Question FM radio antenna

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1cherokee79

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There's a "Classic FM" radio station that i can get at my home.
Fist off, The house and the shop both have a metal roof. My radio is located in my bedroom, along with a desktop and TV and a Raspberry Pi connected to the TV to play my MP4 and Games on it. So, it's my desktop/ TV/ Media player and my AM/FM Radio.

I can get the FM station on my radio, it comes in but weak.
I also have a radio out in the shop. The station comes in great. SO i don't understand it, the station comes in good out in the shop but not in my room ?
So, could it be the other electronics like the PC and TV and Media player interfering ?
 
Phillip Corcoran

Phillip Corcoran

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I listen to FM stations on my music centre in the living room, connected to an FM aerial on the roof. Reception is perfect.

But FM reception on a portable radio can vary enormously between rooms, and even between different locations within a room.
Make sure the radio antenna is fully extended and try it in different places in your bedroom.
 
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faalin

faalin

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Things to check.

What walls are closest to the radios? In the shop, is it closest to the North, South, East, or West wall? And in your room, is it closest to the North, South, East, or West wall? If they are not on the same walls then the radio signal is favoring the direction the shop radio is on.

How close to the roof are the radios?
Are they the same radio? have you tried your room radio down in the shop to see if it get the same signal
 
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JeffreyP55

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1cherokee79 said:
There's a "Classic FM" radio station that i can get at my home.
Fist off, The house and the shop both have a metal roof. My radio is located in my bedroom, along with a desktop and TV and a Raspberry Pi connected to the TV to play my MP4 and Games on it. So, it's my desktop/ TV/ Media player and my AM/FM Radio.

I can get the FM station on my radio, it comes in but weak.
I also have a radio out in the shop. The station comes in great. SO i don't understand it, the station comes in good out in the shop but not in my room ?
So, could it be the other electronics like the PC and TV and Media player interfering ?
Click to expand...
Having an AVR I installed an antenna in our attic. Living in the valley really no need for a roof antenna.
Maybe this will help you find your best solution.
windupradio.com

How to Improve Radio Reception in a Metal Building: 9 Easy Steps

Are you wondering how to improve radio reception in a metal building? If yes, do not miss this post as it will guide you through all steps
windupradio.com windupradio.com
 
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Satan-IR

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Other electric and electronic devices can to some extent affect redio reception. Things like monitors/screens, computers, microwaves, halogen or fluorescent lamps, VCRs, DVD players even light dimmer switches.

Does the radio have an antenna connection?

If it does you can even use about 6 feet long speaker wire (aprox 200CM) and connect it to the antenna conenction and move it around until you find the spot where it improves reception.

Amazon sells kind of flexible dipone antenna which is basically what I said above with 2-3 kinds of connectors. If you don't want to spend time and money on an outdoor antenna this is an option. Like this one here.
 
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1cherokee79

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In the shop, it just a portable cd player https://www.amazon.com/Magnavox-MD6..._r=211MRR4THMYHSQKJDVK2&qid=1647283375&sr=8-5 with a telescoped antenna. the shop is wide open, no rooms.
The radio is sitting on a table on the west side of the shop, I can aim the antenna just about any direction and good signal.
In the house i have a radio here https://www.amazon.com/Sangean-WR-1...g/dp/B001BGGD8A/ref=psdc_172653_t1_B07ZLCNXF8
It has a good long antenna. These modern day stations comes in great and the ones that is good that plays classics don't came is so good. See i had a stereo once with a spaghetti antenna that sucks badly. Digital radio sucks it would just skip any station that don't come in that good. but on my new radio https://www.amazon.com/Sangean-WR-1...g/dp/B001BGGD8A/ref=psdc_172653_t1_B07ZLCNXF8
Great antenna connection RF jack that is. Right now i have a clear tv antenna that u see on TV or in store https://www.amazon.com/ClearTV-X-72...nics&sprefix=clear+tv,electronics,313&sr=1-12 and it works on the radio but just ant strong enough but the antenna now is on the est side of the room.
 
JeffreyP55

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1cherokee79

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Today, I had took my Sangean Radio https://www.amazon.com/Sangean-WR-1...ef4f4&pd_rd_wg=V6OGs&pd_rd_i=B00IGXENR4&psc=1 outside, just outside of my bedroom. I had some wifi antenna cable https://www.amazon.com/BOOBRIE-Coax...ef4f4&pd_rd_wg=V6OGs&pd_rd_i=B07FCGG46Q&psc=1 with the right fittings https://www.amazon.com/exgoofit-F-T...d=1648540437&sprefix=rf+to+sma,aps,358&sr=8-4 and put on a 12 section telescopic antenna https://www.amazon.com/SECTION-Tele...23548&pd_rd_wg=HGGsy&pd_rd_i=B016L3J3OS&psc=1 So i set the radio to the right station that i listen to and moved the antenna around. I had got in a good signal. So, apparently i need a good outdoor antenna. I have one of them metal shades out by the house, not far from my bedroom. The posts are railroad ties that had been there for many years.
 
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dwd999

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1cherokee79 said:
Today, I had took my Sangean Radio outside, just outside of my bedroom. I had some wifi antenna cable with the right fittings and put on a 12 section telescopic antenna So i set the radio to the right station that i listen to and moved the antenna around. I had got in a good signal. So, apparently i need a good outdoor antenna. I have one of them metal shades out by the house, not far from my bedroom. The posts are railroad ties that had been there for many years.
Click to expand...
Well, for starters, I am surprised that this worked since you are using the wrong cable. You are supposed to be using an RG6 75ohm cable.

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Sh...tronics&sprefix=rg6+cable,aps,116&sr=1-2&th=1

As for the antenna, there are any number of external antenna companies you can select from:

https://www.amazon.com/Stellar-Labs...48547312&rnid=2941120011&s=electronics&sr=1-3

https://www.amazon.com/Winegard-HD-...48547312&rnid=2941120011&s=electronics&sr=1-4

Most of these antennas are designed to mount on a pole which you can then mount on whatever structure you want. And they will work best if you use the correct cable.
 
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1cherokee79

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Ok as i said before, I took my radio outside in the yard and connected the wifi cable to the F-connection on the radio and added a F-connector to the other end of the wifi wire and added a 12 section telescopic antenna to it and turn the radio station to the right station and moved the antenna around connected to the wifi cable and there was points that the station was coming in pretty, a great signal, I even tried another antenna that i had for years and moved that around and still got a great signal coming in. But there were indoor antennas, i was just testing the signal outdoor. I took the radio back into the bedroom and reconnected the antenna with the same wifi wire with the f-type to SMA connection fitting and no signal. I moved it around in the room but when hanging it along the top of the wall i could barely get a good signal that won't stay in long or a signal with much static. Would a coaxial cable make a stronger connection...
 
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1cherokee79

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I have a Analog radio, it has 75 ohm on it. i was using Wifi antenna cable, which i like, so flexible. But now that i look at it, find out, the radio has 75 ohm and the wire has 50 ohm, So, could that be the answer why i'm not getting a good signal with a indoor antenna. So i need 75ohm cable and antenna to match the 75 ohm f-connector on the back of my Analog radio
 
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1cherokee79

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Well first, i had used wifi antenna cable for antenna wire for my Analog radio. Which at first i like that idea, it hangs easy and not a problem when hanging the wire. But just now after doing some research on the wifi antenna cable, i noticed that it's only 50ohm. So could that be why t hat i can't get goo signal on my radio even though bough radio station is no more the 50 miles.

So like i said. The wifi antenna cable is 50ohm and the radio has 75ohm jack.
 
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1cherokee79

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First, With my Analog Radio, i carried it out to the shop with an indoor antenna, one that i had for many years early 21st century. I connected it to the 75 ohm on the radio. I didn't have to move it around that much when i got a great FM signal. It's not a metal shop, just has a metal roof put on. the place is open, no rooms but it was getting a good signal and the radio was even sitting on the table along the wall, and tools hangs on a peg board on the wall. So, the radio station that i get comes in great. I calculated online the distance on how for is it from my place to the two cities where the radio station are. The station is about 50 miles. Even on a portable radio, with the telescopic antenna extended out, gets the station. I'm not talking about the FM radio station now days that comes in great with or without the antenna, i mean the stations that is hard to find. I digital radio will not locate them station just the modern day station like all this new country and rock.

So, i took my Analog radio back inside the house to my bedroom and plugged it back in and reconnected the indoor antenna. I moved the antenna around and i get signal but weak, static or maybe it will come in but not long until it weakens.

Which for one the cable that i was using was 50 ohm instead of 75 ohm like it say on the back on the radio.
So, i know that i get signal since it just 40 miles from the radio station. I know one thing everytime that i turn off the tv, the FM station comes right on in, next day when turning on the tv, the station goes dead or just low weak. So i need a indoor antenna of some kind that boost.


Summary: I get a weak fm signal, Everytime turning off the TV, the FM station starts to pick up. When turning on the tv, the sound starts to drop and static comes in, so, less music i hear and more static i have to put up with.
 
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Phillip Corcoran

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michaelclark01 said:
Replace your current antenna if you discovered a problem. You may search through a number of online directories to find amplified indoor antennas that are both affordable and powerful.
This will be useful for improving radio reception in metal buildings, but be sure to use a dipole antenna.
Click to expand...

Hi Michael. Welcome to THF !

Just a heads-up. You may not have noticed this thread is approx 15-months old and is therefore "dead" by now.
So there's little point in resurrecting it.

Closing thread ..........................................
 
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