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Help: AM antenna and AM reception

Hello all: I would like some suggestions and advice on AM reception. I know this may not be a popular format but a couple of the stations I enjoy broadcast in AM only.
My experience with AM reception using the "mainstream" FM/AM tuners has been very dissapointing (said tuners being JVC FX1010, SONY SA5ES and Denon TU-800). I tehn bought the Denon TU-680NAB (supposedly optimized for AM performance) but still no luck. OTOH, a pre-wired whole house intercom system with am/fm radio does a FAR better job with the AM stations! This creates a problem with my spouse who says that I spend so much on tuners which are unable to compete with much cheaper syatems! So, what gives? Why does a $300-$600 tuner fail miserably while an "el cheapo" combo am/fm/intercom does so much better? I should say that the antenna used for separate tuners has been the Terk AM indoor type. How do I improve upon this? My location is central NJ. Thanks.
PS: Do let me know if I need to provide additional info.
upgrade1394
sean
6,231 posts
 
Sugar is right on the money. Get the longest piece of wire that you can hide hooked up to the tuner as an antenna. This should help. AM is such a low frequency that the wavelengths are quite long. The longer the wavelength, the longer the antenna that you need to work efficiently. Even with this, the AM section of a stereo tuner may not be all that hot, but it should at least be acceptable. Sean
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upgrade1394 OP
1 posts
 
upgrade1394:
Thanks for your responses- I will try the long wire approach. I feel some of you may have been led astray by my phrasing: I am not interested in the "audiophile" (or lack of) quality of AM signal - more concerned with improving the performance of my reception. Also, even if it is an afterthought (its inclusion in tuners), it still does not explain (atleast to me) why a cheap AM/FM portable system does so much better with AM reception while the dedicated tuners are poor performers. Let me try the long wire antenna and I will update the group. Regards.
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
The vintage analog tuners from the 60's and 70's have much better AM reception than today's digital tuners.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
The really good AM radios were build before FM became the dominant format. Get an old Stromberg Carlson from the 30's or 40's, and you will hear what AM is really capable of doing. Except for HF response, AM can meet HiFi criteria.

I have a set of Benny Goodman LPs, that were made from "Air Check" recordings. These were made off the air, AM radio, using good but primitive recording technology (must have been disc recordings, since mag tape was not invented yet).
These recordings have the usual LP limitations, but they are every bit as good as similar vintage LPs which were made in studios.
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
My mom has an old tube Sylvania table AM radio that easily picks up the clear channel stations hundreds of miles away with just the internal antenna. They do still built good AM tuners in car radios..
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