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Indoor FM antenna recommendation
- Thread starter NHRadio
- Start date
The bit error rate tends to suffer with an amplified antenna on the HD signals... are you tied to an indoor antenna? Most of them are inefficient antennas boosted to overcome the mistuned piece of metal that passes as an antenna.
Have you tried a 1/2 wave dipole in the window? Sometimes that's the best.
How far are you from the stations you want to receive? What antennas have you used so far?
Have you tried a 1/2 wave dipole in the window? Sometimes that's the best.
How far are you from the stations you want to receive? What antennas have you used so far?
I've used the 99 cent dipole in the window and it worked about the same as the $15 RCA VHF TV antenna from an old TV...badly.
I'm 18-20 miles from a full Class B and get a noisy but listenable signal but no HD lock at all.
About the same distance from a 25kw FM and get nothing.
And yes, an indoor antenna is a must as my landlord won't allow a roof mount. Thanks!
EDIT: HD is a secondary concern. I'd rather get better analog reception.
I'm 18-20 miles from a full Class B and get a noisy but listenable signal but no HD lock at all.
About the same distance from a 25kw FM and get nothing.
And yes, an indoor antenna is a must as my landlord won't allow a roof mount. Thanks!
EDIT: HD is a secondary concern. I'd rather get better analog reception.
Indoor antennas are a disappointment.
Try a dipole and transmission line (RG-6, RG-59, Shielded 300 Ohm, or slightly twisted Twin Lead) in a quiet location (no strange oscillations or noises across the band).
More and more new devices interfere into the FM Band and above.
Try a dipole and transmission line (RG-6, RG-59, Shielded 300 Ohm, or slightly twisted Twin Lead) in a quiet location (no strange oscillations or noises across the band).
More and more new devices interfere into the FM Band and above.
The biggest problem with indoor antennas is local interference. In my home, I have computers and lots of other sources of broadband noise. I found that the best spot in my home office wasn't by the window at all, but in a corner kind of behind a metal shelf that aforded some shielding to the local noise sources. Get a portable radio, tuned to the desired station and walk around listening for the best reception. You can then place your dipole andenna in about the same spot and try for improved reception. Sometimes the best spot is pretty far away from the reciever. If that's the case, use a piece of coax to get to the best antenna location and then attach your dipole to the end of the coax, using a balun if necessary.
The BA Receptor is really deaf. Got one as a gift and when it pulls in a station, it sounds great, but only expect to get in the strongest of the strong without judicious antenna selection and placement.
Mine is sitting on the floor unplugged and unused for that reason. My 10 year old $100 Sony Receiver with $3 dipole works better.
Mine is sitting on the floor unplugged and unused for that reason. My 10 year old $100 Sony Receiver with $3 dipole works better.
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