OT?: AM stereo receiver hookup
 

I have a relatively new hi fi stereo reciever. I also have regular
(properly grounded) TV Antenna (because I'm too cheap to afford cable).
The reciever has a hookup for an FM Antenna into which I run my
regular TV antenna and it works great for FM radio.

Now, I'd like to pick up AM stations. For some reason there is a
different hookup on the reciever for AM stations. Also, there is an
outgoing ground hookup on the back of the reciever which is supposed to
be just for AM Antenna ground.

I'm curious as to why there are separate antenna hookups for FM and AM,
but mostly I just want to know if I can safely and effectively use my
regular TV antenna for both FM and AM, ignoring the AM ground because I
know the antenna is already properly grounded.

Any help? Thanks.

"Mak Wilson" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a relatively new hi fi stereo reciever. I also have regular
(properly grounded) TV Antenna (because I'm too cheap to afford cable).
The reciever has a hookup for an FM Antenna into which I run my
regular TV antenna and it works great for FM radio.

Now, I'd like to pick up AM stations. For some reason there is a
different hookup on the reciever for AM stations. Also, there is an
outgoing ground hookup on the back of the reciever which is supposed to
be just for AM Antenna ground.

I'm curious as to why there are separate antenna hookups for FM and AM,
but mostly I just want to know if I can safely and effectively use my
regular TV antenna for both FM and AM, ignoring the AM ground because I
know the antenna is already properly grounded.

Any help? Thanks.

Antennas have to be designed for the kind of radio frequencies and
modulation that are quite different for am and fm. It just so happens that
tv and fm signals need very similar antennas, so you can hook up your fm to
the tv lead in. You can buy a small desk or sill mounted AM loop antenna
that hooks up to the am antenna connections on the back of your receiver.
Often stereos have no internal am antenna, as most folks use them for fm,
due to better sound, low noise, and stereo reception. Sometimes I have
found a separate ground does indeed help reduce interference typical of am
reception.

the ideal receive antenna will be 1/2 the wavelength of the
radio signal, so:

AM .5 -1.6 MHz = 150 meters
FM 88-108 MHz = 1.5 meters
TV VHF 54-316 MHz = 2.3 - .5 meters

an antenna works best if it is "di-pole", two halves, each
side half the length above, the antenna wires(2) connect to
the middle. a meter is about 3 1/3 feet.

your TV antenna is good for FM because FM is sandwiched
between TV channels 2 and 13. a tv antenna is really a
series of antennas, an array of short, medium, and long
"rods" to cover the very wide range needed.

AM would require an antenna 250 FEET on each side, which is
not real practical. Most folks using an "outside" AM
antenna will settle on a wire 50-100 feet long to the
"antenna" connector, and as a substitute for the other
"half" will connect a good ground connection to the "ground"
connector. The ground used to be a water pipe, but since
it's now plastic, an 8 ft "ground" rod is driven into the
soil near where the "antenna" wire enters the house. At this
point it's a great idea to install a "lightning arrestor".
Lightning has a real affinity for "long wire" antennas, but
it's something you really don't want in your house!

AM and FM energies are not compatible on the same wire or
cable, that's why there are to sets of connectors.

Radio Shack has the wire, insulators, arrestor, and ground
rod to do this (or did a year or two back). You will find
there are AM radio stations on EVERY frequency on your dial,
in fact SEVERAL. Day, eve, night, late night, and early
morning you will hear different stations at the same spot on
the dial. For some folks, "logging" these stations is a
hobby. have fun, (it's good you don't have "short wave" on
your receiver ;-) google "short wave listener"

-larry / dallas




Mak Wilson wrote:
I have a relatively new hi fi stereo reciever. I also have regular
(properly grounded) TV Antenna (because I'm too cheap to afford cable).
The reciever has a hookup for an FM Antenna into which I run my
regular TV antenna and it works great for FM radio.

Now, I'd like to pick up AM stations. For some reason there is a
different hookup on the reciever for AM stations. Also, there is an
outgoing ground hookup on the back of the reciever which is supposed to
be just for AM Antenna ground.

I'm curious as to why there are separate antenna hookups for FM and AM,
but mostly I just want to know if I can safely and effectively use my
regular TV antenna for both FM and AM, ignoring the AM ground because I
know the antenna is already properly grounded.

Any help? Thanks.

Check the packing box again. Any new sstereo reciever should have come with
an AM loop antenna. (My Onkyo did). Check the manufacurers website and see
if they sell one. Crutchfield sells one
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Fni7Kht...rch=am+antenna

Antennas need to be designed for the frequencies being recieved. FM signals
are between TV Channels 6 and 7 (88 to 108mHz) and a TV antenna works good
for them. AM signals are way lower in frequency (.54 to 1.7 mHz) and need a
different antenna. Long wire antennas work good for AM signals but almost
nobody has the room for a hundred foot piece of wire. So they make loop
antennas for AM signals (about cigar box size).

TO truly get the best reception of FM signals you need to turn the TV
antenna sidewaks.(TV signals are horizantally polarized, FM signals are
vertically polarized) but for 99% of the cases a plain old TV antenna,
mounted normally will work.


"Mak Wilson" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a relatively new hi fi stereo reciever. I also have regular
(properly grounded) TV Antenna (because I'm too cheap to afford cable).
The reciever has a hookup for an FM Antenna into which I run my
regular TV antenna and it works great for FM radio.

Now, I'd like to pick up AM stations. For some reason there is a
different hookup on the reciever for AM stations. Also, there is an
outgoing ground hookup on the back of the reciever which is supposed to
be just for AM Antenna ground.

I'm curious as to why there are separate antenna hookups for FM and AM,
but mostly I just want to know if I can safely and effectively use my
regular TV antenna for both FM and AM, ignoring the AM ground because I
know the antenna is already properly grounded.

Any help? Thanks.

Rather than worrying about an external antenna, first hook any old
convenient length of wire to the AM terminal and see if you can pick
up the stations you want to pick up. If so, you are done. Your
car radio(both AM and FM)is making do with a a piece of wire (antenna)
that's probably considerably shorter than 5 feet.

Mak Wilson wrote:
I have a relatively new hi fi stereo reciever. I also have regular
(properly grounded) TV Antenna (because I'm too cheap to afford cable).
The reciever has a hookup for an FM Antenna into which I run my
regular TV antenna and it works great for FM radio.

Now, I'd like to pick up AM stations. For some reason there is a
different hookup on the reciever for AM stations. Also, there is an
outgoing ground hookup on the back of the reciever which is supposed to
be just for AM Antenna ground.

I'm curious as to why there are separate antenna hookups for FM and AM,
but mostly I just want to know if I can safely and effectively use my
regular TV antenna for both FM and AM, ignoring the AM ground because I
know the antenna is already properly grounded.

Any help? Thanks.

Thanks for the overflow of intelligent replies. I've read then saved
all this good info. I now realize my reciever DID come with an AM
antenna, but I mistook it for a cheapy FM antenna (which I didn't need)
and trashed it. Just using a 5 foot piece of wire made a big
difference. In fact, going from the TV/FM antenna to the 5 foot wire
was a noticable improvement, so I guess you guys know what you're
talking about. I'd still like to do better so I'll keep looking around
and experimenting. The Crutchfield link offered seems a little
expensive, but the only other one I've found so far is Radio Shack, and
it really doesn't look like it's made for AM despite the description:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...t%5Fid=15-1859

Anyway, thanks again. I'll keep working on it. All replies were
helpful and appreciated.

Mak Wilson wrote:
Radio Shack, and
it really doesn't look like it's made for AM despite the description:

try this link instead-
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...t%5Fid=278-758
$10.49, but they don't have the arrestor, i guess the $1
"twinlead" arrestor is a thing of the past. check the
discount stores that have do it yourself tv stuff for an
arrestor. ground the base, and hook the antenna to both
terminals.

you can make an arrestor, use an old fashion NON-RESISTOR
spark plug, ground the body and connect the antenna to the
stud. .016 gap works well.

-larry / dallas