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I could use a little help! (AM radio)

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Mega Hertz
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I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by Mega Hertz » Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:47 pm

So, most of the time, I get crummy AM reception. I have speaker wire hooked in as an antenna. My stereo is in the basement and my tuner is a 1979 Kenwood.

The last couple of days, I have been getting killer AM reception. WWJ is pounding in still tonight (I have a signal strength indicator, 1-6, and J has been 4 and a half all day), even coming in as strong as WJR. Clear channels are pounding in, especially WBZ. I've been getting great signals. 1130...11 fucking 30 is clear as day.

So...what is it? Is it the snow? Is it the cold? AM reception can be spotty around here as it is. I just don't get why NOW my AM is spotless.

I need one of our engineering whizzes to help me.


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Turkeytop
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by Turkeytop » Sun Jan 23, 2022 9:14 pm

Just chalk it up to the vagaries of propagation conditions. Enjoy it while it lasts.


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Ben Zonia
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by Ben Zonia » Mon Jan 24, 2022 12:37 am

Extremely cold weather increases AM field strength. And I have measured those effects. I once watched one station's field strength go down from 450 uV/m to 250 uV/m when the temperature rose from -15 degrees F to 15 degrees F one morning across a bad patch of conductivity in Northern Oakland County.


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SolarMax
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by SolarMax » Mon Jan 24, 2022 12:35 pm

Simply wintertime propagation. Some nights, everything's booming in, other nights, just flutter, fade and noise.
Often helpful to check solar activity and propagation info sites just to get an idea how the band might be behaving any particular night.



k8jd
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by k8jd » Mon Jan 24, 2022 1:40 pm

How long is your "speaker wire" antenna " ?
, 50 ft is about the minimum to make improvement over a "loopstick" on the back of the radio...
I like tthose 50 turn coil loops on a 2 ft frame that tune with a little variable cap and inductively couple to the radio's internal AM antenna.
I got the wire and wood to make my own 3 ft coil and will deploy it when the WX gets warm again.
Back in my youth (1963) , I took an auto radio out of a scrap 1956 Ford vehicle and wired it up for 120VAC in the house and with a 6 ft wire antenna heard KFI here in Detroit several times/You could not beat a tube car radio for sensitivity and selectivity .



k8jd
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by k8jd » Mon Jan 24, 2022 1:46 pm

Not Re AM, but interesting,,,
I have had a Fisher 2310 forever, TERRIFFIC for FM DX and ;stereo reception. Nearly adjacent channel reception of DX, , BUT for AM is STINKS! Sure it's hi fidelity but only strong local signals.



Mega Hertz
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by Mega Hertz » Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:56 pm

If that antenna is a foot, I'll be surprised. I just got in from work and haven't had a chance to check it yet, but when WWJ comes in strong at NIGHT, that's a surprise. It's usually hard to get during the day!


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Mega Hertz
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by Mega Hertz » Mon Jan 24, 2022 5:53 pm

Wow! I'm getting a solid WPON (I think. It looks to be 1460 but my dial may be off). This is awesome.


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Turkeytop
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by Turkeytop » Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:29 pm

February 26, 1993, 12:17 PM EST. The first World Trade Center attack. I was working from home that day. I listened to the news coverage all that winter afternoon on WCBS 880 from NYC.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.

Mega Hertz
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by Mega Hertz » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:22 pm

Turkeytop wrote:
Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:29 pm
February 26, 1993, 12:17 PM EST. The first World Trade Center attack. I was working from home that day. I listened to the news coverage all that winter afternoon on WCBS 880 from NYC.
Jeez. WCBS generally comes in here at night, but not terribly strong. And certainly not before critical hours. That's a great catch.


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Turkeytop
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by Turkeytop » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:36 pm

Mega Hertz wrote:
Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:22 pm
Turkeytop wrote:
Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:29 pm
February 26, 1993, 12:17 PM EST. The first World Trade Center attack. I was working from home that day. I listened to the news coverage all that winter afternoon on WCBS 880 from NYC.
Jeez. WCBS generally comes in here at night, but not terribly strong. And certainly not before critical hours. That's a great catch.
It isn't too uncommon during the winter.

Right now we're in Florida. Usually one of the strongest northern stations at night down here is WCBS. Just now, I tuned it in but the signal isn't too great tonight. Tonight is open for WGN and WBBM from Chicago. They're both pounding in like locals.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.

k8jd
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Re: I could use a little help! (AM radio)

Post by k8jd » Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:17 pm

We used to hear WWJ halfway to Chicago on I94 when they were 5 kW, Now with 50 kW and 6 towers they go up north on I75 but not west much past AnnArbor ! WPON, 1460, has moved again. Now four towers are near north end of Wixom, not very far from you in Brighton . Right in my back yard here.
The strongest I hear is 1160, WCXI, moved from Fenton and now shared site with WPON , they pack a punch here with 15 kW !



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