I have a Sony 5000F tuner lined up to join my system.
Its a vintage but good unit.
I will need to sort out an FM aerial for the roof.
Before I have used the alloy horizontal hoop type but is this the best option or am I better with a directional type?
If so are you then limited to what comes from one transmitter? If going on the roof rather than in the loft adjusting won't be an option after install.
Some things I know about, aerials is not one of them so appreciate some advice.
Thanks Rob
Its a vintage but good unit.
I will need to sort out an FM aerial for the roof.
Before I have used the alloy horizontal hoop type but is this the best option or am I better with a directional type?
If so are you then limited to what comes from one transmitter? If going on the roof rather than in the loft adjusting won't be an option after install.
Some things I know about, aerials is not one of them so appreciate some advice.
Thanks Rob
You may want to adjust the position of the antenna, so preferably no roof mounting.
But the type depends on if the stations you want are strong or weak, and in a similar direction or not.
If stations are reasonably strong but in various directions, this one would be useful.
https://winegard.com/products/am-fm...gh-definition-line/fm-high-definition-antenna
But the type depends on if the stations you want are strong or weak, and in a similar direction or not.
If stations are reasonably strong but in various directions, this one would be useful.
https://winegard.com/products/am-fm...gh-definition-line/fm-high-definition-antenna
Thanks Rayma,
I am in the UK but will look for a similar design here. It could go in the loft where I could get at it to adjust.
Rob
I am in the UK but will look for a similar design here. It could go in the loft where I could get at it to adjust.
Rob
If you have enough space under your roof (about L x W x H = 2 x 2 x 1m)
I would recommend searching for e.g.: "FM Yagi Antenna 88-108MHz".
I would recommend searching for e.g.: "FM Yagi Antenna 88-108MHz".
This is diy site, so why dont you make your own?
J-pole FM antenna is simple and popular build with very good results. Easy to find if you google it.
One example here
J-pole FM antenna is simple and popular build with very good results. Easy to find if you google it.
One example here
Have you checked the locations of the VHF analogue radio transmitters near you?
See this link: http://tx.mb21.co.uk/mapsys/fm/index.php
If you are surrounded by transmitters then you would be best to point a directional aerial towards the nearest one.
P.S. Be careful if working in the loft. One foot in the wrong place and you could fall through thin plasterboard into the room below!
This site gives comprehensive information about aerials: https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/fm-and-dab-radio
Spend some time looking through the site and you'll come to know more about aerials than you'd ever imagine existed!
Spend some time looking through the site and you'll come to know more about aerials than you'd ever imagine existed!
one thing which is a real help when siting an FM antenna is a "field strength meter" -- you can make one with even the lowly MPF102 JFET roughly tuned to 100MHz and a pair of diodes as a demodulator. i had a FM yagi in the attic of our last house. when we had the cedar gutters replaced with aluminum I had to re-orient the antenna.
I think that map will be for TV broadcasts.
FM transmitters are shown in this long list. Many stations are small locals or repeats of the main bbc stations.
Places like London have more variety.
I am about 35 miles south of Manchester and 45 miles north of Birmingham.
Id expect I would need to point in one direction or the other to find variety other than the main bbc stations.
That map shows the main VHF Analogue Radio Transmitters. Most, if not all, will also be UHF TV transmitters.
Since you are looking to find variety, you may need an aerial rotator!
https://www.radioworld.co.uk/antenn...rman-multicom-ar-600xl-vhfuhf-antenna-rotator
The two problems with roof antennas are:
1. Unless it is a vertical dipole, you will need to rotate it to point to different stations,.
2. The cable down to your receiver may waste the extra gain leaving you no better than an indoor antenna. This is especially a problem with higher frequency RF.
OK3. and it needs a lightning ground wire.
I envy your location where DAB radio is available, but your old receiver will not take advantage of it. I would simply buy a SDR USB dongle, which will support both analog FM and DAB, and DVB TV, and is well integrated to a digital system, ie a PC or an Rpi. You may want to put the USB dongle on a USB extension to move it away from the computer noise.
1. Unless it is a vertical dipole, you will need to rotate it to point to different stations,.
2. The cable down to your receiver may waste the extra gain leaving you no better than an indoor antenna. This is especially a problem with higher frequency RF.
OK3. and it needs a lightning ground wire.
I envy your location where DAB radio is available, but your old receiver will not take advantage of it. I would simply buy a SDR USB dongle, which will support both analog FM and DAB, and DVB TV, and is well integrated to a digital system, ie a PC or an Rpi. You may want to put the USB dongle on a USB extension to move it away from the computer noise.
Thanks, I will have a read of that.
We have no end of digital audio channels via the smart tv, Alexa, DAB, cable tv as well as the streaming services.
However, for what ever the reason listening to FM is different even though the media they broadcast is no doubt from a digital source.
I have a vintage B&O system upstairs, just using a basic indoor T antenna.
The reason for the aerial will be to connect a vintage tuner to my main tube based hifi downstairs. Curiosity on how nice it may sound in an old school relaxed way.
The Tuner I have coming is a Sony 5000F, one of the statement battle ships of the late 60s.
I do see fitting the aerial in the loft rather than on a roof pole is making practical sense.
I have an aerial man coming to add a new tv point in another room (roof to high for me to access).
I will have him run a cable from the loft to a point by my hifi. I can then firstly fit the FM hoop I have already and see what that picks up before sourcing something better.
Unfortunately I have too many other projects on or I would try the diy one as suggested above.
Rob
If the stations are at all directions, I recommend a circular dipole, like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Stellar-Labs...AL/dp/B00DHHOZBI#immersive-view_1643025950772
I use a similar antenna in the loft and reception is perfect up to 30 km.
https://www.amazon.com/Stellar-Labs...AL/dp/B00DHHOZBI#immersive-view_1643025950772
I use a similar antenna in the loft and reception is perfect up to 30 km.
I would ask him to leave a good length of cable in the loft.
VHF reception can vary greatly with location in a loft and aerial positioning can be critical.
Once the sweet spot is established, you can remove any excess length of cable to maximise gain.