Dusted off an old Sony ST-JX3380 AM/FM tuner to properly monitor the station at 1610 kHz. Makes me miss the old Onkyo and Denon gear [sigh]. I need an antenna for it. What should I use? Please make suggestions because it's been a long time since I've used much Hi Fi equipment.
Also cleaned up some Polk bookshelf monitor speakers, about 40 years old and in good shape! But that's another story.
I've only been using a Kaito Voyager KA500 "solar crank" radio to monitor inside for a couple years.
One reason I want to use this tuner is just to listen in on something a wee bit clearer. I also want to keep an air gap from the station play PC [running Zara/Salamander] to the PC where I'll patch the signal to for new streaming.
Must be candid, I don't want to spend a lot of money on this antenna. Perhaps an antenna I can mount to a wall? I'd appreciate any URL for a suggested purchase of the antenna, please.
Muchas gracias.
For the antenna for the Hi Fi tuners...AM?
The tuners usually came with an antenna with it, either a wound loop or a ferrite bar attached to the back. But you can (1)... get a long wire and make a loop out of it about 5 to 6 ft in diameter and paste in on a wall, and connect to the AM terminals on the back or (2)...
use this which can also be directly connected also..
I'd consider the affordable YouLoop from AirSpy. I tested it extensively during the COVID shutdown both inside and out in the yard and remain quite impressed. Article...
Airspy YouLoop LF/MF/HF Möbius Receive Antenna
My indoor tests in the basement proved quite useful. I've seen some folks have good results by simply pinning this to a typical plaster wall. It has two deep nulls that are quite pronounced, but has decent coverage over much of the azimuth.
When Cential posted the question I recalled an article with several photos showing a rather large,about 6 foot hulu-hoop looking thing out in the yard. He used it because it was the only way he could get AM reception in his remote area.
I keep thinking it was a manufactured product - We had discussed it here about 10 years ago and I wanted to bring that back to the surface, but I couldn't find it.
Does anyone else recall what I'm talking about?
- I ended up finding an old AM loop antenna for the Sony AM tuner. Am using it. Seems ok.
- Bought a cheapie AM loop antenna on Amazon for the hifi in the middle of the hacienda, and it too seems ok. Made the station signal bright! Not so bright without it at a distance of 35 feet.
What exactly...?
AM Broadcast Band Booster Antenna for Tecsun Radio Model PL-368 $39.95
https://www.ebay.com/itm/185880004815
To me it seems all the AM reception antennas are too expensive, but I still look and there's a few on ebay that's interesting, such as this:
Mediumwave AM Broadcast Band Tunable Ferrite Antenna 530 - 1710 KHz *IMPROVES DX
https://www.ebay.com/itm/404526337142
$49.95
I just don't see myself ever buying one of these because I haven't had interest in DXing distant AM in at least 25 years, and even then it wasn't really a hobby, it was just something I did in the late night hours before the internet was really a thing. - Anyway, went looking for info about this $50 antenna and landed on this entertaining review at
https://swling.com/blog/2018/04/the-professor-reviews-the-rfa200-external-ferrite-antenna/
The following paragraph from the middle of the review proubly best sums it up:
"So, not a total waste money after all. I would emphasize that the difference in reception doesn’t seem to be as dramatic or sustaining as you might hear with a tunable loop antenna next to your radio. But it’s not junk either. Then again, for fifty dollars shipped it is a little pricey. Twice as much as a Tecsun tunable loop antenna, ..."
And at the top of the comments section is found a really interesting response worth reading, it begins:
ricardoOctober 2, 2023 at 12:55 am
to explain how these things work, first it should be understood that the ferrite bar is not magnetic.
a ferrite bar antenna, in function, is sort of between a loop antenna and a solenoid.
a loop antenna is a large loop (diameter very large compared to length) with few windings that captures the magnetic component of a radio wave and translates it to electrical current in the wire.
a solenoid is a small toroid (length very long compared to diameter) with many windings that translates electrical current in the wire into a magnetic field, used to move a part.
as you know, an accelerating electrical current in the wire creates an increasing magnetic field around the wire, and since the wire is wound... .."
Also in the comments is found a video link;;
Also interesting:
Twin Coil Ferrite AM Antenna by C.CRANE (DISCONTINUED) New in Open Box
https://www.ebay.com/itm/177209360290 ?
$134
That one that had just went up a few days ago is now listed as "unavailable", but theres another for $89
C. Crane TCA Twin Coil Antenna
https://www.ebay.com/p/1200392836
Forgot to add the picture of $111.00 AM antenna at Wallmart:
or their $89
Pixel Technologies AFHD-4 AFHD-4 Outdoor AM & FM HD Radio Antenna Kit
I mean, like, ain't all these just too much money?
One of the most useful accessories I have (and I got it with my Sony SW1S portable receiver) is basically an alligator clip and attached to it a long piece of wire. That antenna does great for both AM and SW reception, and costs basically pennies to make, if you are so inclined. Attach the alligator clip to the built-in telescopic antenna, and off you go. No need to spend $50-100+ to improve reception.
@artisan-radio Exactly!! And if in the case of assisting a local lister with their reception of your p15 signal it's cheap and quick -- Its not reasonable to suggest they go buy a $30, $50 or more contraption to improve their reception. All they really need is a wire ran outdoors. (presumably at least.)
Having a good antenna on your receiver is probably one of the most overlooked ways of getting more range out of a Part 15 station. Both for AM and FM.
Those misleading and overused quotes from the FCC about getting 200 feet range (particularly on FM) don't take into consideration either the quality of the receiver or the receiving antenna. Or any of a number of other important factors, either.
Nevertheless, every time a pirate discussion comes up, you'll hear that 200 feet bandied about as if it was an immutable scientific fact.
@artisan-radio Late Jim Reed FCC Cheif Engineer of the Technical rules branch made it very clear that that document is "wrought full of inaccuracies" and that whoever wrote it "should have consulted an engineer first".
This looks to be the best super cheap and effective. Probably the best way to extend your station reach is via the receiving radios antennas..
<span;>Why not build another antenna? Here's a really simple, super-cheap and very effective wire antenna for AM radio. Perfect for fringe radio reception in portable radios without external antenna jacks. The only things you need are some wire and a place to ground it.
<span;>Tried this in my backyard, investing about 10 minutes into its construction. Works like a charm!
<span;>Be sure to check out my channel for more radio-related videos. Thanks for watching! 73, Tom
Here is basically the same thing except he adds a transformer. I like this "Radioguy" channel even when he features things I'm not particularly interested in. I think it's his voice, kind of soothing. Anyway here he shows even top tier AM reception radios need some help when trying to tune in whole in the basment..
"Here's a simple way to do it. Antenna is a 100 ft random wire, through a 9:1 transformer into about 60' of coax. This video describes a simple wire loop that effectively couples a portable radio to an external antenna.
I said he was "Radioguy" but I meant "Radidog".
One more from the Radiodog, this one gets a little more elaborate but still simple. What got me is that it almost looks like a transmitter!