Posted on 01/07/2012 11:05:25 AM PST by TNoldman
I am seeking advice on a good AM/FM/mp3/CD portable radio. I have had several that are poor FM performers because of our location relative to hills, mountains and distance.
Size and weight are not issues if FM sensitivity is the best. Good sound quality, battery operation would be nice to have.
Biggest problem is not getting Talk Shows like/including RUSH.
FM?
Most talk radio seems to be on AM .
Radio shack (and others) have the Grundig Field Radio for around $99.
You can also buy booster antennas.For AM or FM.
I have a FM booster from Radio Shack bought a decade ago that makes a huge difference in my little valley.
For AM put up a long wire or buy/build a loop.Again Radio Shack (and others) have batteryless booster AM antennad:one is a neat plastic hoop on a stand and when tuned to the AM station you want ,can boost the signal even without direct wire connection,although direct connection is best.
Check with Universal Radio of Ohio.
Some older FM portables(multiband) sold in the !970s were quite sensitive but are prone to overload in the cities since the FCC has reduced the channel spacing from that era.
You can also buy or build FM band antenna much like the older TV antennas.Note many TV antennas deliberately block FM because of interference issues with some TV channels.
Get an outside Fm antenna, similar to a small Tv antenna. Radio Shack has one for under 30$. For a radio, the CC Crane company has really good ones.
That is surprising.Evidently some people still want a portable radio and GE has one.
I am shocked by all the posters pushing internet “radio”;maybe the questioner doesn’t want /can’t set up a wifi network everywhere he wants to listen.
When internet carries everything then it will be easier to control communications.
Unless things have really changed since I used to use my (relatively expensive) tuner, you're not likely to get good reception without a highly directional antenna. The hills and mountains create multipath conditions that are difficult to beat. Reception via the internet is pretty good now and only promises to get better.
ML/NJ
http://www.amazon.com/GE-72887-Superadio-Portable-Radio/dp/B00000J061
Now GE hasn’t made radios in decades, this is a licensed product but they are well accepted amongst BC DX-ers as being outstanding for the price. AM sensitivity and sound quality are excellent too.
Otherwise, the CCrane company has a number of very good products, including AM Antennas that will boost your AM signal reception without even being connected through inductive coupling, if you’re going for that out-of-town Rush affiliate. The CC Radios are legendary performers and are around $150. http://www.ccrane.com/
Most “stereo” receivers will perform well but definitely are dependent on outside antennas. While an outside antenna will help ANY receiver, I recommend the above self-contained units for one you can move around, and that is designed for high performance without an external antenna.
Some good advice so far, namely all FM radios need antenna.
Higher is better than longer. A “folded dipole” made out of twin lead flat cable (the “T” type), or the “rabbit ears” work OK for metropolitan areas but for remote areas you’re gonna want a rooftop antenna and rotator w/ remote, etc.
Television rooftop antennas may work if you still have one. Television audio is (or was) in the FM band. One poster pointed out that some antennas are setup to exclude the FM radio band to prevent interference. I bet you’ll find it works well enough to get the programs you want.
I use a Dynaco FM-3 from 1960 something and while the selectivity isn’t the greatest it pulls stations in fine up to 80 miles or so, and the audio quality and fidelity is nothing short of amazing.
Lets me listen to WLS in Chicago from Cali.
FM transmission is inherently limited, for the overwhelming most part, to “line of sight”. The antenna has to be able to visually “see” the transmission source. So boosters, etc; all other things being equal, will likely provide little benefit. AM radio can bounce off buildings, the ionosphere, mountains, FM doesn’t. Certainly, a higher quality FM antenna will provide some benefit, but NONE if it isn’t LOS with the transmitter. You pretty much to raise the height of your antenna.
Yea, you can’t beat the super radio. Bought one about 20 years ago. I used to keep it on the floor and did not realize my dog was tinkling on the speaker grill. The grill got corroded, but the radio kept playing. Over the years the FM antenna broke off, and it got banged up in my garage. My wife took it from me a couple years ago, because she needed an AM radio to listen to Rush. It runs off batteries and ac, but it takes 6 D cells. I have not used the batteries in over 10 years, so I took them out. They were very corroded, but the radio is about 3 pounds lighter. And yes you can still buy them if you google “super radio”
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Stap a 20 ft. pole to your back, wrapped in wire, attached to the antenna input. Problem solved.
FM is line of site, so the radio itself has little effect on signal strength at the receiver.
Portable XM/Sirius is also an option.
Use Internet radio.
How does your car radio pull in stations compared to the indoor radio?
Any car stereo gets better reception than the best home radio I have found.
I set a car antenna up as high as I can get it with a line of sight towards the intended station (not blocked by the house), car stereo, 12 VDC ~7 amp power supply (available at Radio Shack)and some speakers.
I ran that setup for some years in my shop. It has been upgraded to include Sangean wifi radio, ~1000 watt amp, ~100 watt power supply, and big speakers.
I can be a some distance out in the field working, crank the watts and understand the person talking.
I don’t have a lot of neighbors...
Only downside is the shop walls buzz at certain pitches even at low volumes.
How does your car radio pull in stations compared to the indoor radio?
Any car stereo gets better reception than the best home radio I have found.
I set a car antenna up as high as I can get it with a line of sight towards the intended station (not blocked by the house), car stereo, 12 VDC ~7 amp power supply (available at Radio Shack)and some speakers.
I ran that setup for some years in my shop. It has been upgraded to include Sangean wifi radio, ~1000 watt amp, ~100 watt power supply, and big speakers.
I can be a some distance out in the field working, crank the watts and understand the person talking.
I don’t have a lot of neighbors...
Only downside is the shop walls buzz at certain pitches even at low volumes.
You can listen live to Rush on many different radio station websites, right on your computer.
Don’t think they’re portable but I love wifi radios. If you get rush 24/7 you can listen anytime.
Coincidentally, there is an ongoing discussion about this very topic at the New York Radio Message Board (NYRMB). The NYRMB is comprised of radio professionals in front of and behind the microphone at radio stations in the NYC metropolitan area.
For the most part they like CCrane radios as well as the GE Superradio. However, the recommendation for the GE Superradio came with a qualification. Apparently the GE Superradio is in its third iteration ( I, II, III ). The GE III, available now on Amazon, is apparently not as good as the first two iterations so the recommendation was to seek out a GE I or a GE II.
Hope this helps.
http://www.musicradio77.com/wwwboard/
What I want is a DAR, a DVR for audio. I suppose an analog would work, as long as it had the features.
Controls exactly like a DVR, record, stop, replay last 30 sec. etc.
Don’t think they are even made.
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