Hi Although the golden age of AM radio is long past, it's still popular for news, talk shows and sports broadcasts. Noisy reception, though, is a common problem. Several simple techniques can ensure that you're pulling in the best signal possible.
Steps: 1. Check to see whether your radio has an input for an AM antenna. If it does, you can attach a length of wire--measuring at least 1 foot (30 cm)--to see if that improves reception. Experiment with moving the wire around. 2. If you've got a portable radio with only a built-in antenna, try turning the radio around to find a position where reception improves. By the way, the telescoping antenna that comes with portable AM-FM radios has no effect on AM reception. 3. If the radio plugs into the wall with a nonpolarized plug (where both prongs are the same size), try reversing the plug in the outlet. Moving the plug to another outlet might help, too. 4. If possible, position an indoor radio or its antenna near a window. AM reception is affected by walls of brick, metal or concrete, not to mention aluminum siding. 5. Other potential sources of interference are electrical devices in your house--anything from a fluorescent light to a TV. Try positioning the radio away from these things or switch them off while you enjoy the ballgame. Overall Tips: AM reception is usually better at night because AM radio signals bounce off the ionosphere. If you're familiar with fixing your TV's reception, you'll be a natural with an FM radio. FM reception is affected by the same things that affect television signal reception--the quality of your antenna, the strength of the signal you're trying to receive, and any obstacles between your antenna and the transmitter. Steps: 1. If you don't have an antenna connected to your FM receiver, purchase a simple dipole antenna--a simple T-shape flexible wire-- and connect it to the FM antenna inputs on the receiver. Because FM signals are directional, you'll want to experiment with the positioning of the wire to find the best reception of the station you're trying to receive. 2. If you're still not getting a good signal, try an indoor amplified antenna, which you'll find at an electronics store. Don't buy one unless you get a guarantee that you can return it for full credit if it doesn't solve your reception problems. 3. If your signal is weak because you live a long way from the transmitter, install an outside antenna and mount it as high as is practical. If you're primarily interested in getting signals from one station or from a group of stations in one direction, get a directional antenna and point it toward the transmitters. 4. If you're using a portable FM radio where the only antenna is the power cord, stretch the cord as straight as possible and experiment with positioning again. 5. Temporarily switch to monaural mode to improve a weak signal on an FM receiver. Overall Tips: Some cable companies offer FM reception as an option. It's also possible to buy an antenna that will work for both television and FM reception if you don't have cable. Many FM stations now make their programming available over the Internet--a cool way to receive stations that might not even be in the same state as you. To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
