Thread: Newbie Question
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Old July 2nd 09, 03:45 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
Dave Heil[_2_] Dave Heil[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Oct 2007
Posts: 149
Default Newbie Question

Sal M. Onella wrote:
On Jun 29, 4:09 pm, pixel_a_ted
Any suggestions for improving AM reception would be greatly
appreciated.

___________

I have employed a certain technique with success. It takes a longwire
antenna, preferably strung high and clear. Bring the free end of the wire
into the house and wrap it around the radio about a dozen times and then
ground the end. You have wound a crude RF transformer. If you have hum or
buzzing, you may be able to cure it by repositioning the longwire.

You might not know how the rod antenna is mounted inside the case;
experiment to get the optimum improvement. In a radio with a big case, you
can locate the antenna rod with any remote control. Simply hold the remote
control at different places around the radio and press a button. Where the
remote makes the most noise, that's where the rod is. You can test a remote
for dead/alive this way, too.

I have also opened up a radio, wound a small coil (again, just a few turns)
around the antenna rod and brought the two ends out of the radio, grounding
one and connecting the other to the longwire antenna in para 1.


Even easier is using a flat piece of plastic sheet (from an old bleach
bottle or something similar) perhaps 1" x 3 or 4". Wind it full of
hookup wire held in place by duct tape. One end of the winding to
ground and the other to an end fed wire antenna which is highly unlikely
to be a longwire. Tune in a distant Medium Wave signal with the
built-in antenna then begin moving the new winding about on the back of
the radio's case until the signal peaks up. Either tape it in place or
use a couple of pieces of Velcro to attach it to the back of the receiver.

Dave K8MN