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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
newbee
4,751 posts
 
I think the reason that AM tuners are under designed in audiophile gear is that the signal is not audiophile quality in the first place.

I'm not familar with the Terk antenna, but I've never found their FM antennas worth anything. However Radio Shack sells an AM antenna which is a large (10") diameter loop which is tunable - costs about $30. You might want to give it a try.
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
AM in most new audio gear is an afterthought. Not sure why they even bother.

The short wave band is AM of sorts. The short wave frequencies start right where AM leave off (on the high side of the AM dial). I don't see why AM would really be any different.

For short wave a long thin wire makes a great antenna. And I mean long; can be 10 feet up to 30 feet long depending on the frequencies desired. I use one that I just run along the edge of the wall basically out of site.

Experiment with a piece of regular thin speaker wire, if you have some left over typical 18 AWG or thinner wire hanging around.
See what happens. Can't hurt trying..
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.
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