any "quick fixes" to getting better AM reception in a basement?edit: IT WORKS NOW

[murphy55d]

Short of buying an antenna, are there any tricks to improving AM reception in a basement?

I have a Pioneer receiver and a crappy Panasonic tape deck w/ antenna but neither really get that good of a reception. (the panasonic actually gets most stations, just AM ones come with a good bit of static in the background) I want to listen to the Steelers game on radio w./ the TV muted, because CBS announcers are teh suck and Myron Cope is a god.

anything you might know of would be a big help.

 

[Chaotic42]

How far are you from the tower?

If you don't know, give me the call letters and I can find out for you.

 

[murphy55d]

WFBG 1290 AM.

Someone in a chat room told me try putting speaker wire into the AM in on my receiver, I have to go find some speaker wire to try that out.

 

[Chaotic42]

This looks like a good start

 

[murphy55d]

Some one sent me an e-mail that said their reception improved when they were close to or touching their radio. Many people have noted this. I used to set my radio on a gallon jar of water to get a similar effect. Things like this may make reception better or worse. What can I say, experiment.

This is the case for me as well.... wonder if the water trick works. I'm gonna go try it as well.

Will report back in a few, thanks man.

 

[murphy55d]

:Q:Q

The speaker wire thing worked! I just hooked one end of the cable into the AM thing on the receiver and it WORKED! Glad I never spent that money on an antenna.

I am a happy steeler fan right now.. let's hope it stays that way all day.

 

[Chaotic42]

Water really helps AM's range. That's why ships out to sea can pick up stations so well. Even when the stations water the grass around the tower, the range is improved dramatically. AM also bounces well.

We can pick up WWL radio (New Orleans) here where I live (70 miles south of Indianapolis) at night.

 

[murphy55d]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Water really helps AM's range. That's why ships out to sea can pick up stations so well. Even when the stations water the grass around the tower, the range is improved dramatically. AM also bounces well.

We can pick up WWL radio (New Orleans) here where I live (70 miles south of Indianapolis) at night.

What's the reasoning for better reception when you touch the radio? I've found this is ALWAYS the case.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
What's the reasoning for better reception when you touch the radio? I've found this is ALWAYS the case.

That I don't know. If it wasn't Sunday, I could ask our chief engineer. My guess? Your body acts as an antenna. Maybe the water content of your body helps too, I don't know.

If I can remember, I'll ask tomorrow.

 

[murphy55d]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: murphy55d
What's the reasoning for better reception when you touch the radio? I've found this is ALWAYS the case.

That I don't know. If it wasn't Sunday, I could ask our chief engineer. My guess? Your body acts as an antenna. Maybe the water content of your body helps too, I don't know.

If I can remember, I'll ask tomorrow.

Cool. If you do remember, please PM me what he says. I'm curious.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
Cool. If you do remember, please PM me what he says. I'm curious.

I just taped a note to my microphone. If that doesn't remind me, then brother, you're just not going to find out

 

[Chaotic42]

Ok, pms don't seem to work in Mozilla

Anyway, I asked and he said that your body increases the reception because it acts as an extension to the antenna. He said that AM needs a long antenna, which is why the old antennas were a bunch of looped wire. He said that the optimum AM antenna would be 300 ft (!)

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Ok, pms don't seem to work in Mozilla

Anyway, I asked and he said that your body increases the reception because it acts as an extension to the antenna. He said that AM needs a long antenna, which is why the old antennas were a bunch of looped wire. He said that the optimum AM antenna would be 300 ft (!)

Maybe you could ask him how watering the lawn around the tower helps reception.

 

[murphy55d]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Ok, pms don't seem to work in Mozilla

Anyway, I asked and he said that your body increases the reception because it acts as an extension to the antenna. He said that AM needs a long antenna, which is why the old antennas were a bunch of looped wire. He said that the optimum AM antenna would be 300 ft (!)

Interesting. Glad I don't need a 300ft one though. :Q

Thanks.

 

[Fritzo]

Here's a trick I used to do....run a piece of wire from your radio to a pipe in your basement (metal water pipe, gas line, etc). It turns your whole house into an antenna

Don't work in a lot of place now though with PVC pipes and all