Good AM antenna ideas needed---

jburd964

How can I build AM radio antenna? They seem pretty straight forward but my problem is I have alot of metal on house and large metal shop. Metal interfers with radio signals so I have my tower set up 45' from closes metal which is also about 150' of wire run to my main home theater receiver. So I think it'll need boosting, which I aready have a HD & FM antenna with built in booster and rotates. Can signal be split on tower and receiver ends and use same booster set up? Also any ideas on antenna built would be helpful.

DexterII

I will be watching your post for any ideas, because I generally only listen to AM, and have similar problems, so have tried several things over the years, with not much success. The problem that I have found is that it is a bit counter productive, because any time that I have increased reception for stations that I want to pick up, I have also increased reception for a few dozen more stations that I would not otherwise pick up, so while the clariity might go up, the clutter becomes worse.

jburd964

C Crane is suppose to be the bomb for AM radio's but, I've never used one, but according to their own words???? Have you ever tried to build a ferrite do it yourself antenna?

oh'mike

I changed your title--hope you don't mind---Mike----

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

kwikfishron

What's an antena?

__________________

rusty baker

Those things that stick up on a bug's head.

__________________
"I'm twisted, not sick. Sick implies, I'll get better"
Semi-Retired Installer
Installing since 1973

oh'mike

Spell check doesn't work on titles----

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

DexterII

Recent memory, no, but now you have me thinking. Growing up in the 60's, with an uncle who was an engineer on the Saturn V program, and a mom who was involved with some of the early LanSat photograpy development, I tinkered with about every electronic device that I could get my hands on, assembled a number of Heathkits, and built a lot more toys from scratch. At one point I had a fairly elaborate ham setup, with several antennas, both for ham and regula public broadcast. Don't hold your breath, as the odds are slim that it has survived numerous cleanups and throw outs, but I will take a look in the loft in the shop, and see what I have kicking around. Maybe, just maybe, there's a long forgotten soultion there.

Wildie

If I remember correctly from my college days, the ideal antenna for a particular radio station would have a single element that would be equal to the length of one cycle of the broadcast frequency.
Without research, it my guess that an antenna for the AM broadcast would be 30/40 feet long!

oh'mike

I remember that from a boyscout manual---30 to 40 feet--horizontal---sounds familiar--

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

Wildie

I found a calculator to find the wave length.

http://www.1728.org/freqwave.htm

A 1000 kHz frequency has a wave length of over 900 feet.

I believe that an antenna length that is an even fraction of this wave length can be effective.

I wonder if a ferrite core with 900 feet of wire wound around it, would make a good antenna.

jburd964

Rusty Baker, I like. If you don't want a smartass answer, don't ask a dumbass question. I personally can't help myself if you ask ye shall receive.

jburd964

For the cost of a ferrite antenna with 900 feet of copper wire you could buy your own AM radio station.

jburd964

I wonder what would be a good length for a ferrite bar antenna? What would be negative effects of the 150' wire run to antenna? Could I use the coax that is already ran as AM signal wire as well? Would the use of the signal booster on the line be needed, I don't use it for FM are TV because FM reception is good and I get locals on satellite now. I'm going to try booster on FM and see just what I can catch, just haven't had time. Are there is any FM channels out there that carry AM talk shows.

ddawg16

There are a lot of factors to take into account.....when it comes to antenna's and signal propogation....it really is FM (freaking magic)

To some extent, your shop is actually a good thing....I would have put the antenna on top of it....the shop acts as a ground plane for better reception....ask any CB or ham operator.

AM is pretty low in the freq spectrum.....the impeadance of your coax as well as the freq response of your booster may not help you in the AM range.

Personally....if you have a radio with an AM antenna connection.....a good one is one of those round hoops.....looks like an 0 about 8" tall....4" wide.....they are typically shipped with AV recievers....

__________________
Common Sense is like Deodorant. Those that need it the most don't use it.
My
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
...
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
and
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.