Antenna wire?

As recommended, go with the C.Crane double ferrite antenna. Their AM radio BTW the basic one, is as good an AM radio* as Ive ever found. Unbelievable reception* and sound quality. These are all plug n play items. No menus, no soldering A 90-year-old grandma could do it and grin.

*Double ferrite antenna already inside. Plug the radio in and blast off!

I know you didn't say I was confused. I was addressing several comments in general with my post. Trying to be efficient. Sorry for the confusion (pun intended!!!!)

cts

One other thing I will add.. At TV/VHF/UHF frequencies I often post how HEIGHT is MIGHT.. at AM radio, which will follow the curve of the earth.. Height may make a difference, but not as much as on the higher Frequencies (FM for example)

I still think a long wire, if you can't string it along the trees try the eves of the roof.. hidden, out of sight and no problem with the HOA.. Many hams have their Transmitting (and receiving) antennas mounted like that.. If the house has metal siding you use Stanoffs to mount the wire but depending on the standoff you use your neighbors may never figure it out.

covetsthesun wrote:

SCVJeff wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
I don't think the OP is confused at all. He's got 2 terminals labeled for an AM antenna. It's likely a 300 ohm input.
A TV antenna probably won't do much but I guess you can try it.
Do you have an attic? Make a big loop of wire around the attic and put the ends into the AM terminals.

If that radio has an AM antenna its for a typical center tapped antenna, you don't just a toss bunch of wire around and short it out at those frequencies, you'll likely wind up with a worse fix. A consumer AM antenna is typically an open ended longwire, unless it's a car antenna and those are typically 90 ohm coax. IF the back of the radio really has two terminals, one is likely a ground while the other is 'hot'. If he can't string a long wire (even 6' makes a difference), then Chris's active antenna is by far the best solution and might be the only thing a casual non-technical listener could use because it works. The other option is a small tunable passive loop

But a TV antenna is completely useless for this

Ok. OP here. I am not confused. My gizmo has the capacity for both an AM Loop and FM also. My AM Loop just isn't strong enough to pick up a few of the AM stations we want to listen too. If by terminals you mean a place to insert wire and then push down a latch to hold it in place...then I have 2 terminals for AM and 2 for FM. If I take a certain wire out... there is no sound. So, one may indeed be a ground wire.

IF it had a jack (female) for me to plug into.. I could go to Best Buy and get an AM antenna. But.. It does not. I'm wondering if I could get the BB AM Antenna and just cut off the jacks and insert bare wire into my radio. An expensive experiment though.

By the way... I, the OP..am a she. Not a he. However, I am my Father's oldest son. :) He wanted a boy... got me and decided that girls could hunt and fish too. :B

I never said you were confused, someone else did. Check it out.

Anything will work for a receiver.p, AM broadcast band isn't picked at all. If you can get this BB antenna outside you may do better than a longer antenna in a cabinet. You can also try 20' of wire wrapped tightly around a broomstick to form a coil and remove the stick. Hide it in a cabinet and see how it works, you might be suprized. And No, you don't need a ground.

Or just go with that active loop that Chris linked to

(Edit spellin')

Chris Bryant wrote:
I'm amazed that C Crane is down to a single AM antenna, but..
http://www.ccrane.com/Antennas/Terk-AM-Advantage

Actually here is their best antenna:

Twin coil AM antenna

Ok well I linked to some AM loop antennas.. Basically as I said, the best solution is wire in the air, But since 200 feet of wire is out,,, Are you in a house (As opposed to a motor home) you can tie a wire to your gutters (if they are aluminum) or run a wire around the house (Just under the eve) and your fellow home owners will never see it, Use #28 Magnet wire (very thing) paint right over it Tape it to vinyl or wood or glue it so it does not hang down.

From the two "Antenna connections" run one wire (I'd run bigger wire here, say 16ga or 18ga) to a good ground.. The 3rd wire on the power plug works if it's not already in use, The chassis of the radio if it is) then from the other one run something like 18ga to a wall mounted box and the #28 magnet wire from there up and out and around teh edge of the roof (underside) Not as good as straight out, and you may or may not get to the optimal length, but the more wire you put up the better it will work

or go with the wrap method,, I described above (Just wrap it around the loop antenna)

Also, the loop is directional, turning it will improve reception on some stations at the cost of others.

HOW good can it get.. I'm in S.E. Ga, 50 feet of wire up in the air, I can listen to WJR Detroit.

SCVJeff wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
I don't think the OP is confused at all. He's got 2 terminals labeled for an AM antenna. It's likely a 300 ohm input.
A TV antenna probably won't do much but I guess you can try it.
Do you have an attic? Make a big loop of wire around the attic and put the ends into the AM terminals.

If that radio has an AM antenna its for a typical center tapped antenna, you don't just a toss bunch of wire around and short it out at those frequencies, you'll likely wind up with a worse fix. A consumer AM antenna is typically an open ended longwire, unless it's a car antenna and those are typically 90 ohm coax. IF the back of the radio really has two terminals, one is likely a ground while the other is 'hot'. If he can't string a long wire (even 6' makes a difference), then Chris's active antenna is by far the best solution and might be the only thing a casual non-technical listener could use because it works. The other option is a small tunable passive loop

But a TV antenna is completely useless for this

Ok. OP here. I am not confused. My gizmo has the capacity for both an AM Loop and FM also. My AM Loop just isn't strong enough to pick up a few of the AM stations we want to listen too. If by terminals you mean a place to insert wire and then push down a latch to hold it in place...then I have 2 terminals for AM and 2 for FM. If I take a certain wire out... there is no sound. So, one may indeed be a ground wire.

IF it had a jack (female) for me to plug into.. I could go to Best Buy and get an AM antenna. But.. It does not. I'm wondering if I could get the BB AM Antenna and just cut off the jacks and insert bare wire into my radio. An expensive experiment though.

By the way... I, the OP..am a she. Not a he. However, I am my Father's oldest son. :) He wanted a boy... got me and decided that girls could hunt and fish too. :B

KD4UPL wrote:
I don't think the OP is confused at all. He's got 2 terminals labeled for an AM antenna. It's likely a 300 ohm input.
A TV antenna probably won't do much but I guess you can try it.
Do you have an attic? Make a big loop of wire around the attic and put the ends into the AM terminals.

If that radio has an AM antenna its for a typical center tapped antenna, you don't just a toss bunch of wire around and short it out at those frequencies, you'll likely wind up with a worse fix. A consumer AM antenna is typically an open ended longwire, unless it's a car antenna and those are typically 90 ohm coax. IF the back of the radio really has two terminals, one is likely a ground while the other is 'hot'. If he can't string a long wire (even 6' makes a difference), then Chris's active antenna is by far the best solution and might be the only thing a casual non-technical listener could use because it works. The other option is a small tunable passive loop

But a TV antenna is completely useless for this

I'm amazed that C Crane is down to a single AM antenna, but..
http://www.ccrane.com/Antennas/Terk-AM-Advantage

I don't think the OP is confused at all. He's got 2 terminals labeled for an AM antenna. It's likely a 300 ohm input.
A TV antenna probably won't do much but I guess you can try it.
Do you have an attic? Make a big loop of wire around the attic and put the ends into the AM terminals.