good indoor fm antenna?
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Paul C
Super Member
Powered, or active means it has an ampllifier build into the antenna. This will amplify the received signals and any noise from nearby equipment.
For indoor FM I have had the best luck with a single piece of 22 ga insulated wire, 5' long, which is a "half wave". Make it 57" to favor the high end of band, 63" to favor the low end. For me this works far better than the twinlead "dipole" antennas. Ordinary TV "rabbit ears" work well, too.
The Godar FM1A worked well in the attic, but not down by the tuner with the supplied 6' coax. It must be high to work well. I think the longer coax attached might also have had an effect on this. The 5' wire was superior to the Godar antenna when placed down by the tuner.
For indoor FM I have had the best luck with a single piece of 22 ga insulated wire, 5' long, which is a "half wave". Make it 57" to favor the high end of band, 63" to favor the low end. For me this works far better than the twinlead "dipole" antennas. Ordinary TV "rabbit ears" work well, too.
The Godar FM1A worked well in the attic, but not down by the tuner with the supplied 6' coax. It must be high to work well. I think the longer coax attached might also have had an effect on this. The 5' wire was superior to the Godar antenna when placed down by the tuner.
BuckNaked
Class of '80
I did some research on indoor FM antennae. Bottom line was the factory supplied 'T' antenna is about as good as indoor gets. There were some particulars about aligning it 90 degrees from signal, and the number of twists per foot of the main lead from the tuner hookup to the 'T'.
You can get a replacement from just about anywhere from WalMart to Radio Shack. $1.99 +/-...
All that gobbledy gook about powered indoor antennae was pretty much hype. I picked up a Jensen TV920 (flying wing) and I noticed that every station tuned better with the damned thing turned off. All it was good for was an extension for my 'T' leads.
You can get a replacement from just about anywhere from WalMart to Radio Shack. $1.99 +/-...
All that gobbledy gook about powered indoor antennae was pretty much hype. I picked up a Jensen TV920 (flying wing) and I noticed that every station tuned better with the damned thing turned off. All it was good for was an extension for my 'T' leads.
A lot depends on your location relative to sources of interference/reflection and relative to the stations you want to hear. Having said that, I will say that I have never under any circumstances heard benefits from a powered/amplified indoor antenna. If the main concern is signal strength, it is hard to do better indoors than a dipole - either a properly deployed wire antenna or rabbit ears (which are easier to adjust and orient, generally). If your problem is multipath, you may benefit from something like the Godar (though the Godar 1 did not work for me at all) or a BIC Beam Box (which I'm currently using, though it does make signal strength marginal on a few stations).
Bottom line - a lot depends on your reception circumstances.
Bottom line - a lot depends on your reception circumstances.
Paul C
Super Member
Schnitzer said:
Common doorbell or hookup wire. And I have a number of rolls of it. The significance is that skinny cheesy wire works as well or better than most of the indoor FM antennas for sale.
I have tried larger and smaller, and it makes no difference at all. The length is more important, but still not that critical.
ETA: Outdoor antennas are so superior, there is no comparison. With the Godar FM1A in the attic, or in my other room, 5' of wire, I had 7 or 8 presets of stations I liked, and a few more that I didn't.
But with my new Ratshack antenna (Antennacraft FM6) outdoors on the peak of my roof I now have 30 preset FM stations that are all excellent, and about 50 more strong stations I don't like.
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=73451
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I use common T antenna for all of my systems except for my mains. For my KT-8005 I use a Magnum Dynalab ST-2 whip, mounted on my roof. I have used the ST-2 indoors and did not see much of an improvement over the T. Mounted outdoors, the results are great. Much stronger signals, and more stations.
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I picked up a B.I.C. Beam Box FM-10 directional antenna at an estate sale recently. This thing works great. I live in the sticks and this thing pulls in signals from way off. Stations I was having trouble picking up now come in much clearer. You can see the signal strength needle on my tuner jump when it is directed toward the source signal.
The thing is, as good as this thing works I am looking to get rid of it because it is missing a knob. It is the middle knob that selects bandwith. I replaced the missing knob with a smaller knob I pulled off another unit and it works fine but it doesn't match. I have decided to ditch this thing and hook up my old "country cable" VHF/UHF antenna on my roof to my tuner with a 75 ohm cable. Any takers?
The thing is, as good as this thing works I am looking to get rid of it because it is missing a knob. It is the middle knob that selects bandwith. I replaced the missing knob with a smaller knob I pulled off another unit and it works fine but it doesn't match. I have decided to ditch this thing and hook up my old "country cable" VHF/UHF antenna on my roof to my tuner with a 75 ohm cable. Any takers?
wajobu
Boing Boom Tschak
I've actually had decent luck with the ol' T di-pole antenna and a small (FM/Video) plug-in signal amplifier...I think it's either a Philips or GE...uh...made in China, of course.
I live in an area with perpetually weak signals and the amplifier gives just enough boost to get stereo signals with minimal interference and multipath readings on my Yamaha Signal Quality/Strength meter.
I'm listening to a station about 40 or so miles away right now and the reading is about 10 of 100 on the meter with a pretty clear stereo signal...if I unplug the amp...the signal is still there, but stereo is almost gone and the signal drops to almost nil. Works for me and it was pretty cheap...Coax in, coax out and a little converter for the coax to dipole.
I live in an area with perpetually weak signals and the amplifier gives just enough boost to get stereo signals with minimal interference and multipath readings on my Yamaha Signal Quality/Strength meter.
I'm listening to a station about 40 or so miles away right now and the reading is about 10 of 100 on the meter with a pretty clear stereo signal...if I unplug the amp...the signal is still there, but stereo is almost gone and the signal drops to almost nil. Works for me and it was pretty cheap...Coax in, coax out and a little converter for the coax to dipole.
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Acoustic
This Amp Is HOT!!
I agree... dipole's are the way to go if your not putting up an attic or roof antenna. I made a dipole antenna today out of some 300 ohm antenna wire. I targeted my antenna for 91.5 mHz, the station I listen to the most. Here is the link I used.
http://www.kgnu.org/howtohear/antenna.html
I just tacked it to a 1"x2" and tucked it behind the stereo so you can't see it.
Andy.
http://www.kgnu.org/howtohear/antenna.html
I just tacked it to a 1"x2" and tucked it behind the stereo so you can't see it.
Andy.
roseskunk
Well-Known Member
D-amn!! I am impressed. You guys are very good! I'm just trying to get a better signal from a public radio station 30 miles away. Guess I'll try to hide a di-pole or single wire. I had no idea the length mattered. (According to my girlfriend...well, nevermind...) :sigh:
I promise to come here before I ever buy anything again with funny knobs and meters! Thank you! uh, now, anyone interested in a Sansui A-40?!?
I promise to come here before I ever buy anything again with funny knobs and meters! Thank you! uh, now, anyone interested in a Sansui A-40?!?
