccrane radio. The digital LCD has a very bad reputation among users of going bad after a few years. This is well known issue amongst owners in discussion groups yet Ccrane will still charge $50 to repair if out of warranty. I have an original CCrane radio (not a plus) that has a bad lcd but I still use it as a kitchen radio as the stations are all preset and I don't care about the clock.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

I have a GE Superradio III and a CCradio. IMO they are apples and oranges. I believe that the GE will eek out more from a signal and will sound better, but it's much harder to tune. Sometimes I tune a weak station with the digital CCradio and use the audio as a reference to tune the GE. Once I have it on the GE I shut off the CCradio.

You can't go wrong with either one. They are both supurb in their own way

You could take the CPF approach...and get both. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[eluminator]

[ QUOTE ]
geepondy said:
The digital LCD has a very bad reputation among users of going bad after a few years. This is well known issue amongst owners in discussion groups yet Ccrane will still charge $50 to repair if out of warranty.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting. I have an original CCrane CCRadio with a bad LCD. I didn't mention it because I thought maybe I just had a lemon. Mine went bad within a couple of months. It's really wierd. The severity of the condition changes daily. One day half of the segments don't work, the next day 3/4 don't work, etc. I still use it most every day.

But if you haven't had the buttons on top go bad, you don't know what bad is. For some reason the buttons occasionally won't work right. I'll press one button, but the radio thinks I've pressed another. Often a couple of presets don't work right, but occasionally the power button doesn't work. Actually all the buttons have been working okay now for several months. Go figure.

The worst is when I hit a preset and the radio thinks I hit the alarm button. Now I've just activated the alarm for 6 o'clock without knowing it. And that alarm is LOUD.

I hope the CCRadio Plus is okay, if not, I would definitely recommend not buying it.

 

[DaGeek]

I use a Grundig yachtboy its been working fine for me at longer distances!!