BROWSE HOW TOs

How to Improve AM Reception

By eHow Electronics Editor

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AM radio reception can be noisy as a result of distance from the station's antenna, interference from other stations, the quality of your radio, or conditions in your home. A few low- or no-cost experiments can result in radically improved reception.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Radios
Antennae

Step1

Gradually rotate the radio 360 degrees. Leave it in the position where it sounds best.

Step2

Reverse the AC plug if it isn't polarized. (If you can flip the plug over, then it's non-polarized.)

Step3

Plug the radio into a different AC outlet.

Step4

Move the radio closer to a window.

Step5

Experiment to learn if appliances and powered products in your home are causing interference: computer monitor, television, electric blanket, light dimmer, fluorescent light, hair dryer, air conditioner, smoke detector. If possible, turn off the offending item. Otherwise, move the radio to another room.

Step6

Upgrade to an external antenna if your receiver, tuner or radio has a place to connect one.

Step7

Buy a passive AM antenna that doesn't need to be connected to a radio or receiver.

Tips & Warnings

Powered antennas boost noise along with signal.
Passive (not AC or battery-powered) antennas don't boost signal as much as powered antennas, but powered antennas boost noise along with signal.

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Comments

Brawler said

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on 2/4/2007 One sorta fix i have found can work is if its a AC powered device try to loop the power calbe once or twice around the antennae, it can help but not always also i wouldnt recommend making to many loops as you may create other problems by making a electo magnet coil.

Anonymous said

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on 3/13/2006 If all else fails, just play around. An example is a case where I walked halfway across a building that is a noise hole (fluorescent lights, automatic doors, dorm rooms) in Johnstown, Pa., while listening to a station out of Toronto Canada. I was doing this on a pretty crappy transistor radio in early January.