On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 01:04:42 -0400, Linux Lover
wrote:

Crazy George wrote:

Ummmm, look: Here is why answering an open ended question like yours
is essentially impossible.

Who has a large financial interest in reaching an answer to this exact
question? FM broadcast stations, that's who.
For transmitting. But, there remain about a half-dozen manufacturers
still in that business, competing, and if one were
"The Best", then the others would quickly disappear from the business.
For example, Andrew, Dielectric, Jampro, Shively, and Superior are all
still in business, AFIK, but are likely too pricey for your requirement.
I happen to prefer the Jampro myself.
And Richard Harrison may have newer catalogs than I have at the moment.

And, when you put the unrealistic 1 meter dimensional restriction on it,
then this "Best" description fails totally.


George, thank you for this very informative answer. I was completely
unaware of these companies and I can now try to perform a Google search
- if only to satisfy my curiosity (if the antennas are too expensive,
then perhaps I am not interested in the "best").

As for the "unrealistic 1 meter dimensional restriction", you are right.
I actually meant "the best omnidirectional FM antenna within that 1
meter size restriction". Also, if I am lucky I may be able to fit even
the Winegard PR-6010 (67" or 1.7m wide) in my attic.

BTW, what do you think of a wide 25-1300 MHz Discone antenna as an
FM/VHF/UHF omnidirectional antenna (http://tinyurl.com/4anu7). Can this
work? (assuming ghosting for TV is not a problem...)

If so, is there a solution to matching its 50 ohm impedance to the
cable's 75 ohm?

Thanks,
Lynn
Lynn,,
Were I in your position I'd go with the Winegard Prostar 1000
referenced in an earlier post. That and the Antennacraft FMSS are
essentially the same so you may just want to choose between the two
based on price. Radio Shack used to sell this antenna also, not in the
current listings but perhaps a store near you has one left in 'old
stock', their price was about $15 less the coax feedline. Forget the
discone, it will work - though I can't say any better than the two
antennas mentioned - but what you gain in reduced footprint is lost in
the discone being taller. Also, you can expect to spend more for the
discone.

FWIW, I put up the Radio Shack crossed dipole antenna at a friend's
cabin and it took him from getting no FM reception to two stations.
Okay, not an "FM DX antenna" but consider that he is 40 miles from any
town of significance, the cabin is in a valley and there are taller
mountains between him and anything else.

Good luck,
Howard