Quality FM Antenna

[Redbone]

I am in the market for a good quality FM Antenna for around $50 for my Arcam AVR 250. I recently tried a Terk Edge powered Antenna and it did not get many stations even when I moved it around the room. For $40 I think I will return it and try the supplied FM antenna that came with the unit.

The reception in my area is good but the Terk does not seem to be cutting it, can someone suggest a good self contained FM antenna that actually does what it is supposed to. I have not ability to run wires and cable down from my attic or roof.

 

[starfish]

I bought one of those Terk powered antema's too..... What a POS!!! It's the one that kind of looks like a tall pyrimidal stick or maybe it's a middle finger? I live approxiametely 33 miles from the transmitter. On a clear day I can practically see the tranmitter antenna's from my roof top. No matter what room I put it in none of my home receiver's could pick up a station with any clarity no matter what the setting of the stupid little dial.

I suffered through many years of inability to listen to local radio on anything but my portable or clock radio until I purchased this antenna from ECS Hylites called a "Tune Trapper". I purchased one of these antenna's for my basement home theater receiver which I have the antenna mounted out of sight on the back of my DLP tv. I also am using another one outside for reception on an AM/FM CD player built into my hot tub. I now have great reception on both systems. I recommended this antenna to a friend at work who purchased three. One for his boat and two for home stereo receivers. He lives about 45 miles from the transmitter and reports great reception too.

The Tune Trapper antenna came with a 6 foot long Belden RG59 cable. If you need a longer cable, they can custom make it for you too. Besides eBay, they also sell the antenna's on their website www. ecshylites.com.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7917867440&category=38655

 

[WooHoo]

A $20 miracle??? Gene. Clint. Do I smell a review down the road?

 

[Duffinator]

Is it me or is Terk hype right up there with Bose? I know some of their products work but they come up with these wild designs and rarely work any better than a wire hanger.

 

[sjdgpt]

Isnt an Amplified FM Antenna pretty much like the old adage "Garbage In, Garbage Out"?

If the signal is noisy, will the Amplifer will simply amplify the noise?

Yes, I know the better Amplified Antennas are suppose to clean up the signal, but wouldn't such cleaning of the signal should typically be at the expense (attenuation) of the higher frequencies?

 

[Audioholics]

My understanding is that antenna technology has not changed in many many moons...

You can get a better antenna - but as for amplifiers, you can't amplify noise and expect better reception. You need better signal to noise.

 

[Redbone]

Thanks much $40 for this piece of crap which by the way was the Terk Edge model is way to much.

I will take the advice above and give it a shot.

Thanks

 

[MacManNM]

Antennas

This is my specialty. Most amplified antennas out there aren’t very good. Your best bet is to get a roof mount VHF/FM unit from somewhere like radio shack. You don’t want to mount it horizontal though, you want it vertical.

Same thing goes with any of those cheap wire antennas, get them as high as possible, and polarize them vertical. A standard dipole like that is about 6db. No matter what anyone says, you are not going to find an omni directional antenna that is any better than that.
If you are looking for a directional antenna, these are some of the best.
http://www.fanfare.com/drant-all.html