Improving AM radio reception?

[dragoneggs]

Okay, this topic was recently broached somewhere here but after a couple minutes of digging, I decided to start a thread on the subject.

I have an AM/FM/CD portable radio in my shop. The AM reception sucks. We live quite aways from the stations so lots of static.

Replaced the fluorescent fixtures with LED 4ft fixtures (not just the light bulbs). The RF issues are gone now, at least it is far better than before. Turning on/off the LEDs do not result in any change of static like the fluorescent fixtures.

I bought an AM antenna...

Amazon.com: Kaito AN-1 Tunable Passive AM Radio Loop Antenna for All Brands Like Kaito,Sony,Panasonic,Grundig and More: Home Audio & Theater

and that is not doing a bloody thing good or bad, but I am plugging into the FM antenna jack. No AM terminals on the back.



Any suggestions on how to McGyver it? Do I need to break into the radio case?

 

[user.69169]

You probably gotta get inside radio and find thing looks like carpenter pencil wid a coil of wire around it. Dat's de antenna. Den you screw around trying to hook onto one dem wires and see if it work.

 

[dragoneggs]

You probably gotta get inside radio and find thing looks like carpenter pencil wid a coil of wire around it. Dat's de antenna. Den you screw around trying to hook onto one dem wires and see if it work.

Yeah, that's plan B. I was hoping the procedure was going to resemble a simple prostate check, not open heart surgery.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's possible that the AM part of that radio is the worst part.

Like buying a swiss arm knife. Some component is always worse than the rest.

Buy a C-Crane (sp?) Radio. Built as a good AM radio, end of story.

 

[dragoneggs]

It's possible that the AM part of that radio is the worst part.

Like buying a swiss arm knife. Some component is always worse than the rest.

Buy a C-Crane (sp?) Radio. Built as a good AM radio, end of story.

That's plan C. It is a Bose so was hoping to better it. At our last place, this radio reception and sound was awesome for a small unit.

 

[user.69169]

Maybe you just have de wife gently stroke de case and talk soothing to de radio while you look in de vents wid mini Mag Light de exam work better.

Worst case, grab sawzall and duct tape. Dat radio sing like a bird when you plug sawzall in.

 

[dragoneggs]

Just did a little reading on the C Crane CC3 radio. Reviews are glowing. Might need to go on my xmas list, and craigslist my Bose. I don't need the CD player anymore but I will miss the remote. I place my radio up high and out of the way. Space is a premium in my shop.

 

[k0ua]

Yeah, that's plan B. I was hoping the procedure was going to resemble a simple prostate check, not open heart surgery.

First thing is to send back that so called AM enhanced antenna thingy if you can.
Then break into the radio and see if you can find the ferrite loopstick antenna. Wrap a few turns of small diameter wire around the loopstick. and then hook to more wire you run either inside or preferably outside. Use insulated wire, and preferably and end insulator. Run as much wire as you can conveniently. Try 20 or 30 foot, but do't be afraid of 100 or 200 feet.

This will be inductive coupling, don't try to hook to any of them funny littel wires. ideally what I would do is bring out a machine screw to the back of the plastic radio case for my permanant connection and then would be free to try different lengths and positioning of the outside wire at will.

Call me on the phone if you need personal one on one assistance.

 

[k0ua]

Just did a little reading on the C Crane CC3 radio. Reviews are glowing. Might need to go on my xmas list, and craigslist my Bose. I don't need the CD player anymore but I will miss the remote. I place my radio up high and out of the way. Space is a premium in my shop.

Lets try to improve what you already have. give me a call.

 

[k0ua]

Also for that matter, any old "boat-anchor" tube type Amateur or general coverage receiver built in the last 50 or 60 years will have pretty good AM broadcast band reception. Also most Amateur transceiver built in the last 15 years or so will have coverage there also. If you could find a broken one that the transmitter is kaput, they would go pretty cheap on Ebay. They would all be superior to the quality of reciever that you have now, and would come with a convenient SO239 Antenna socket. All you need is the ubiquitous PL259 plug and a chunk of wire and you are in business.