Extending FM Antenna?

[sjaguar13]

I have a radio that uses the little wire that gets clipped to the back of the radio. How would I make it so the radio gets better reception? I am constantly having to move around the antenna to get the radio stations to come in clearly. Would something like a cantenna work?

 

[_3iMaJ]

If you do a special design for the Cantenna probably. The hitch is that Cantenna are usually designed for 2.4 GHZ applications, and FM only runs from 88.7 - 107.7 MHZ, so you'd need to make some modifications.

I've not read a lot about Cantennas, but I don't have a whole lot of faith in them. Your best bet (and the easiest) is to pop for a new radio

 

[danielsmusic]

what i would do is go down to my local modle shop (airaplanes)
and buy a meter of wire antena then just solder it to the board
and hang it up

 

[stevez]

Unfortunately the answer isn't all that clear. The simplest approach is to add some length to the wire but that could cause as many problems as it solves. The added length may increase the RF energy at the input to the radio but could also overload the front end in some cases. In a portable situation the longer wire may not be convenient.

I enjoy having a portable radio w/headphones on while working out at the gym. Over the years a number of us have compared the various portables. The best of them do perform clearly better in terms of FM reception yet all of them suffer poor reception on the weaker stations especially in various locations throughout the facility. Mine is one of the better ones (Sony) and it would appear that the headphones serve as an antenna. It might be that a headphone extension cord could serve as an improved antenna. Not sure if yours is at all like that.

 

[sjaguar13]

It's actually a 3 CD disc changer with radio tuner and aux. Because of the aux part, it sits in my entertainment center under my TV. It does have a fairly long antenna that runs up the back of the entertainment center and sits on the top, but I have to keep moving the atenna around on the top to get some stations.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

It's actually a 3 CD disc changer with radio tuner and aux. Because of the aux part, it sits in my entertainment center under my TV. It does have a fairly long antenna that runs up the back of the entertainment center and sits on the top, but I have to keep moving the atenna around on the top to get some stations.

So all you have is the crappy little piece of wire that comes with it? :lol:

Buy and install a proper aerial, preferably on your roof, and run the correct type of cable down to feed your stereo - this is how it's supposed to be used, you'll be amazed at the difference!.

 

[sjaguar13]

So all you have is the crappy little piece of wire that comes with it? :lol:

Yeah, just a wire. Is there any way to get a better signal without having to stick anything outside?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

So all you have is the crappy little piece of wire that comes with it? :lol:

Yeah, just a wire. Is there any way to get a better signal without having to stick anything outside?

You might be able to make slight improvements, but nothing very worthwhile - a proper outside aerial, installed correctly, will make drastic improvements.

 

[sjaguar13]

Where would I get an aerial antenna?

Would something like this help?
**broken link removed**

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Where would I get an aerial antenna?

Would something like this help?
**broken link removed**

From what I can see that looks like a cheap gimmick, and NOT a proper aerial/antenna.

You should be able to buy them from any local electronics supply store, or a retail television shop - who should be able to advise you on what you need. However, DON'T go to a large multiple chain store, who probably won't have any staff who know anything! :lol:

 

[mstechca]

So all you have is the crappy little piece of wire that comes with it? :lol:

cr@ppy? LOL I find smaller wires do better than indoor antennas.

Buy and install a proper aerial, preferably on your roof, and run the correct type of cable down to feed your stereo - this is how it's supposed to be used, you'll be amazed at the difference!.

It is better if the antenna reaches the outside because it can then pick up any signal. When the antenna terminates inside your building, the waves must either pass through walls or go around them and pass through something else which results in reduced sensitivity for distant stations.

Same rule applies if you are in a valley and the station you want is somewhere on a mountain far, far away.