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Eddy G
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2016 21:11
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Has anyone got any recommendations for good quality radio or radio antenna combo?
We are in a bit of a dead or weak zone...
Our little clock radio and older table top can't seem to hold a station and drift in and out or require consistent re-tuning that gets annoying....
We don't have a TV at the cabin, maybe someday but it isn't on our radar right now.
The Dish looks like the popular choice of the locals and full time residents as I have seen a lot of them...
There is zero cell coverage but talk of a cell tower being erected in the next year or so...
Sorry, I got off track (like our radio)
So, what say you? Anyone have a radio they can recommend?
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2016 00:46
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Have you tried any shortwave radio? I have a Grundig, it also has a little wind up dipole antenna. The radio signals from SW are reflected back off the ionosphere, its like getting satellite signals, nothing to impeded them, you could be in the deptths of a canyon, still work. Different bands work at different times of the day, but several bands will always be open. You can also get local AM and FM too.
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Don_P
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2016 07:41
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Why is it that all my vehicles have better radios than I seem to be able to get in a stereo tuner? We get better radio in the driveway in a fix or repair daily driver than out of a pretty pecan box inside. Is it antenna matching or...?
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Wilbour
Member
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2016 09:58
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I too bought the Grundig short wave because of the tuner. It locks onto a signal better than analog.
And why do our cars receive better reception than our home units?
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drb777
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2016 10:53 - Edited by: drb777
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I'm sold on the Sangean WR-2, 'have several, many say they are comparable in sound to Bose. Not cheap, but great sound, has external antenna connection, 12vdc capable and works well as amp/speaker for computer, Ipod (mp3) or smart phone.
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Nate R
Member
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2016 13:05
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Also not cheap, but the CCrane 2E I have has been pretty good. AC or battery, Aux input, Weather, Good reception on AM or FM.
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Eddy G
Member
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2016 20:28
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I had been researching and actually ordered the CCrane radio today....REI was advertising it and I had a $40 rebate coming so I got it for a great price.
Do you know if it excepts and external antenna?
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Chip
Member
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2016 06:46
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Eddy,
I think I remember checking out the CCrane CE radio and I do not think that it has a plug in for external antennas.
Chip
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old greybeard
Member
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2016 07:03
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If you have a tv antenna with a VHF element you already have a FM antenna. Just make sure if you are running a amp that it doesn't have the fm trap turned on.
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beachman
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2016 10:16
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If you have a fairly clear view of the SW sky, satellite (Sirius) works great. I also have a small Grundig which seems to work fine and I have heard good things about the Sangean.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2016 10:29 - Edited by: Cowracer
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it's odd, but my Milwaukee "jobsite radio" has some of the best reception of any radio I have seen. At my cabin site, I get moderately poor reception in my truck radio of STL stations, and no reception at all in my car. I have a FM antenna booster on my boat that works well, but the Milwaukee radio pulls in the same stations as the boat does, with just its little built-in rubber duck antenna.
And it sound pretty good too.
Tim
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Nate R
Member
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2016 10:44 - Edited by: Nate R
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Quoting: Eddy G I had been researching and actually ordered the CCrane radio today....REI was advertising it and I had a $40 rebate coming so I got it for a great price. Do you know if it excepts and external antenna?
If I remember right, it only has a terminal for an external AM antenna. But the FM reception I've really found to be quite good as it is.
I like that it also can be used for weather alerts, and has a line-in jack so you can run your phone or MP3 player through it. Sounds great, too!
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Eddy G
Member
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2016 13:56
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Quoting: beachman If you have a fairly clear view of the SW sky, satellite (Sirius) works great. I also have a small Grundig which seems to work fine and I have heard good things about the Sangean.
I have Sirius in my home and in my truck. I tried the boom box up at the cabin but it didn't work all that well. May be the boom box itself. I didn't give it a lot of effort.
I have a Sangean at home in my bathroom. It had great reviews but gets terrible AM reception. I think that has more to do with my house then anything else.
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Eddy G
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2016 13:58
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Quoting: Nate R If I remember right, it only has a terminal for an external AM antenna. But the FM reception I've really found to be quite good as it is.
Hopefully it works right out of the box. I don't mind putting an antenna up if need be but it's just one more thing to do on a long list of things to do up there and honestly I have enough to do....
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paulz
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# Posted: 7 Feb 2018 18:52
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Well I finally got a Sangean radio at the cabin. And I'm finally getting FM, which my old analog Panasonic wouldn't do.
Here's the rub: It's powered by 4 C batteries and also has wall adapter port, the adapter is 7.5vdc. I want to power it off my cabin DC batteries, so I hooked it up to a USB port on my Anker 12v to USB hub. Operates fine but I get bad static that I don't get when running it from it's own batteries. I have a modem, tablet, cell phone chargers, pager and other stuff also running off the cabin batteries.
Is there a way I eliminate the static and still have it run off the cabin batteries?
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Eddy G
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# Posted: 7 Feb 2018 20:48
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You could try unplugging all your other things one at a time until some or all the static clears up. My bet is the cell charger is causing most of it but most everything you listed will cause static.
Also, try moving the radio and or cord around...
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 7 Feb 2018 21:20
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Quoting: Wilbour And why do our cars receive better reception than our home units?
As a tech, I can probably answer that. Cars in many applications uses what is called a diversity antenna. This will be a horizontally polarized wire in a window, may look like a window heater that doesn't deice the glass. Signals from radio stations are vertically polarized and the signals can roll over long distance more so at night or around buildings. This rolling causes the fading in and out. But a radio with a diversity antenna will switch to the one with the best signal. Also, lots of cars now use shark antennas, these are all amplified. Amp is in the base of the antenna.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 8 Feb 2018 11:02 - Edited by: paulz
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Very interesting TMT. That's always bugged me too, I pull up to the cabin with the truck radio playing loud and clear, go inside and the cabin radio barely plays the dame station, even if I take it outside to the same spot. I need to read more about that. I'm an old car mechanic myself but my experience stopped around the time of fuel injection and computers.
The Sangean portable I bought just has a regular aerial antenna, no external hookup. Had to move it around the cabin to find the best reception, which oddly is pointed towards the middle of the room. I could try to find the noise causing culprit as Eddy suggests but I need all those things. Really like to find some kind of filter that could go inline to the usb port. I've tried various torroid coils and car type filters in the past without much luck. For now I guess it's a rechargeable 6v batter.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 8 Feb 2018 11:45
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paulz, in many radios AM signal, the power cord is part of your antenna too. There is an AM antenna that is wrapped around it inside the radio so it becomes an antenna by induction. This is usually just for AM, now FM.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 8 Feb 2018 13:09
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The radio in my garage at home also has bad FM reception. I shouldn't say it's the radio's fault, just that the stations I like are further away. It's some kind of kitchen cabinet type radio, also 12v with AC adapter. I opened it up and there was a wire about 20g wound around something, maybe it was the power cord. I unwound it and have it hanging out, about 3 feet long. I thought that was for FM? Seems to make a difference if I move it around but no amount of extending it, hooking it to an aerial on the roof helps but if I take the whole radio out in the back yard it improves dramatically. Maybe I need to have it out there with a speaker in the garage...
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justins7
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# Posted: 8 Feb 2018 14:51
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I have a Tecsun 880, which I bought for use in my cabin in upstate NY:
https://www.amazon.com/Tecsun-PL880-Conversion-Shortwave-Reception/dp/B00GJ51NVA
It is rechargeable only (via USB), and lasts a really long time on one charge. However, it won't play while being charged.
It gets excellent FM reception, and has amazing sound. But I find the shortwave ergonomics pretty confusing.
The one thing about the reception I could never understand is why some days it's all totally clear, while other times (often right at the turn of the hour) it's all static. It must be getting interference — but from what?
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RiverCabin
Member
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# Posted: 8 Feb 2018 16:13
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Quoting: paulz I want to power it off my cabin DC batteries, so I hooked it up to a USB port on my Anker 12v to USB hub. Operates fine but I get bad static that I don't get when running it from it's own batteries.
It isn't your radio. Any AM radio will suffer when attached to mains power. When connected to the main power AC or DC, the radio is picking up RFI or Radio Frequency Interference. I would make a bet that most of it is coming from your 12v to USB converter. If I were you, I would invest in some rechargeable C batteries or at lease some rechargeable AAs and some AA to C converters.
https://www.amazon.com/AA-Size-Battery-Adapter/dp/B009631ULK/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_121_lp_t _3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JYHJEQK50WSF94KD0C9V
Jay Allen has a great article on his website about combatting RFI. YOu should also check out the rest of the site if you like radios, it is great.
https://radiojayallen.com/combatting-am-and-sw-interference/
Finally, although I love Sangean, they were idiots going with that stupid proprietary 7.5 volt adapter. I have a radio that uses it as well. I hate the fact that I can go to my cabin and hook up my CB, scanner, and Yaesu FT-817 directly to 12 volt power but not the Sangean.
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Nate R
Member
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# Posted: 9 Feb 2018 13:02
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Quoting: justins7 The one thing about the reception I could never understand is why some days it's all totally clear, while other times (often right at the turn of the hour) it's all static. It must be getting interference — but from what?
Might be due to varying propagation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortwave_radio
It can change on sun conditions, time of day, and other things that affect the atmoshphere and ionosphere. So signals can seemingly fade in and out.
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littlesalmon4
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# Posted: 9 Feb 2018 16:24 - Edited by: littlesalmon4
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I just use my sirius and boombox. I used to have some issues with the directional antenna that the boom box comes with. I wanted to use a regular car antenna with it but the boombox requires and straight antenna connection and the car antenna has a 90 degree connection. Solved that by purchasing an antenna extension. The extension has a straight connection and the 90 degree car antenna plugs into it just fine. I only need to re-position the antenna seasonally but that is mostly due to my location.
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paulz
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# Posted: 9 Feb 2018 16:28
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Quoting: RiverCabin Finally, although I love Sangean, they were idiots going with that stupid proprietary 7.5 volt adapter. I have a radio that uses it as well. I hate the fact that I can go to my cabin and hook up my CB, scanner, and Yaesu FT-817 directly to 12 volt power but not the Sangean.
My 7.5 Sangean seems to work fine on USB power (aside from the static). Are there 12 to 6v transformers out there that might work?
Good progress yesterday on my home garage radio. I tee'd into the coax cable from my garage TV to the HDTV over the air antenna on my roof. Huge improvement. Didn't know that antenna would help radio.
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 9 Feb 2018 18:46 - Edited by: SE Ohio
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Many radios will work at higher voltages. I still have a 6 volt childhood radio that I powered with a 9 volt battery for years. It still works! Also a radio will typically run on lower than rated voltage.
You can also get a dc-dc converter off ebay that will convert 12 volts to 7.5 volts via an adjustment, with an LED display of the voltage. You will likely get am-band noise from the converter.
Radios are typically low drain devices and will run a long time off batteries. 6 rechargeable batteries rated 1.2 v in series (via battery holder) gives 7.2 volts. Fresh rechageablss are closer to 1.3v each, or 7.8 volts. Add a plug which fits your 7.5v jack and you'll have hours of play.
For better radio reception, look for a radio that will accept an external antenna. An outside antenna up high can really improve things. A tv type antenna picks up fm well, and a 75' wire can pick up a lot of am and shortwave.
I have about 15' strung up inside my southern Ohio cabin, I can typically receive Toronto, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans and NYC at night.
SE Ohio
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paulz
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# Posted: 11 Feb 2018 11:16 - Edited by: paulz
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Thanks SE. Strange thing about the Sangean, the DC in jack says 7.5v but the battery compartment takes 4 c batteries and it works fine on them. Yesterday I tried hooking up my little Harbor Freight pocket 12v lithium car jump starter thing to the radio via the USB port it has. Same static as when I hook it to my cabin USB. BTW this is all on FM, my old Panasonic gets AM just fine. So, I went back to using it on the 4 C batteries, and tried hooking it to the roof TV antenna at the cabin. It made some improvement but still very sensitive to location. The Sangean does not have external antenna hookups so I just clipped the coax to the aerial. Is there any proper way to attach a coax to a radio with just an aerial? I did dig out an old car radio (92 Ford I think) that I am going to try next at the cabin, the coax will plug into that.
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beachman
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# Posted: 11 Feb 2018 12:03
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Littlesalmon4, I know exactly what you mean about the boombox. Had to do the same with mine because I needed the extra length anyway to get clear of the trees. Works great. Put the car antenna on a big rock facing SW and open sky and I get great reception.
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 13 Feb 2018 11:51
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Paulz,
There may be a load between the Sangean 7.5 volt plug and the 6 volt nominal internal battery compartment, but I'm guessing not... Most radios seem to accept a range of input voltages.
Static is annoying, esp on FM where it isn't supposed to be! My cell phone generates some FM interference. Sounds like your interference is coming from inside your cabin, and sensitive to location (or is it radio orientation?) You might find your interference source(s) by placing radio near/far from other cabin electronics, such as solar controllers, inverters, switching "wall wart" power supplies, etc. Might be able to shield an offending FM interference device with a bit of foil and a ground wire? Results may not appeal to Martha Stewart...
Is the Sangean antenna a whip antenna? FM likes a 1/4 wave antenna length, so keeping it between 26 and 32" might improve reception. Of course it'll improve the reception of noise, too! Not sure how to properly attach the external antenna coax to the Sangean antenna, but I'd be tempted to try disconnecting the Sangean antenna temporarily (if it's a whip, if it is a wire i'd roll it up) and replace with coax connection (attempt to avoid antennas fighting each other).
The car radio should work well.
Watch fleas/thrift shops for portable GE Super Radio 1 or 2, often found for under $10 USD. Great performers, run off battery or 120 volts AC. Expensive online, though! Super Radio 3 gets mixed reviews.
SE Ohio
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2018 09:33
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Thanks again SE. Well, looks like I'm ditching the Sangean. When my VW diesel Rabbit pickup finally blew up a couple years ago I sold it to a youngster who planned to make a hot rod out of it and let me keep the Sony CD radio it had in it (he sent me a photo of it later, super duper TDI engine, new paint, all fixed up, glad it went to a good home, loved that little piece of crap).
Anyway, I took that radio out to the cabin yesterday and connected it to the roof antenna. Wow, great FM reception, no wandering, no interference from other cabin electronics. So looks like that's the plan. Plus it will play a CD if I ever get one. I still need to tee the antenna back to my 12V TV for the one station that gets, hopefully that won't change anything.
Here's my antenna, almost as long as the cabin!
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