Improving FM Radio Reception: Tips & Techniques

[darkmagic]

Homework Statement

I bought an FM radio mono kit. After I assembled it, it works. But I want to know how to have a clear reception or signal and to acquire more stations. What should I do? Any tips or techniques? does the coil affects the signal?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[Mark44]

What do you have for an antenna?

 

[darkmagic]

a telescoping antenna, the one that can be extended/

 

[Mark44]

Try moving the antenna around and moving the radio to different parts of the house to see if reception/signal strength improves. FM waves travel by line of sight, so if there is anything between the radio and the FM source, reception won't be very good.

Other than that, I don't have any electronics expertise.

 

[darkmagic]

I have tried that but i only get 1 station the others are not clear, what should I do with that?

 

[berkeman]

I have tried that but i only get 1 station the others are not clear, what should I do with that?

Get a folded dipole antenna from Radio Shack. That's the one that is flexible, and looks like a "T" about arms'width wide at the top. Take off the telescoping antenna, and attach one of the two wires in the feedline to the antenna feed, and the other to your circuit common (ground). That should give you better gain, although you will need to rotate the T part around to aim at different stations.

Can you post a pic of your kit, either the one you built, or just a link to what it looks like?

 

[darkmagic]

i'll post a pic later. The coil included in the kit are 4 turns. Does this affect the signal or station that can be acquired? or Does the feet of those coils affect the signal?

 

[berkeman]

i'll post a pic later. The coil included in the kit are 4 turns. Does this affect the signal or station that can be acquired? or Does the feet of those coils affect the signal?

What coils? I thought you said the antenna was a telescoping one?

 

[darkmagic]

yes. I have coils in the fm radio circuit. so does it?

 

[berkeman]

yes. I have coils in the fm radio circuit. so does it?

I have no idea, but sure, the coils affect the signal coming in. I have no idea what the coil's "feet" are though.

If you could post a pic and the schematic, maybe we can offer other suggestions for increasing the receive sensitivity.

 

[darkmagic]

i'll do it later. I'm going out now