[net.audio] The Beam Box

wjm (02/08/83)

BIC's Beam Box FM antenna can be quite useful in getting rid of multipath
and other urban interference problems since it is VERY directional, but for
suburbanites it is worse than useless, since its directionality carries a
price - about -8 dB of gain relative to a dipole (the T shaped piece of wire
that comes with your tuner and/or receiver).   Out here in the suburbs, you
need GAIN more than anything else, and the best way to get it is a good outdoor
antenna.  If you can't hang up an outdoor antenna, see my comments that I posted
to the net yesterday for some alternatives.
                                                       Bill Mitchell
                                                       Bell Laboratories
                                                       Whippany, NJ
                                                       (whuxk!wjm)

sdo (02/09/83)

It was said that, out here in the suburbs, you need GAIN more than
anything else.  Maybe for some stations, but there are New York
and Philly stations which are on ADJACENT channels (like 102.7 and 102.9)
which can both be received in central New Jersey.  In this case,
directionality is more important than gain.  The figure 8 pattern
of a dipole won't help because the stations are 180 degrees apart.

I have a Beam Box and find that it works best on its SIDE (although
it doesn't look good this way).

			Scott Orshan
			Bell Labs Piscataway
			201-981-3064
			houxm!u1100a!sdo