AERIAL FOR BETTER AM RECEPTION

[plantzy]

Hi
Has anybody got a suggestion for an aerial which will give better AM reception and also looks good?
Every time I drive under the high power lines the radio is impossible to hear!

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[Kevin_D]

That's the nature of AM radio.
No antenna is going to help under power lines.

For optimal reception overall, stick with the stock whip antenna.

Kevin

 

[Radio Guy]

AM radios are kind of matched to the typical AM/FM 1m long whip including the coax. There are better antenna options but you would probably have to retune the input circuits in the radio to make good use of the better antenna.

When I installed radios in the 70s and early 80s all factory and aftermarket radios had a trimmer capacitor that you had to peak up listening to a mid band AM station for the best reception. That capacitor would optimize the match between the radio and stock antenna/coax. I have not explored a modern AM/FM car radio but if they still have a trimmer cap that could to a long way to peak up the radio with a better AM antenna.

The AM trimmer cap was accessible on the rear or rear side of a stock AM radio and if it had a cassette player you would open the cassette door and it was down inside the radio. You had to use a long plastic screwdriver made for the task.

 

[Hootbro]

AM radios are kind of matched to the typical AM/FM 1m long whip including the coax. There are better antenna options but you would probably have to retune the input circuits in the radio to make good use of the better antenna.

When I installed radios in the 70s and early 80s all factory and aftermarket radios had a trimmer capacitor that you had to peak up listening to a mid band AM station for the best reception. That capacitor would optimize the match between the radio and stock antenna/coax. I have not explored a modern AM/FM car radio but if they still have a trimmer cap that could to a long way to peak up the radio with a better AM antenna.

The AM trimmer cap was accessible on the rear or rear side of a stock AM radio and if it had a cassette player you would open the cassette door and it was down inside the radio. You had to use a long plastic screwdriver made for the task.

 

[Kevin_D]

When I installed radios in the 70s and early 80s all factory and aftermarket radios had a trimmer capacitor that you had to peak up listening to a mid band AM station for the best reception. That capacitor would optimize the match between the radio and stock antenna/coax. I have not explored a modern AM/FM car radio but if they still have a trimmer cap that could to a long way to peak up the radio with a better AM antenna.

Trimmer cap.s went the way of discrete components in car radios...

Kevin

 

[kb5zcr]

You could try using an alligator clip to clip an extra three (or whatever length) feet of wire from the top of your current ant over to your roof rack or side mirror just to see if the extra length helps. If it does, then figure out a better long term solution.

I use a 133 foot long wire for AM broadcast reception in my home, shortwave listeners have been doing this for years.

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