AM Radio antenna.....anyone got one of these?

I don't have one but if it is built correctly I have no doubt it will work as advertised. Loop antennas aren't new, been around forever, the web is full of information about them.

Home made. Wrap a doz or so turns of light weight wire around a wood frame. Pop in a varaible condensor (like in an old radio or crystal set), put your transistor radio inside the loop (no conection required). Should work really well.

They weigh about 150 grams, Roachie!! I dont think you can afford the extra weight!!! :)

I just had a look at that antennae , I wouldn't waste my money on it really. If you go to a store that specialises in Antennae and get a 3ft helical and mount it on the roof bar or rack with a spring as shown here. I have no trouble with it and i listen to 5AA 1395khz in Adelaide from Mt Isa up to about 8am or about 20mins after the sun has risen

members.westnet.com.au/dtilley/antenna.htm

Doug

Not sure about todays broadcast radios, but they used to have an adjustment at the side where they could be "tweaked". This was done with the aerial fully extended, and at the most wanted station. It made quite a difference.

Bill, my AM radio in the lounge room uses a loop antenna as standard equipment but thought I would look under google for something similar and found this page for you to read through. It is a kit set up but uses the ferrite rod and a simple coil with a variable capacitor to boost all signal. See also it uses a re-radiating antenna as we know for some GPS systems. Link

Roachie,

Is this for yer truck AM radio or for yer house radio? If it's for yer truck - don't spend a hundred odd dollars.

Just get a good strong crocodile clip, fasten about 7 metres of real good copper wire (any old stuff as long as it's tough) to the clip, throw the other end of the wire over a high tree branch - ya get real good at it after while - and clip the crocodile clip to yer truck antenna.

Simple, works a treat.

Bilbo

For a temporary AM reception improvement clip your jumper leads together (end on end) and lay out on the ground with one end attached to your car aerial, worked for us on the GRR a few years ago.

Tunable loop antennas do work well and improve reception on AM. They improve the signal from the desired station and help screen out other nearby stations that interfere with the signal.
This same company has much cheaper models available. The one you have posted a link to requires power and is more designed for use with your car or caravan radio I think.
Cheaper simpler ones require no power or connection to the radio and work very well with a portable radio with a graphite rod antenna (which most portable AM radios have). Just sit the radio next to the loop antenna while listening at the camp site.

Another method is a 'long wire' antenna. This needs to be connected to an external antenna connection on the radio and you need a tree to hang it in and a weight and string (and accurate throw) to get it up in the tree.

For the price (about $60) the simple tunable loop model is a pretty good and convenient investment if you do some remote travel and want to listen to the radio for news, weather etc.

My (admittedly not expert) knowledge on such things comes from 20 years in the Royal Australian Signals Corps (Australian Army Signals).