Need Recommendation On Cheap FM Antenna?

[Suntower]

Hi,

This is probably a ghetto style question, but... here goes...

I have a Samsung HT-38 Home Theatre (ghetto starts there). It's fine for my needs. I would like to start using the FM every once in a while, but the included antenna doesn't even bring in a signal. Which annoys me because my 15 year old JVC receiver worked -fine- when I tried it in the same room.

So for whatever reason I took an old rabbit ears FM/UHF antenna from an old TV and it actually -worked-. The signal is there, -but- there's a lot of background pink noise. The LCD says that it's 'tuned' and the sound is not scratchy... it's just that steady-state background noise... which doesn't change in amplitude with the music or waver in and out. It's just -there- like a noisy amplifier. (And no, I don't think it's the amp because the TV/DVD section sounds fine.)

Any inexpensive suggestions on improving the thing? Home made antenna? Inexpensive store bought item... I've seen lots of on-line antennas but I have no idea whether any are worth getting.

thanks!

---JC

 

[highfigh]

Hi,

This is probably a ghetto style question, but... here goes...

I have a Samsung HT-38 Home Theatre (ghetto starts there). It's fine for my needs. I would like to start using the FM every once in a while, but the included antenna doesn't even bring in a signal. Which annoys me because my 15 year old JVC receiver worked -fine- when I tried it in the same room.

So for whatever reason I took an old rabbit ears FM/UHF antenna from an old TV and it actually -worked-. The signal is there, -but- there's a lot of background pink noise. The LCD says that it's 'tuned' and the sound is not scratchy... it's just that steady-state background noise... which doesn't change in amplitude with the music or waver in and out. It's just -there- like a noisy amplifier. (And no, I don't think it's the amp because the TV/DVD section sounds fine.)

Any inexpensive suggestions on improving the thing? Home made antenna? Inexpensive store bought item... I've seen lots of on-line antennas but I have no idea whether any are worth getting.

thanks!

---JC

Impossible to tell unless you let us know where you are, how far you are from a broadcast tower and if you have obstructions between you and the tower. FM is line of sight and it reflects off of large, hard buildings/objects. When the signal reflects and gets to the receiver at two separate times, it causes problems for most tuners and this is called 'multi-path' interference. If you're in a low spot with no line of sight path to the tower, your reception will be bad because the signal will shoot right over you. If you're more than about 50 miles and large buildings and/or high areas of land are between you and the tower, you'll need to put an antenna on your roof, or on a tower next to your house. If your receiver can receive internet radio stations, you'll be better off using that feature for the sake of getting a noise-free sound, but it doesn't sound as good as proper reception directly form the tower.

 

[markw]

HF gave you a pretty good answer. It all depends on what "cheap" is and how badly you want FM.

But, something to consider that you touch on here:

(And no, I don't think it's the amp because the TV/DVD section sounds fine.)

Well, you're half right. The amp may be fine but you might want to consider that the tuner section in the HTIB is a POS. After all, you gotta expect some things to be sacrificed in order to be able to sell a unit for cheap. ...particularly when you say that an older receiver picks up FM with no problem.

Short of a rooftop antennas, a rabbit ear is capable of providing a good FM signal. Little antennas with amps are of spotty worth.

So, what is "cheap"?

 

[Adam]

So for whatever reason I took an old rabbit ears FM/UHF antenna from an old TV and it actually -worked-. The signal is there, -but- there's a lot of background pink noise.

I have a UHF TV antenna, and I got the FM filter for it recommended by the manufacturer. FM frequencies can interfere with UHF reception - so, I'm going to assume that the reverse is true as well. Perhaps you are getting some interference from UHF channels using that antenna?

There's a few sites on the web regarding sources of FM interference (such as this one). You certainly might have already looked through those.

 

[markw]

I have a UHF TV antenna, and I got the FM filter for it recommended by the manufacturer. FM frequencies can interfere with UHF reception - so, I'm going to assume that the reverse is true as well. Perhaps you are getting some interference from UHF channels using that antenna?

There's a few sites on the web regarding sources of FM interference (such as this one). You certainly might have already looked through those.

Odds are he's talking about a FM/VHF antenna. The FM band we're concerned with falls smack dab between VHF TV channels 6 and 7.

FWIW, VHF TV channels 2 - 13, FM radio, and a few other things, fall between 54 - 216 mhz.

I can't think of any rabbit ears that ever employed an FM filter, as a few rooftop antennas would back in "the day".

The UHF band (470 - 890 mhz) was generally served by a separate small loop type antenna.

 

[Suntower]

WOW. Thanks for all the replies!

1. By 'cheap' I mean... under $20.

2. I'd rather not go on the roof.

3. My JVC receiver is 10 feet away, it has a 6 ft totally skinny piece of wire 75 ohm antenna and it sounds -fine- for my needs... no background pink noise.

So I don't think it's a 'reception' issue per se. I guess I just think the Samsung needs a piece of wire with the right resistance. Maybe that's over-simplification? OR the Samsung's FM circuit is screwed up, but I was thinking that was not the case since the output from the DVD and CDs is -fine-.

Sorry I wasn't more specific. I just need a low tech solution. The truth is... as I said, my Receiver is 10 feet away and if I wasn't such a lazy ***, I'd just get up and use that... but since this Samsung has a remote, I hoped to find a no-effort solution.

Thanks In Advance!

--JC

 

[Adam]

Hi, JC. Will the FM antenna that connects to your JVC also connect to the Samsung? I see that the Samsung has a 75-Ohm coax connection, but I don't know what your JVC uses. If the older antenna will connect to the Samsung, I'd say give that a try because it might be a better antenna. My older receivers came with better antennas than my newer ones, at least in my opinion.

If the older antenna connects to the JVC with two wires, then you could connect it to the Samsung using an F-type balun like the one shown below. Of course, this would be most useful if you have one around the house to try out.

 

[markw]

FM antennas are very placement sensitive. If you haven't tried it yet, try running a wire from your rabbit ears (in it's current location) to the Samsung. Likewise, try moving the rabbit-ears to your Samsung and connecting it directly. If either works to improve your reception, you've got hope.

Virtually any basic rabbit ears that can connect to the back of the Samsung and handle the FM band will be an improvement over that one wire. Check Home Depot, Lowes and even Radio Shack for local suppliers, although the last one tends to be a bit pricey.

hint: It's been written that for FM, the rods should be extended 31" and positioned for best reception, which means it'll work best when they take up as much liveable space as possible.

That item Adam suggested is sometimes called a "balun" and allows a 300 ohm dipole antenna to work with 75 ohm inputs. With that, something like this is a possibility, but should be available locally for a bit less.

 

[Adam]

With that, something like this is a possibility, but should be available locally for a bit less.

That's the same one that I was looking at, too. I have at least one like that, probably from Radio Shack back in the 80s. I'm hoping that the JVC is old enough that it came with one similar to that (but it probably won't be as thick). I think that my older receivers came with dipole antennas like that, as opposed to the single wire variants that showed up afterwards.

 

[markw]

That flat-wire antenna...

That's the same one that I was looking at, too. I have at least one like that, probably from Radio Shack back in the 80s. I'm hoping that the JVC is old enough that it came with one similar to that (but it probably won't be as thick). I think that my older receivers came with dipole antennas like that, as opposed to the single wire variants that showed up afterwards.

They were thrown in tuner/receiver boxes when the two-screw 300 ohm FM antenna inputs were standard. Ever since they did away with them and the "F" connector became the new standard FM antenna connector, these long wires have become the modern replacement.

Progress... waddayagonna do?

 

[Adam]

Progress... waddayagonna do?

Go old school and head to Radio Shack.

 

[markw]

They ain't the same.

Go old school and head to Radio Shack.

I've worked for them four times* between 1968 (that's not a typo) up until early 1999. That last time proved to me that they lost what made them great. My visits as a consumer since then have just strengthened that feeling.

For commodities like we're discussing here, I'll go to Lowes or Home Depot first. Same or better quality, cheaper, and the staff won't lie to you to make a sale.

Someday when we get together, I've got some great stories from the good old days at the shack. Some pretty funny ones from the last time as well.

* Between HS and the service, twice while going to school, and the last time, part time for an old friend from the previous incarnation while working full time as a programmer and going though a divorce and wanted to keep busy 24/7. Also, the customers got a LOT worse from the early 80s to the late 90's.

 

[Adam]

I hear ya. I mentioned the Shack mostly out of nostalgia. I'd probably order from Amazon, myself. I've been to the RS near me a small number of times, and the majority of the employees don't really know much about what they sell, and they don't sell what they used to. There are a few things that they have that others around here don't, and if I need it now, I'll go there.