Increase AM Reception
- Turn treble down, bass up for AM talk
- Record the AM signal when it is strong
- Most sources of interference are weak
- Tip the radio to reduce interference
- A loop antenna helps a lot when regular antenna is weak
- The best position for a loop antenna
- A comparison of some good reasonably priced equipment
- Old radios do not get all of today's AM band
- A good shortwave radio is often a great AM radio
- Mark the position of your station on the dial
- Experiment, try different things
Turn treble down, bass up for AM talk
If you are listening to talk radio turn the treble all the way down and the bass all the way up. Or if there is only one control marked tone turn it all the way to the low end. This will give you clear, easy to understand voices. Back to top
Record the AM signal when it is strong
AM stations cut their power at night, and you may get interference at one time during the day but not another. So you may be able to get a station during the day when you are at work, but not when you are free to listen to the program at night. You can use an automatic light timer, the type that is used to fool burglars into thinking you are home, to record radio programs when you are not at home. Back to top
Most sources of interference are weak
There are many sources of interference of AM radio signals, including florescent lights, televisions, and computers, etc. The interference disappears if the radio is more than a foot, 30 centimeters, or so from the source of interference.
But sometimes a source of interference causes problems over a much wider area. So most of the time the normal sources of interference are a minor problem, but sometimes one of them can a big problem. Trial and error may be needed in positioning the radio. Back to top
Tip the radio to reduce interference
You can greatly reduce interference by pointing either end of the rod antenna in your radio directly at the source of interference.
If the source of interference is higher or lower than the radio you may have to tip the radio to point either end of the antenna at the source of interference. For example, if the interference is downstairs you may need to prop one end of the radio on a book and adjust it so that the radio angles down to aim the end of the antenna at the source of interference. Back to top
A loop antenna helps a lot when regular antenna is weak
The Select-A-Tenna is an adjustable loop antenna and can be used to increase reception.
Often it is suggested that the antenna is more important than the radio, but good radios, like the GE Superadio, often have good antennas built in. The GE Superadio has a large ferrite antenna built into the back. A Select-A-Tenna used with skill may make a difference under certain circumstances even with a great radio and might be worth the cost. Back to top
The best position for a loop antenna
You get the best reception when the loop antenna is placed so that if it were a wheel it could be rolled toward the broadcast tower.
This is the opposite of how you use the regular AM antenna in the back of your radio. The antenna in the back of the radio should be placed so it is perpendicular to the signal. Think of it like a sail that is catching the radio waves. If the signal comes from the north then the ends of the radio should point East and West, and the back of the radio should face North or South.
If the loop is not wired to the radio it will have to be close to the radio. If the loop antenna and the radio form a T, with the front or back of the radio facing the tower you will get an optimal signal, unless there is a source of interference. Back to top
A comparison of some good reasonably priced equipment
If you listen to a lot of AM on hard to get stations it may well be worth it to pay an extra hundred dollars for even a small difference. The average person listens to over a thousand hours of radio a year. If you are an avid listener you could easily listen to more than 10,000 hours in the next decade, in which case the extra cost is a penny an hour.
Another thing you might want to consider is that the CCRadio costs about the same amount as a great short wave radio and the great short wave radio might be almost as good as the CCRadio at bringing in AM.
The GE Superadio was originally produced by GE but has been produced by Thompson Electronics for many years.
While we have not been able to test all the equipment, the following information has been related to us.
- The best choice for 50 dollars is the GE Superadio.
- The best choice for 150 dollars if the combination of a GE Superadio and a Justice Antenna. Back to top
Old radios do not get all of today's AM band
In 1991 the FCC expanded the AM band to include 1605 to 1705. Earlier AM radios did not have those frequencies, so if you are searching for a station in that range you will need a newer radio. The only Immaculate Heart Radio station, currently, that you may encounter this with is 1620 in Sacramento. Back to top
A good shortwave radio is often a great AM radio
Good short-wave radios are frequently good AM radios.
Many weak AM stations have a much stronger signal during the day, but must cut their power at night. After sundown you may lose the AM signal but it has commonly been believed that short-wave radio works best when the sun is not shining. To the degree that is true a short-wave that is better at night then the combination of AM and short-wave will provide you with Catholic Radio all day long. EWTN broadcasts on different frequencies at different times of the day.
As a great short wave radio can be had for under 200 dollars you should think carefully before spending that kind of money or more on an AM radio. Back to top
Mark the position of your station on the dial
When tuning in weak stations it is important to know exactly where the station is on the dial. You do not want to waste time carefully tuning in the wrong station. If you do not have digital tuning place a bit of invisible tape on the dial so that one side of the tape lines up with where one side of the needle should be when it is tuned into the desired station. If this is too messy for you, you can remember exactly where the needle lines up with any number AM or FM on the dial.
To find a station you might want to find a place where it comes in well, like outside or next to a window in a tall building, carefully mark where the station is on the dial, and then try again at home.
It also helps to remember strong stations that are near the station you want on the dial. Strong stations with distinctive programming are useful if you want to explain where a station is to a friend. You can also help friends find radio stations by putting the phone up to the radio so they can hear what it is playing while they try to tune it in. I find this helps them a lot. Helping your friends at church find Catholic stations is a great way to build up the faith and help Catholic radio. Back to top
Experiment, try different things
One suggestion that has been mentioned comes from a person that said their reception improved when they were close to or touching their radio. Many people have noted this. Others have tried setting the radio on a gallon jar of water to get a similar effect. Things like this may make reception better or worse. Go ahead and experiment. Back to top