"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...
What make/model radio are you using?

If you have an option to tune in broadcast band AM stations using SSB
(sideband)
you may improve reception at the cost of limiting audio quality.

Steve

Got it on the loop antenna thanks Roy Lewallen, W7EL, sounds like that's
what I need to start researching. My radio is just an older RCA 5.1 surround
sound, I've got a ton of music vinyl and digital and use it mainly for that,
but it's in my shop where I'm the boss and can smoke cigars if I want and
where I listen to most of the baseball. I don't really care much for the RCA
radio because I don't like the digital tuning, if I wanted to get a descent
radio for am reception what's a good choice? I've got a couple older
portables a GE Super Radio and a Midland 8-band, but I'd like a table model
so I can take advantage of the surround sound and speakers I've got
throughout my shop.

"Jeff D" wrote in message
...

"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...
What make/model radio are you using?

If you have an option to tune in broadcast band AM stations using SSB
(sideband)
you may improve reception at the cost of limiting audio quality.

Steve

Got it on the loop antenna thanks Roy Lewallen, W7EL, sounds like that's
what I need to start researching. My radio is just an older RCA 5.1
surround sound, I've got a ton of music vinyl and digital and use it
mainly for that, but it's in my shop where I'm the boss and can smoke
cigars if I want and where I listen to most of the baseball. I don't
really care much for the RCA radio because I don't like the digital
tuning, if I wanted to get a descent radio for am reception what's a good
choice? I've got a couple older portables a GE Super Radio and a Midland
8-band, but I'd like a table model so I can take advantage of the surround
sound and speakers I've got throughout my shop.
Setup that GE Super Radio, orient it properly and see how it compares to
your RCA 5.1. Let us know.
Mike

The GE Super Radio is what I normally use to catch baseball on am 670,
especially at night, but after about 10pm local time I get a Mexican station
overpowering 670. I'm aware of the internet option but MLB doesn't allow
broadcasting, they want you to buy their MLB network subscription. But
anyway the ideal setup for me would be a good am table radio and antenna
setup that I can input to my stereo system and not fight with Mexico over
the channel.


"amdx" wrote in message
...

"Jeff D" wrote in message
...

"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...
What make/model radio are you using?

If you have an option to tune in broadcast band AM stations using SSB
(sideband)
you may improve reception at the cost of limiting audio quality.

Steve

Got it on the loop antenna thanks Roy Lewallen, W7EL, sounds like that's
what I need to start researching. My radio is just an older RCA 5.1
surround sound, I've got a ton of music vinyl and digital and use it
mainly for that, but it's in my shop where I'm the boss and can smoke
cigars if I want and where I listen to most of the baseball. I don't
really care much for the RCA radio because I don't like the digital
tuning, if I wanted to get a descent radio for am reception what's a good
choice? I've got a couple older portables a GE Super Radio and a Midland
8-band, but I'd like a table model so I can take advantage of the
surround sound and speakers I've got throughout my shop.
Setup that GE Super Radio, orient it properly and see how it compares to
your RCA 5.1. Let us know.
Mike

Dear Jeff D.: Now we have the needed information. You do not have a
signal to noise issue but do have a signal to interference issue. Thus you
need a means for reducing the strength of the XE station as compared to
Chicago. .... and we are back to a loop antenna.

The angle between the XE station and Chicago is large enough probably to
allow you to reduce the signal to interference ratio to an acceptable level
with some rotating of the loop.

73, Mac N8TT

--
J. McLaughlin; Michigan, USA
Home:
"Jeff D" wrote in message
...
The GE Super Radio is what I normally use to catch baseball on am 670,
especially at night, but after about 10pm local time I get a Mexican
station overpowering 670. I'm aware of the internet option but MLB doesn't
allow broadcasting, they want you to buy their MLB network subscription.
But anyway the ideal setup for me would be a good am table radio and
antenna setup that I can input to my stereo system and not fight with
Mexico over the channel.





Got it on the loop antenna thanks Roy Lewallen, W7EL, sounds like that's
what I need to start researching. My radio is just an older RCA 5.1
surround sound, I've got a ton of music vinyl and digital and use it
mainly for that, but it's in my shop where I'm the boss and can smoke
cigars if I want and where I listen to most of the baseball. I don't
really care much for the RCA radio because I don't like the digital
tuning, if I wanted to get a descent radio for am reception what's a
good choice? I've got a couple older portables a GE Super Radio and a
Midland 8-band, but I'd like a table model so I can take advantage of
the surround sound and speakers I've got throughout my shop.
Setup that GE Super Radio, orient it properly and see how it compares to
your RCA 5.1. Let us know.
Mike

"Jeff D" wrote in message
...
The GE Super Radio is what I normally use to catch baseball on am 670,
especially at night, but after about 10pm local time I get a Mexican
station overpowering 670. I'm aware of the internet option but MLB doesn't
allow broadcasting, they want you to buy their MLB network subscription.
But anyway the ideal setup for me would be a good am table radio and
antenna setup that I can input to my stereo system and not fight with
Mexico over the channel.

That's why I ask about the GE, if you can get it to work, you can
cobble audio into your stereo.
Regarding the interfering Mexican station, this a great application for a
loop, you can turn it to null out that offending station.
Even without a loop you should be able to turn the GE to null out the
Mexican Station.
Method;
Rotate the radio so the long dimension points at the Mexican station
(caution it might be in Cuba) :-) When you find the correct aim the audio
from the offender will attenuate. Also sometimes it helps to
tip the end that point towards the offender up a little.
Mike
PS. I hate it when baseball preempts talk radio programs:-)

"amdx" wrote in message
...

"Jeff D" wrote in message
...
The GE Super Radio is what I normally use to catch baseball on am 670,
especially at night, but after about 10pm local time I get a Mexican
station overpowering 670. I'm aware of the internet option but MLB
doesn't allow broadcasting, they want you to buy their MLB network
subscription. But anyway the ideal setup for me would be a good am table
radio and antenna setup that I can input to my stereo system and not
fight with Mexico over the channel.

That's why I ask about the GE, if you can get it to work, you can
cobble audio into your stereo.
Regarding the interfering Mexican station, this a great application for a
loop, you can turn it to null out that offending station.
Even without a loop you should be able to turn the GE to null out the
Mexican Station.
Method;
Rotate the radio so the long dimension points at the Mexican station
(caution it might be in Cuba) :-) When you find the correct aim the audio
from the offender will attenuate. Also sometimes it helps to
tip the end that point towards the offender up a little.
Mike
PS. I hate it when baseball preempts talk radio programs:-)


yep that's exactly what I do with the GE which helps but it's still pretty
scratchy and at the most 30-40% recognizable audio

"Jeff D" wrote in message
...

"amdx" wrote in message
...

"Jeff D" wrote in message
...
The GE Super Radio is what I normally use to catch baseball on am 670,
especially at night, but after about 10pm local time I get a Mexican
station overpowering 670. I'm aware of the internet option but MLB
doesn't allow broadcasting, they want you to buy their MLB network
subscription. But anyway the ideal setup for me would be a good am table
radio and antenna setup that I can input to my stereo system and not
fight with Mexico over the channel.

That's why I ask about the GE, if you can get it to work, you can
cobble audio into your stereo.
Regarding the interfering Mexican station, this a great application for
a
loop, you can turn it to null out that offending station.
Even without a loop you should be able to turn the GE to null out the
Mexican Station.
Method;
Rotate the radio so the long dimension points at the Mexican station
(caution it might be in Cuba) :-) When you find the correct aim the audio
from the offender will attenuate. Also sometimes it helps to
tip the end that point towards the offender up a little.
Mike
PS. I hate it when baseball preempts talk radio programs:-)


yep that's exactly what I do with the GE which helps but it's still pretty
scratchy and at the most 30-40% recognizable audio
Hmm, do you get a good null? Sometimes environmental materials can
mix the signals and you don't get a good null. See if you can take the
GE radio outside away from the building and get a null on the Mexican
and a better signal on your prefered station. If not I don't see where a
larger loop is going to help.
Just had a thought, If the Mexican station is actually a Cuban then trying
to null the Cuban would also null the Chicago station. They are about 180*
apart on either side of you. I'm in Fl. the Cuban stations are my
interference.
Mike

"amdx" wrote in message
...

"Jeff D" wrote in message
...

"amdx" wrote in message
...

"Jeff D" wrote in message
...
The GE Super Radio is what I normally use to catch baseball on am 670,
especially at night, but after about 10pm local time I get a Mexican
station overpowering 670. I'm aware of the internet option but MLB
doesn't allow broadcasting, they want you to buy their MLB network
subscription. But anyway the ideal setup for me would be a good am
table radio and antenna setup that I can input to my stereo system and
not fight with Mexico over the channel.

That's why I ask about the GE, if you can get it to work, you can
cobble audio into your stereo.
Regarding the interfering Mexican station, this a great application for
a
loop, you can turn it to null out that offending station.
Even without a loop you should be able to turn the GE to null out the
Mexican Station.
Method;
Rotate the radio so the long dimension points at the Mexican station
(caution it might be in Cuba) :-) When you find the correct aim the
audio
from the offender will attenuate. Also sometimes it helps to
tip the end that point towards the offender up a little.
Mike
PS. I hate it when baseball preempts talk radio programs:-)


yep that's exactly what I do with the GE which helps but it's still
pretty scratchy and at the most 30-40% recognizable audio
Hmm, do you get a good null? Sometimes environmental materials can
mix the signals and you don't get a good null. See if you can take the
GE radio outside away from the building and get a null on the Mexican
and a better signal on your prefered station. If not I don't see where a
larger loop is going to help.
Just had a thought, If the Mexican station is actually a Cuban then
trying
to null the Cuban would also null the Chicago station. They are about 180*
apart on either side of you. I'm in Fl. the Cuban stations are my
interference.
Mike



I don't even try indoors because it pointless, I go outside, but I've got
some geographical problems being in a valley that's in a pretty dense woods.
The Mexican or Cuban station has a period to it's interference, it's about a
60 second interval with a 20 second duration. I've been following the White
Sox for 50 years and they've been on almost every Chicago am station, 720,
780, 890, 1000 but 670 is by far my biggest challenge to get good reception.
I'll be happier when they move to another station.

blitz wrote:

If you can't get Chicago at night on the GE SR, it's going to be a
challenge on any radio.

I think TJ is right- if you're going to bother with a long wire, it
needs to be about 150' to get resonant (as in, tune the frequencies
you want) down to 670 AM. My antenna, like yours (wire, then coax into
the house) at 150', overloads most radios. So it needs some
throttling. Otherwise, it's a monster for signals.

Making the antenna resonant won't help your signal/noise ratio at all.
And it makes no sense to make the antenna larger to increase the signal
(and noise), then adding an attenuator to decrease it so it doesn't
overload your receiver.

OTOH, a loop might really help you sort out the competing signal.
. . .

Yep.

A lot of amateurs get confused about the requirements for sending a
strong signal and those for receiving signals clearly. At HF, they're
quite different. And a lot of amateurs have the mistaken idea that
there's something magic about an antenna being resonant. That confusion
is why you keep getting advice to make your antenna longer, higher, and
resonant, while those aren't the solution to your problem at all, and in
fact are likely to create additional problems due to receiver overload.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

blitz wrote in message ...
Roy Lewallen writes...

blitz wrote:

If you can't get Chicago at night on the GE SR, it's going to be a
challenge on any radio.

I think TJ is right- if you're going to bother with a long wire, it
needs to be about 150' to get resonant (as in, tune the frequencies
you want) down to 670 AM. My antenna, like yours (wire, then coax into
the house) at 150', overloads most radios. So it needs some
throttling. Otherwise, it's a monster for signals.

Making the antenna resonant won't help your signal/noise ratio at all.
And it makes no sense to make the antenna larger to increase the signal
(and noise), then adding an attenuator to decrease it so it doesn't
overload your receiver.

Depends on the receiver. I wish I had *more* signal for the R8. It
might not matter, but I'd like to find out.

The Sony I referenced (and most other digital 'hi-fi' tuners) do need
attenuation. Some of the older analog tuners don't.

Noise levels also vary. On some bands it's already down at S1, so I'd
be willing to accommodate a stouter signal.

OTOH, a loop might really help you sort out the competing signal.
. . .

Yep.

A lot of amateurs get confused about the requirements for sending a
strong signal and those for receiving signals clearly. At HF, they're
quite different. And a lot of amateurs have the mistaken idea that
there's something magic about an antenna being resonant. That confusion
is why you keep getting advice to make your antenna longer, higher, and
resonant, while those aren't the solution to your problem at all, and in
fact are likely to create additional problems due to receiver overload.

I equate it (length) with meat-ball impedance matching, which upped
the number of stations considerably (BCB and international SW). It
could also be the 100' of coax into the house.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

I bought the Sony XDR-F1HD and I really like it, no problem getting am 670
even with my crappy long wire installation, daytime signal is very clear.
Haven't tried the nighttime signal but I'll probably need a loop as noted by
others to get rid of the Latin station interference. The fm is very good
also, good value for $75 or so. I'm looking at different options with the
coax. It's routed around the perimeter of 3 walls then into another room and
down a parallel wall before getting outside. I have 4 cheapo 8' fluorescent
lights inside the 3 walled loop of coax and they create an annoying level of
interference. I've confirmed the polarity and grounding on all the ac stuff
so I'll write the hum off as noisy Chinese ballasts and leave the lights
off. But anyway the move to the Sony tuner was a quantum gain. I have a
tower from a conversion to satellite tv I'll erect this spring and install a
fm directional and am loop antennas with a rotor. At that time I should be
able to cut the coax down to a 20' run to the outside in metal conduit and
buried another 20' to the tower in plastic conduit.