Radio reception

Randyat1001 · 08-04-2007, 10:28 AM

My 2001 Journey does not get very good radio reception. It has a Sony radio with surround sound. I have checked and tightened the antenna to little avail. Any ideas of what may be causing this?
Thanks, Randy

Randyat1001 · 08-04-2007, 10:28 AM

My 2001 Journey does not get very good radio reception. It has a Sony radio with surround sound. I have checked and tightened the antenna to little avail. Any ideas of what may be causing this?
Thanks, Randy

John_Canfield · 08-04-2007, 12:05 PM

Gain access to the rear of the radio and try a six or eight foot piece of wire in place of the fixed antenna. Fold over the end of the center conductor and stick in into the antenna jack so it comes in contact with the center conductor and doesn't touch the outer shell. If there is any improvement, then you probably have a problem with the factory antenna or feedline. If it sounds the same or worse, you might have a radio problem.

Randyat1001 · 08-04-2007, 01:06 PM

Thanks for the quick reply John. I will give that a try and then know better which way to proceed.

doc · 08-04-2007, 03:13 PM

Will this work with AM?
I'm sort of a talk radio fan and listen to AM when it is available from Atlanta stations. Problem I have is with the engine or genset running I have to be sitting in yard of the station almost. Seriously, with the radio set on main or aux. batteries I get almost no reception on AM. I know nothing about radio.
Suggestions to fix this. Thnx in advance

John_Canfield · 08-04-2007, 03:59 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by doc:
Will this work with AM?
I'm sort of a talk radio fan and listen to AM when it is available from Atlanta stations. Problem I have is with the engine or genset running I have to be sitting in yard of the station almost. Seriously, with the radio set on main or aux. batteries I get almost no reception on AM. I know nothing about radio.
Suggestions to fix this. Thnx in advance </div></BLOCKQUOTE>The ideal antenna required for AM is extremely long (I forgot the formula - but the antenna would be at least dozens of feet long) but the station transmitters make up for the less than ideal receivers by blasting out lots of power with a good transmitting antenna. The old radios used to have a little hole somewhere in the radio face that provided access to the "trimmer capacitor" which needed to be adjusted to peak the signal for AM reception. I doubt if this adjustment still exists and most likely the FM and AM tuners are mostly digital with no adjustments.

Your radio might greatly benefit from a much longer wire for the antenna. I know in my coach, Winnie uses these little rubber ducky for the radios which are pretty anemic for FM and totally inadequate for AM reception.

SCVJeff · 08-04-2007, 10:42 PM

a 1/4u is on the order of 370'

doc · 08-05-2007, 06:07 AM

Thanks John, I think I will pull the radio out and experiment a bit with different wires. Look out radio shack!
Jeff I am sort of radio ignorant. Are you saying an antenna 370 FEET long?

Could I use and insulated wire and maybe wrap it in a big coil?
Thanks

Thudman · 08-05-2007, 07:07 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">snip....but the antenna would be at least dozens of feet long) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

How come the 2 foot antenna on my Jeep works well?

Thudman

SCVJeff · 08-05-2007, 11:25 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by doc:
Thanks John, I think I will pull the radio out and experiment a bit with different wires. Look out radio shack!
Jeff I am sort of radio ignorant. Are you saying an antenna 370 FEET long?

Could I use and insulated wire and maybe wrap it in a big coil?
Thanks </div></BLOCKQUOTE>That's how it's done. They're called "loaded" antennas. Receivers don't much matter, although they will perform as designed if you give them what they expect for an antenna. Guaranteed if you feed your AM radio a proper impedence 1/4u antenna you probably wouldn't be able to listen to it since it would perform so well, all you will hear is hetrodynes from co-channel transmitters all over the world. People pay big money for ultra-selective hi-gain pre-amps to DX these stations. I carry a portable SW radio and pre-selector and occasionally play with it when we're at the beach with no powerlines or running cars nearby.

John_Canfield · 08-05-2007, 03:07 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Thudman:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">snip....but the antenna would be at least dozens of feet long) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

How come the 2 foot antenna on my Jeep works well?

Thudman </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Jeff - thanks for the formula reminder!

A short receiving antenna works well due to: a decent receiver and the transmitter putting out massive amounts of power due to power and the antenna design which is referred to as ERP - Effective Radiated Power.

To receive a very weak signal, you would need: a good receiver and a tuned antenna, preferably one that is a wavelength multiple or fraction of that particular frequency and one that is directional.

Antenna discussions are a little complicated and of little consequence for most people but we hams can spend hours debating this and that about the topic.

doc · 08-06-2007, 03:18 PM

* scratches head says 'uh huh'*

More than ole doc needs to know. But I do think I will play with the antenna plug at the rear of the radio.
Thanks guys

John Hilley · 08-07-2007, 06:42 AM

Here is a good trouble shooting article from C.C. Crane who are one of the last companies really specializing in AM radio

C.C.Crane AM Radio Trouble Shooting

SCVJeff · 08-07-2007, 08:10 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by doc:
* scratches head says 'uh huh'*

More than ole doc needs to know. But I do think I will play with the antenna plug at the rear of the radio.
Thanks guys </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Sorry... We were just goin' off on a nerd tangent