AM radio reception

[Bent Ramrod]

I got a C. Crane dial antenna back when they sold them separately. By judicious tweaking of dial on the radio and on the Crane I can maximize signals that have to go over mountains and over distances up to a couple hundred miles.

I heard that Crane doesn’t sell the dial units separately any more; you have to buy a radio from them with one installed. Still a handy thing to have; if you don’t want to buy a new radio, you might look for a used C. Crane dial.

[Dom]

The old car radio sounds interesting, with a large outside antenna. Something I could try.

[MUSTANG]

The following will hopefully provide an understanding of the issue; and from that opportunity to overcome the Challenge. Some of our experts will see "Exceptions" in my description; but this type of description has worked for most cases since Marconi.

1. The Radio Signal (radiating) pattern for AM Radio station is going to be similar to your old fashioned donut with a hole in it. Looking at one side; there is a wide area at the sides, and as one goes to the top (hole) the signal gets weaker (the donut thinner).

2. On flat terrain like the Great Plains of the US of A; the signal from the sides go out in all directions across the terrain. As one gets further from the antenna, three things happen - (a) the signal weakens the further it travels through the atmosphere, (b) the curvature of the earth causes the signal to become "Unseen" by the "Line of Sight" between transmitter and receiver, (3) obstacles in the path block the signal (such as behind a hill/mountain or down in a draw or river bed/drainage.

Commercial Radio antennas are positioned on tall towers to extend the range, overcome the curvature of the earth, and to a lesser degree cover areas behind hills and mountains and in depression areas. Additionally; the power the Station is allowed to broadcast with affects range - More Power and it travels further through the earths atmosphere. This is why the 50,000 watt stations late at night were popular in the 1940's through 1980's and their Frequency approval by the FCC was like gold.

3. As a general statement, AM radio stations will have broader coverage at night compared to daylight. This is because the atmosphere collapses and is much closer to the earth than it is during the day. AM stations will "Bounce" off the atmosphere back to earth (From that top portion of the donut example) which gives both longer distances, and some coverage behind terrain obscured locations (why one can get a signal at night - but not during day).

Potential corrective actions:

(a) place an external antenna on as tall a pole as possible connected to the AM Radio

(b) Place an antenna on a Ridge Line to provide "Line of Sight" to the AM Radio station antenna; and extend the signal via cable to the AM radio or via a "Repeater/Translator" retransmitting the signal to the AM Radio. The"Repeater/Translator" solution is one that many small communities/organizations have done as a combined effort over the years to access both Commercial Radio & TV Broadcast where coverage was not available.

Others have provided some ideas that will provide other work arounds. Depending on where you are at and what your conditions are; some strange things might work also. As an example:

In the 1980's I was tasked by the Commanding Officer of 7th Communications Battalion to find out why the Jeep mounted High Frequency Radio Teams could not successfully communicate with designated Navy Ships and Navy Fixed Communications Locations (300 to 2000 miles away) as required during quarterly exercises. I discovered that the Operators did not understand radio frequency theory and antenna propagation patterns, and frequency assignment/selection requirements. Additionally; I researched and discovered during the period they had failed to meet the requirements - there was tremendous Sunspot Activity playing havoc with HF radio signals.

I conducted corrective training and arranged for additional long range "Connection Times" with the Navy for practical long range training. One team operating up in the Okinawa NTA (Northern Training Area) was having difficulties, so we diagnosed a defective antenna array. Solution - I had them tie the HF radio into a 500 foot Guard Rail to act as an antenna (This would be a Horizontal antenna arrangement - dependent on reflections off the ionosphere for radio path.) They were able to establish a positive HF Radio connection 2,500 miles away - longer than any of the other Teams using the Antennas available with their Vehicular Radio Systems. This connection made the Guard Rail an HF Radiation Hazard during transmissions; but they had visual on the entire guard rail so they could ensure safety. Using a guard rail or similar existing feature as a Receive Antenna does not represent a Hazard; except potentially if a lightning strike should occur.


There is vastly more involved in Radio Signals than I wrote above; but that's why I have literally many thousands of pages across multiple books, manuals, and articles I have collected over the years.

[WILCO]

I also love the AM talkers.
I have good luck with the Bose Wave radio.

Bose was the brand I'd suggest.
I stream a lot of things these days, but there's magic in AM static on an old radio.

[MaryB]

A dedicated shortwave receive with an external antenna is the way to go. Not cheap but a long wire antenna at night and AM comes alive! On my ham rigs and the stubby 43 foot vertical antenna I can hear stations out thousands of miles... and that is a very substandard antenna for AM reception!

Base model, comes with a short wire antenna you can place outside https://www.amazon.com/Tecsun-PL-660...2-63e904010ad0

I used to own this one, very good AM receive with a directional bar antenna on top you can spin or add a long wire antenna and bypass it(I had a long wire that stretched 300 feet... ) NOT CHEAP! But also covers shortwave, has good sound quality...

https://www.amazon.com/Eton-Elite-75...4-dc28e6d374b3

[MaryB]

The following will hopefully provide an understanding of the issue; and from that opportunity to overcome the Challenge. Some of our experts will see "Exceptions" in my description; but this type of description has worked for most cases since Marconi.

1. The Radio Signal (radiating) pattern for AM Radio station is going to be similar to your old fashioned donut with a hole in it. Looking at one side; there is a wide area at the sides, and as one goes to the top (hole) the signal gets weaker (the donut thinner).

2. On flat terrain like the Great Plains of the US of A; the signal from the sides go out in all directions across the terrain. As one gets further from the antenna, three things happen - (a) the signal weakens the further it travels through the atmosphere, (b) the curvature of the earth causes the signal to become "Unseen" by the "Line of Sight" between transmitter and receiver, (3) obstacles in the path block the signal (such as behind a hill/mountain or down in a draw or river bed/drainage.

Commercial Radio antennas are positioned on tall towers to extend the range, overcome the curvature of the earth, and to a lesser degree cover areas behind hills and mountains and in depression areas. Additionally; the power the Station is allowed to broadcast with affects range - More Power and it travels further through the earths atmosphere. This is why the 50,000 watt stations late at night were popular in the 1940's through 1980's and their Frequency approval by the FCC was like gold.

3. As a general statement, AM radio stations will have broader coverage at night compared to daylight. This is because the atmosphere collapses and is much closer to the earth than it is during the day. AM stations will "Bounce" off the atmosphere back to earth (From that top portion of the donut example) which gives both longer distances, and some coverage behind terrain obscured locations (why one can get a signal at night - but not during day).

Potential corrective actions:

(a) place an external antenna on as tall a pole as possible connected to the AM Radio

(b) Place an antenna on a Ridge Line to provide "Line of Sight" to the AM Radio station antenna; and extend the signal via cable to the AM radio or via a "Repeater/Translator" retransmitting the signal to the AM Radio. The"Repeater/Translator" solution is one that many small communities/organizations have done as a combined effort over the years to access both Commercial Radio & TV Broadcast where coverage was not available.

Others have provided some ideas that will provide other work arounds. Depending on where you are at and what your conditions are; some strange things might work also. As an example:

In the 1980's I was tasked by the Commanding Officer of 7th Communications Battalion to find out why the Jeep mounted High Frequency Radio Teams could not successfully communicate with designated Navy Ships and Navy Fixed Communications Locations (300 to 2000 miles away) as required during quarterly exercises. I discovered that the Operators did not understand radio frequency theory and antenna propagation patterns, and frequency assignment/selection requirements. Additionally; I researched and discovered during the period they had failed to meet the requirements - there was tremendous Sunspot Activity playing havoc with HF radio signals.

I conducted corrective training and arranged for additional long range "Connection Times" with the Navy for practical long range training. One team operating up in the Okinawa NTA (Northern Training Area) was having difficulties, so we diagnosed a defective antenna array. Solution - I had them tie the HF radio into a 500 foot Guard Rail to act as an antenna (This would be a Horizontal antenna arrangement - dependent on reflections off the ionosphere for radio path.) They were able to establish a positive HF Radio connection 2,500 miles away - longer than any of the other Teams using the Antennas available with their Vehicular Radio Systems. This connection made the Guard Rail an HF Radiation Hazard during transmissions; but they had visual on the entire guard rail so they could ensure safety. Using a guard rail or similar existing feature as a Receive Antenna does not represent a Hazard; except potentially if a lightning strike should occur.


There is vastly more involved in Radio Signals than I wrote above; but that's why I have literally many thousands of pages across multiple books, manuals, and articles I have collected over the years.

#2 AM transmission antennas are the towers themselves... often 300+ feet tall... around me they try to put them in a swamp because wet ground makes a better ground plane and a more efficient antenna/longer range.

Crazy friend of mine in high school climbed one and hung a flag "class of 1980" at the top. He had to jump to get on the tower because it was live... but at night they had to reduce power to 100 watts so not crazy dangerous as far as RF burns and he wore gloves to protect his hands. Thy never did figure out who did that LOL they were miffed, they had to hire a tower climber to remove it! It was a "low power" AM station with only 1,000 watts during the day.

Reason they reduce power at night is signals travel a lot farther and channels are shared. It reduces interference. So night reception of more distant stations is actually easier with less local interference.

[GregLaROCHE]

Where I used to live there was no radio reception with a normal radio. You needed a booster. You could buy one or make one yourself. I’ve used both.

Take a wooden dowel and wrap it with insulated wire. Make it 4-6 inches long and 2-3 inches in diameter. Attach one end to a good ground and the other to a long wire outside. Make sure it dose get grounded. Place the booster on top the radio near the internal antenna. Rotate the radio and booster 360* to get the best signal. It’s amazing what a difference it makes day or night.

Unfortunately, Fm seems to be taking over most of the radio audiences and I think there are less and broadcasts on AM.

[TD1886]

Back in the day when I had console model tube radio, geesh am I showing my age, I got better reception by grounding it. I remember back in those days am radio had a ground wire.

[10x]

When I was 12 i got a 3 transistor hitachi radio with an external antenna plug.
Because the two radio stations that were within 70 miles were the only two I could receive during the day I decided to put up a 90 foot long wire antennae. I had 90 feet of 8 gauge copper wire and 30 feet of 16 gauge. I ran the antennae wire from the roof peak of the house to the roof peak of a granary about 90 feet away. I used porcelain electric fence insulators. I had an old lightning arrestor from the old battery radio that required a long wire antennae. I ran the 30 feet of insulated 16 gauge from the 8 gauge copper wire to the window of my room. I also put down a ground rod and ran that wire into my room. my dad had suggested grounding the negative battery end of the radio along with the lightning arrestor.
I discovered that reception improved dramatically when the radio was wrapped in 4 to 6 coils of the insulated wire and the insulated wire was attached to ground.
When the external antennae lead was attached to the long wire antennae - signal increased but so did static.
Antennae and external ground hooked to the negative battery, signal increased, so did static.
With the direct connection to antennae the radio also picked up any electric motors in the house circuit, stopping and starting. My mothers sewing machine gave interference that sounded like canvas ripping
The best reception was from the 5 coils of long wire wrapped around the radio then the end of the long wire connected to ground.
My friend had a 50's car radio that had a long wire antennae.
Night listening was incredible as stations no longer faded in and out with changes in the ionosphere.
There were a number of US stations we listened to at night KOMO Seattle,
one in san diego - i do not recall the call sign
Mostly CKLG and CFUN in Vancouver

My best guess at improving your AM radio reception is a 50 to 100 ft long wire antennae, with an insulated lead to the radio (Shielded coax if you can salvage any) and then 5 or 6 loops from the end of the coax around the radio and the end of that coil connected to ground....

[MUSTANG]

Back in the day when I had console model tube radio, geesh am I showing my age, I got better reception by grounding it. I remember back in those days am radio had a ground wire.

Adding to my story from post #23; Grounding was one of the issues I addressed with the Young Marine Radio Operators. A grounding Rod was part of the Equipment that came with the HF Vehicle/Radio. Marines were suing it; but did not grasp the intricacies of Grounding. Much of the Earth on Okinawa and many of the Islands in the pacific is very High Resistance. The old saying "Ground is Ground the World Round" does not apply to the quality of ground. I taught them to dig a 6 inch deep trench 30 to 300 feet long depending on site conditions to establish a much better ground by burning a bare copper wire into the trench. This coupled with wetting the trench and peeing on the trench or if using a ground wire peeing around the ground rod drastically improved the ground achieved - and through that the ability to receive and transmit over long distances.

[Finster101]

Thanks so much to all the info. I will look into the advice given. I talked to some of the locals ( pictured ) but they could not help.Attachment 315523 Again thank you so much.Will check with someone more able to understand the info given.

Aww, you can't listen to them turkeys...

[Dom]

WOW!! I'm overwhelmed...

[Good Cheer]

FM, not AM
A little something I created in 1983; a long range antenna made with 24" chicken wire.
You unroll the wire and lay it out flat. Attach a lead wire to both ends. Cover the chicken wire with two layers of newspaper and roll it back up. The two leads are used as with any other dipole.

Those overlapping hexagons let me rotate the antenna to selectively dial in different stations without changing the setting on the receiver. Wanted to try it encased in a piece of plastic pipe on top of a rotating mast but never got around to it.

And yeah, it worked awesome.

[1hole]

Radio Antennas and "African Rifles and Cartridges"

To get a cleaner reception you will need a better signal to noise ratio. The only way to obtain that is a stronger signal and the only way to obtain that is to use a better antenna. A simple external aerial, i.e., a long wire antenna (maybe 60-100 feet), mounted as high as possible outside your house is probably your best bet. And it would be best to install a proper sized (series connected) antenna tuning condenser in the feed line.

I'm not going to attempt to tell you how to make that work but if you know anyone who is a competent ham radio operator he should be able to help.


As an aside, Mr Taylor wrote his book, "African Rifles and Cartridges", about 1948; it's an excellent read of those old days. I believe he was right for that period but the simple thin copper jacket and heavy soft core bullets he knew have seen some serious improvements since then.

[MaryB]

Adding to my story from post #23; Grounding was one of the issues I addressed with the Young Marine Radio Operators. A grounding Rod was part of the Equipment that came with the HF Vehicle/Radio. Marines were suing it; but did not grasp the intricacies of Grounding. Much of the Earth on Okinawa and many of the Islands in the pacific is very High Resistance. The old saying "Ground is Ground the World Round" does not apply to the quality of ground. I taught them to dig a 6 inch deep trench 30 to 300 feet long depending on site conditions to establish a much better ground by burning a bare copper wire into the trench. This coupled with wetting the trench and peeing on the trench or if using a ground wire peeing around the ground rod drastically improved the ground achieved - and through that the ability to receive and transmit over long distances.

Even varies all over the USA, the higher the number the better the ground. I am on the edge of a 30/15 boundary and have excellent ground systems under my towers(each has 9 ground roads in an X(One center, 2 each leg) shape, all cadweld connected with #2 bare copper. 8' ground rods spaced 16 feet apart. I have survived direct lightning strikes with no damage.

[MaryB]

To get a cleaner reception you will need a better signal to noise ratio. The only way to obtain that is a stronger signal and the only way to obtain that is to use a better antenna. A simple external aerial, i.e., a long wire antenna (maybe 60-100 feet), mounted as high as possible outside your house is probably your best bet. And it would be best to install a proper sized (series connected) antenna tuning condenser in the feed line.

I'm not going to attempt to tell you how to make that work but if you know anyone who is a competent ham radio operator he should be able to help.


As an aside, Mr Taylor wrote his book, "African Rifles and Cartridges", about 1948; it's an excellent read of those old days. I believe he was right for that period but the simple thin copper jacket and heavy soft core bullets he knew have seen some serious improvements since then.

There are MANY indoor antennas now to improve AM radio reception... this with the suggested parts amplifier does a VERY good job on my bedside shortwave radio https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-noiseloop

If you have some old transistor radios that are dead you can salvage the ferrite bars and glue them end to end and side to side then wrap with the wire you took off them to make a super bar antenna...

This is one made on pvc pipe http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/4365...pstick-antenna it won't be quite as directional as a ferrite core antenna but easier to make from common materials. The capacitor for tuning is this https://www.amazon.com/Capacitor-Var...a-570861820937 mount it in a plastic box and use a plastic knob so your touch doesn't detune it

[Reg]

Hook up an old car radio, and it gets better reception than regular radios. No idea why. Probably because you can rig a real serious antenna to it.

They always told me that car radios simply had to be better made because of how they were used. The bouncing, shaking and vibration that car radios are subjected to would simply demolish a normally made radio
Have one set up out in the shop. A good old radio out of a Chevy coupled with a cheap (Amazon) 12 volt 110 volt converter to bypass the battery and for now a old pickup whip antenna and it works fine especially at night. Just for the heck of it someday want to experiment with putting together a better antenna out of old tv antennas just to see if the reception will improve.

[GregLaROCHE]

As has been said, car radios worked really well. You still had to ground them and connect them to a long wire antenna.

[MaryB]

They always told me that car radios simply had to be better made because of how they were used. The bouncing, shaking and vibration that car radios are subjected to would simply demolish a normally made radio
Have one set up out in the shop. A good old radio out of a Chevy coupled with a cheap (Amazon) 12 volt 110 volt converter to bypass the battery and for now a old pickup whip antenna and it works fine especially at night. Just for the heck of it someday want to experiment with putting together a better antenna out of old TV antennas just to see if the reception will improve.

Having repaired hundreds over the years not a lot of difference. Once they went solid state on a circuit board they are basically the same. Other than the car radio has an extra amplifier stage to make up for having that short whip antenna. Old TV antenna as is will help for FM as long as it doesn't have an FM filter built in. Won't help AM, you need to string as long as a piece of wire as possible outside for that

[tommag]

Lots of good information here. Here's an antenna you can build for cheap. The grounding is important.
https://news.ccrane.com/2018/04/09/h...enna-for-free/