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FM Reception


Peter P.

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I listen to a lot of FM radio.

 

I live in a condo which is situated nicely at the top of a hill. My listening area is above ground. I have a 1982 Yamaha, lower end tuner. It pulls in the non--commercial stations I enjoy, but with some difficulty. I'm using a rabbit ear antenna.

 

In my basement where I work out and wrench on my bikes is my other stereo. It's a more recent vintage, maybe 15 years old, lower end Yamaha receiver. Same rabbit ear antenna.

 

Yet my below grade, basement system has better reception of those non-commercial stations than my above grade stereo.

 

What gives? Is there really that big a difference between 2 lower tiered components? I'm more a believer that antenna location is more important than the electronics but am I being proven wrong?

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You are onto something, I have also noticed modern radio receivers are not as sensitive as they used to be. As much as it was originally ballyhooed I think the electronic PLL tuning is the issue. The older units that I have owned with an analogue dial have always performed better. Same thing with a few shortwave radios I have owned over the years.

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Tuner sensitivity of the older either standalone tuner or vintage receiver generally speaking do better for me. PLL on the later can do well too

given location. Use a vintage hybrid from 1980 era with analog tuning and digital readout made by NEC. When in city last year at 2 different locations, I did well enough just using a 6 to 8 foot length of RG-6. Got my local WFSU's clear in both locations. News, weather, classical, other music always have been fun too and necessary. May be interesting to take the basement tuner up top just for fun. FM signals have traditionally had some tradeoff for quality issues versus AM. Have experienced momentary drops while down in valley, holes, mostly years ago, and since was mobile, did not last. Todays distribution think much improved at broadcast levels and less attenuation at the RX end. Digital, sometimes a challenge, yet sometime fun too Thanks!

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On 2017-11-21 at 10:39 PM, Peter P. said:

I listen to a lot of FM radio.

 

I live in a condo which is situated nicely at the top of a hill. My listening area is above ground. I have a 1982 Yamaha, lower end tuner. It pulls in the non--commercial stations I enjoy, but with some difficulty. I'm using a rabbit ear antenna.

 

In my basement where I work out and wrench on my bikes is my other stereo. It's a more recent vintage, maybe 15 years old, lower end Yamaha receiver. Same rabbit ear antenna.

 

Yet my below grade, basement system has better reception of those non-commercial stations than my above grade stereo.

 

What gives? Is there really that big a difference between 2 lower tiered components? I'm more a believer that antenna location is more important than the electronics but am I being proven wrong?

is there by any chance a DAC or apple TV near FM (even an iPhone), those suck the FM signal like crazy...

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48 minutes ago, Tpjrs said:

is there by any chance a DAC or apple TV near FM (even an iPhone), those suck the FM signal like crazy...

No, but one element of the rabbit ears is directly in front of my CD collection, and I've often wondered whether the metallic deposit on the CDs is affecting the antenna's performance. I've considered extending the antenna's lead wires so I could place the rabbit ears on the floor, just for an experiment.

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My tuner and CD player, don't do well when close to each other, also computer, is a no go with tuner. i have a computer near tv and lost digital signal on tv when it's on.

 

Also, this week bought yamaha amplified speaker with bluetooth and wifi, for my bedroom music, result no more radio station on my radioclock...

 

So i don't know for cd themself, but ifun, ipaul and cd player is a no go with tuner.

 

Also leaving near airport didn't help or taxi stand....

 

regards

ps i forgot some new antenna are for digital tv, and do poor job with fmsignal...

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Hey guys , personally I think today's FM actually sucks and hardly if ever listen to it. I get most of my sources from my Yamaha RX-V665 AVR.  That being I-Net radio, I-pod dock and it's rotation, t.v..and CD if not going analog through the NAD.  I have tried FM w/ the 75ohm adapter and get reception but it's the content that sucks. I do have a 2 chl system where I take audio out from my AVR to tuner in which is a NAD  1020a pre/amp and the only source not from the AVR is of course my JVC a-200 tt w/ a Grado Black cart. I know this is not the thread to ask this but I'm looking for a pre/amp on the cheap that has a working remote and seem to be very hard to find. Not that I'm all that lazy but I already went through an Onkyo P-301, a P3150V, a Dynaco Pat-4, and an overly complicated Sony es-2000 processor w/ using the preouts becomes a pre/amp. any leads would be appreciated..Lew

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I can't answer your preamp question but as to "FM sucks" I assume you mean content and not signal quality. Too bad you live in a musical desert.

 

My two local favorite radio stations give me such a wide variety of programming that I'm constantly being exposed to new, unusual, unique, or just plain cool music. I don't have to like all of it, but it beats the pants off of commercial radio any day.

 

WPKN, Bridgeport CT

 

WWUH, University of Hartford

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Analog FM is a purpose made format for very close to and in some case, surpass other formats for getting the information. Realize it may be a matter of taste and convenience. Truth is for me, it is the only way to get the stations I want to receive. With a decent vintage tuner, and the local stations nearby, I do not need much at all in the way of an antenna to receive broadcast quality audio, which stays stable with no dropouts, generally speaking. Above threshold of the tuner for the stations I want. If I wanted more, I would go with an external antenna. Enjoy...

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1 hour ago, Peter P. said:

I can't answer your preamp question but as to "FM sucks" I assume you mean content and not signal quality. Too bad you live in a musical desert.

 

My two local favorite radio stations give me such a wide variety of programming that I'm constantly being exposed to new, unusual, unique, or just plain cool music. I don't have to like all of it, but it beats the pants off of commercial radio any day.

 

WPKN, Bridgeport CT

 

WWUH, University of Hartford

Agree with them, Radio Desert is now in place in Canada, CBC radio 2, use to have great music by night and discover new music and new jazz, now it is a bunch of sound-alike commercial crap, the guy tries very hard, but not a good radio Dj, he is alone in his tower and they lost it.

 

I prefer old radio style Dj, when they talk on the radio, they make you feel like you're the only one in the world and there's music choice is and presented like you we're the only listener. I remember traveling north for 5 hours and switch CBC Station here and then, New music was playing from Jazz to Rock and Man was like I was driving a spaceship on moonlight night just connected to earth-base...

 

Miss that kind of radio Dj (they we're the superstar, and into the music, not just playing records for payola$) that have a sense of music and their listener? miss that a lot, now I have a huge playlist on Spotify with 1500 song, and some night driving, the Spotify solution bring the Alone in the world driving when you play memories with the songs but miss the Dj...

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1 hour ago, billybob said:

Analog FM is a purpose made format for very close to and in some case, surpass other formats for getting the information. Realize it may be a matter of taste and convenience. Truth is for me, it is the only way to get the stations I want to receive. With a decent vintage tuner, and the local stations nearby, I do not need much at all in the way of an antenna to receive broadcast quality audio, which stays stable with no dropouts, generally speaking. Above threshold of the tuner for the stations I want. If I wanted more, I would go with an external antenna. Enjoy...

Still, tube tuner is the best for signal, loved my Fisher FM90, but desert radio nowhere in Montreal...

 

So I listen to web radio, like FM91 Jazz Toronto on streaming from Toronto and KJEM on Web or Radio Paradise (but that's another thread...)

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1 minute ago, Tpjrs said:

Still, tube tuner is the best for signal, loved my Fisher FM90, but desert radio nowhere in Montreal...

 

So I listen to web radio, like FM91 Jazz Toronto on streaming from Toronto and KJEM on Web or Radio Paradise (but that's another thread...)

Lol, Was feeling a little hypocritical earlier listening to Radio Paradise while touting the benefits of analog. Bet you do get some quality with your Fisher.

My tuner in storage at the moment. There was, maybe still is a radio station we picked up here in Florida on AM from Little Rock. If still exists figure it is in FM now. As the Sun got near or below the horizon here, we could listen to the famous rock station with DJ's. 100, 000 watts as may recall. Decent enough reception in our cars with motley speaker systems, using reverb too at times. We were serious about the music. Thanks!B)

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1 hour ago, Tpjrs said:

Still, tube tuner is the best for signal, loved my Fisher FM90, but desert radio nowhere in Montreal...

 

So I listen to web radio, like FM91 Jazz Toronto on streaming from Toronto and KJEM on Web or Radio Paradise (but that's another thread...)

I am originally from the Toronto area (Oshawa) and Jazz FM was my main staple station. Fortunately we are able to tune in here in Yellowknife through the radio stations offered through Apple TV. Have it playing pretty much all weekend long.

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