[net.audio] FM Antennas, Amplifiers.

morello@cyclps.DEC (04/30/84)

	Is there anything that you can do to your FM Stereo to massively
improve both reception and the number of channels that you can recieve?

	In particular, what kind of antennae are the best?

						Thank You.
						Rich Morello
						Digital Equipment,
						Burlington, MA.

rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (05/02/84)

Yes, the simplest and best thing you can do is buy an antenna (or
antennas, as stacking of antennas is good in the really bad places)
designed for FM (not one for TV and FM both) and mount it in a high,
clear spot. Use amplifiers only if you must, to make up for losses
in the lines  between the antenna and set. Place first amp at
the antenna for best results. For really long cable run you may need
one at set end also. I think that low loss coax is best cable. Plain
old twin lead picks up too much noise and is affected by metal objects
near it (wires, pipes, gutters, weather strips) and it weathers rapidly.
Shielded twin lead has pretty high loss. If you can, locate your home
on a hill, rather than a valley. At sea level in Central NJ, one antennae
no amps, coax I can get good reception from Boston to Washington DC.
Using Radio Shack FM antenna, I think. By looking back up to 10 or 15
years you will find informative material and ratings in Consumer Reports.
Dick Grantges hound!rfg

dswankii@uok.UUCP (05/11/84)

#R:decwrl:-751100:uok:400016:000:392
uok!dswankii    May 11 07:32:00 1984


The other thing that you can do is get a satalite dish set up for FM.
I was suprised (now I'm just amused) to find that there are a large
number of music channels on satalite.

By the way, doesn't coax START with less transfered signal when compared to
twin-lead but hold the level constant over a greater time?

				David Swank II
				!ctvax!uokvax!uok!dswankii
				University of Oklahoma