FM radio aerials
06 January 2004, 10:01 AM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Berkshire
Posts: 5,528
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I live in a poor FM reception area for radio. I dont currently have an FM aerial, any radio I get is through Sky Digital.
I have a FM RDS tuner on my Denon surround amp downstairs and also a seperate RDS tuner upstairs that I have hardly ever used.
Whats the best options for me to get a decent FM aerial so I can pick up a good radio signal ?? I tried one of those plug-in Altai FM aerial/boosters and downstairs its no good, upstairs Radio1 is the strongest signal and even thats noisy (43db the tuner tells me is the signal strength).
I was thinking of a loft-mounted FM aerial and a signal amp at the aerial end and the tuner end aswell. Thoughts ??
Dave
I have a FM RDS tuner on my Denon surround amp downstairs and also a seperate RDS tuner upstairs that I have hardly ever used.
Whats the best options for me to get a decent FM aerial so I can pick up a good radio signal ?? I tried one of those plug-in Altai FM aerial/boosters and downstairs its no good, upstairs Radio1 is the strongest signal and even thats noisy (43db the tuner tells me is the signal strength).
I was thinking of a loft-mounted FM aerial and a signal amp at the aerial end and the tuner end aswell. Thoughts ??
Dave
06 January 2004, 10:28 AM
#2
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: London
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
a proper FM aerial in the loft should help. it's gotta be better than a peice of mains cable, which is what i am using at the mo. i think you can buy an aerial in tandy (do they still exist?) or wherever for not that much. I've been meaning to fit one myslef but too lazy right now.
06 January 2004, 12:44 PM
#3
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 478
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You need a loft/roof aeriel, preferably on the roof as a) you will bet better reception and b) FM aeriels are very big (the dipole is approximately 1.5 metres wide!).
I would recommend a minimum of 4 element, 6 if you live in a really poor area. If you are goint to put it on the roof, buy a good quality one (e.g. Antiference), as the cheap ones fall to bits quickly, and are difficult to replace if they are at the top of a 10 foot pole! Bear in mind that more elements = more directional, so transmitters that are not on the bore-sight of the antenna will still be weak.
WRT amplifiers, very few people make masthead FM amplifiers (i.e. amplifier at one end of cable, power supply at the other) for FM. The reason for this is that their main function, when used for TV antennas, is to overcome cable losses. Since the FM frequency is approximately 1/5 of UHF TV signals, cable losses are reduced by a similar margin. Thus most FM amplifiers require a local mains power supply.
If you need to amplify and/or split the signal, I would fit a combined amplifier and splitter further as close to the antenna as you can, bearing in mind that it will need a mains power supply.
Most importantly, use a good quality coax, not the cheapo stuff sold by most DIY outlets and electrical retailers. A good coax (made by Eagle, for example) wil have a semi-airspaced centre conductor, a substantial BRAIDED shield, and an outer copper foil layer.
Hope this helps, Ming.
I would recommend a minimum of 4 element, 6 if you live in a really poor area. If you are goint to put it on the roof, buy a good quality one (e.g. Antiference), as the cheap ones fall to bits quickly, and are difficult to replace if they are at the top of a 10 foot pole! Bear in mind that more elements = more directional, so transmitters that are not on the bore-sight of the antenna will still be weak.
WRT amplifiers, very few people make masthead FM amplifiers (i.e. amplifier at one end of cable, power supply at the other) for FM. The reason for this is that their main function, when used for TV antennas, is to overcome cable losses. Since the FM frequency is approximately 1/5 of UHF TV signals, cable losses are reduced by a similar margin. Thus most FM amplifiers require a local mains power supply.
If you need to amplify and/or split the signal, I would fit a combined amplifier and splitter further as close to the antenna as you can, bearing in mind that it will need a mains power supply.
Most importantly, use a good quality coax, not the cheapo stuff sold by most DIY outlets and electrical retailers. A good coax (made by Eagle, for example) wil have a semi-airspaced centre conductor, a substantial BRAIDED shield, and an outer copper foil layer.
Hope this helps, Ming.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post