Hello guys,
I'd like to listen to the radio in my workshop now and then, but I can't get any signal, I hardly recieve one radio Station with my standart dipol antenna.
So I wanted to ask you guys, what is the best form of atenna, which doesn't take up a huge space, and what is the best way to build it?
I'd like to listen to the radio in my workshop now and then, but I can't get any signal, I hardly recieve one radio Station with my standart dipol antenna.
So I wanted to ask you guys, what is the best form of atenna, which doesn't take up a huge space, and what is the best way to build it?
Which is the receiver under question? Input impedance (75 or 300ohm)?. Proximity with desired radiostation?
Is the dipole stretched tight on a piece of wood? If not try that first. A few inches of slack degrades it operation. Otherwise an inexpensive yagi or actice.
One of very few commercial FM antennas still available:
https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/30-2460/four-element-directional-outdoor/dp/97W3565
You can also try to build a log-periodic -- plenty of online info for the design.
Bigger is generally better.
https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/30-2460/four-element-directional-outdoor/dp/97W3565
You can also try to build a log-periodic -- plenty of online info for the design.
Bigger is generally better.
When I was a teenager living at home I made a dipole from 300ohm twin lead wire that had legs approximately 150cm. It was up in the roof rafters, but it could grab the faintest signals in the Chicagoland area. Total cost was a few dollars.
It’s still in use today.
I do agree with @scholl - please try to straighten out your current antenna if it isnt. Also play with orientation - dipole are somewhat directional, particularly if you have the null pointed towards the transmitter.
It’s still in use today.
I do agree with @scholl - please try to straighten out your current antenna if it isnt. Also play with orientation - dipole are somewhat directional, particularly if you have the null pointed towards the transmitter.
Best mount your dipole:
If the aerial must be inside the building, mount it high up so that it points through the roof tiles rather than through the wall.
- Vertically
- Outside on the side of your workshop facing the local VHF transmitter
- As high up as possible
If the aerial must be inside the building, mount it high up so that it points through the roof tiles rather than through the wall.
Magnum Dynalab still lists a couple models:
https://www.magnumdynalab.com/fm-antennas-magnum/
The optimum solution is entirely dependent on particular circumstance. Are you in a downtown urban location, rural, suburban? Are all the stations of interest in one or multiple directions? Local or distant? Can you roof mount? I currently use a MD ST-2 leaning against the wall behind a large screen TV with a Sangean HD tuner. Almost all local stations run HD channels so multipath is no longer a factor.
https://www.magnumdynalab.com/fm-antennas-magnum/
The optimum solution is entirely dependent on particular circumstance. Are you in a downtown urban location, rural, suburban? Are all the stations of interest in one or multiple directions? Local or distant? Can you roof mount? I currently use a MD ST-2 leaning against the wall behind a large screen TV with a Sangean HD tuner. Almost all local stations run HD channels so multipath is no longer a factor.
Log-perodic can be designed for any frequency and bandwidth one desires. (Within reason.)
I've had success with this cheap and cheerful design:
https://skegnessdx.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-infamous-faulkner-fm-loop-antenna.html?m=1
It's just a smallish loop and some coax, definitely worth a try.
Last time I used it was with a cheap (and quite deaf) software defined radio. I connected the loop to a cheap 20dB CATV inline amp and was pleasantly surprised by the signal strength and quality. The loop is directional, this came in handy when receiving 96.2 MHz from Holland (I'm in Germany) with a local station broadcasting on 96.5.
https://skegnessdx.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-infamous-faulkner-fm-loop-antenna.html?m=1
It's just a smallish loop and some coax, definitely worth a try.
Last time I used it was with a cheap (and quite deaf) software defined radio. I connected the loop to a cheap 20dB CATV inline amp and was pleasantly surprised by the signal strength and quality. The loop is directional, this came in handy when receiving 96.2 MHz from Holland (I'm in Germany) with a local station broadcasting on 96.5.
Just about everything that you need to know about FM antennas:
http://ham-radio.com/k6sti/index.html
http://ham-radio.com/k6sti/index.html
Not cheap but good quality, see https://www.innovantennas.com/en/shop-page.html
The photos show enough detail about construction and the materials needed. Wooden boom for the simplest construction.
I love some of these solutions!
I'm lucky! Since I live on the 24th floor and I'm 5km from the transmitters, I can just stick a garbage tie under one of the antenna screws.
I'm lucky! Since I live on the 24th floor and I'm 5km from the transmitters, I can just stick a garbage tie under one of the antenna screws.
Peter Korner bill of materials.
https://fmdx.pl/korner-19-3/
Peter Korner 19.4 is the best version.
http://www.skywavesdx.org/viewtopic.php?t=2611
https://fmdx.pl/korner-19-3/
Peter Korner 19.4 is the best version.
http://www.skywavesdx.org/viewtopic.php?t=2611
So I went with that design, because it was easy and cheap to build for me.
It works quite well with most of the stations but I have anouter question.
It don't get a very good signal quality from my favorite radio station.
It is broadcasting from 63° North-East, 55km away at 89,6Mhz horizontal with 8kW.
My car gets a perfect signal at the same spot as the antenna is right now, but the my Sony Reciever doesn't do as well with the loop antenna.
How exactly do I need to adjust the position so I get the best possible signal from that station?
EDIT.: How much would it help if I rebuild the antenna as a 85,5cm sqare and how bad would it affect the quility of the other stations?
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This is usually the big problem. If you're down over a hill and can't get line of sight yer pooched even if you point a giant Yagi right at the transmitter.(which ends up being straight into the dirt in that case.)
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Are you sure that your favorite station is horizontally polarized? Try rotating the loop 90°.