Radio Shack antennas

199.233.80.52

Posted on February 9, 2015 at 12:18:14

Pete B.
Audiophile

Posts: 72
Location: Central NJ
Joined: January 26, 2001

My question is how to take advantage of the Radio Shack bankruptcy/ fire sale and get an appropriate outdoor antenna. According to FM Fool I am less than 30 miles due south from just about all of the NYC radio stations (and many from New Jersey too - most are on the Empire State Building or the NYTimes building), and I need 9-12 feet of elevation for line-of-sight reception.
I anticipate that I can get a big discount for any of the Radio Shack antennas that are in stock, so which should I get? Is there any downside to getting too much antenna, e.g. the biggest one the have? I will use it primarily for FM, but might experiment with HDTV as well, since the drift away from cable seems to be increasing.
Actually, the store near me that is shutting down seems to have only this one (aside from the much smaller ones):
Catalog #: 1500274 ANTENNACRAFT HD850 HEAVY-DUTY VHF/UHF/FM ANTENNA
http://www.radioshack.com/antennacraft-hd850-heavy-duty-vhf-uhf-fm-antenna/1500274.html#start=17&sz=12&srule=price-high-low
Any thoughts/discussion would be much appreciated!
Pete

Radio Shack antennae

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RE: Radio Shack antennas

sony6060

20:02:28 02/27/15

RE: Radio Shack antennas

Markw*

11:37:21 02/27/15

Radio Shack Rabbit Ears antenna works great in SF Bay Area for FM.

oldmkvi

08:14:25 02/22/15

2

...

Show full thread outline!

RE: Radio Shack antennas

sony6060

20:02:28 02/27/15

RE: Radio Shack antennas

Markw*

11:37:21 02/27/15

Radio Shack Rabbit Ears antenna works great in SF Bay Area for FM.

oldmkvi

08:14:25 02/22/15

2

For exactly where your rabbit ear antenna is, and you are lucky.

Timbo in Oz

17:32:53 02/24/15

RE: Radio Shack Rabbit Ears antenna works great in SF Bay Area for FM.

Pete B.

08:42:51 02/22/15

RE: Radio Shack antennas

jamestavegia@gmail.com

23:45:51 02/18/15

You need a 3 to 6 element directional FM-only antenna.

Timbo in Oz

05:45:07 02/12/15

RE: You need a 3 to 6 element directional FM-only antenna.

Pete B.

06:29:48 02/12/15

Have They

Awe-d-o-file

15:09:26 02/10/15

2

RE: Have They

Pete B.

15:16:25 02/10/15

Thanks Pete! n/t

Awe-d-o-file

09:49:17 02/11/15

RE: Radio Shack antennas

Pete B.

10:58:20 02/10/15

RE: Radio Shack antennas

openmind

07:58:56 02/10/15

RE: Radio Shack antennas

sony6060

06:40:26 02/10/15

You were just lucky!

Timbo in Oz

05:50:58 02/12/15

RE: Radio Shack antennas

stellavox

04:33:54 02/10/15

One of these might do well...

J. S. Bach

14:39:58 02/09/15

RE: One of these might do well...

tesla

06:13:48 02/12/15

One of these might do well..., posted on February 9, 2015 at 14:39:58

J. S. Bach
Audiophile

Posts: 9578
Location: Chester, SC
Joined: November 28, 2001
Contributor
Since: June 29, 2004

...I have one mounted indoors and it picks up any station that I want. Years ago I had an eight (or ten, I forget which) element Yagi; it turned out to be TOO MUCH antenna, not to mention the need for a rotator. Anyway, I gave it to a friend and picked up the turnstile one in the link.

Later Gator,
Dave

Turnstile, but not for the subway.

RE: Radio Shack antennas, posted on February 10, 2015 at 04:33:54
stellavox Audiophile Posts: 413 Joined: June 23, 2004	Peter, "Way back when", RS had a nice 5(or so) element FM only Antennacraft beam. You might be able to find one in an "older" store. They do still list the "turnstile" dipole. Charles

RE: Radio Shack antennas, posted on February 10, 2015 at 06:40:26

sony6060
Audiophile

Posts: 1465
Location: USA
Joined: August 8, 2014

A directional antenna is used for long distance reception or to help null out a multi-path issue. If multipath is not an issue and your favorite FM stations are received well, I would buy a non-directional outdoor antenna and save the cost of an antenna rotator.

I lived in Manhattan and strong FM reception with local stations was not an issue with an indoor rabbit ear antenna. I also received a station in CT with full quieting. The receiver was a tube type Fisher with good sensitivity. Some better SS FM receivers have higher sensitivity.

What tuner/receiver are you using?

RE: Radio Shack antennas, posted on February 10, 2015 at 07:58:56

openmind
Audiophile

Posts: 183
Location: Phoenix
Joined: November 8, 2008

30 miles out overload should not be a problem. I use a similar antenna in my attic and get signal out the wazoo at 8 miles. If all your desired stations are in the same direction, you don't need a rotator; a directional antenna will give you better selectivity than an omnidirectional one, especially in a crowded area like metro NYC. Also an omni will pick up more multipath (bad). Also our cable went out during the Super Bowl but we were able to watch it using the antenna!

RE: Radio Shack antennas, posted on February 10, 2015 at 10:58:20

Pete B.
Audiophile

Posts: 72
Location: Central NJ
Joined: January 26, 2001

I have one of those Sony HD tuners, as well as a McIntosh MR67, a mono Scott LT-10, Fisher FM-100(?) with mpx adaptor, Harman/Kardon receiver, etc. etc. (You get the idea - too much stuff!)
Our FM band is very crowded, so I'm thinking directional will be an advantage. I agree I probably don't need a rotator, since it looks like the ESB and NYT buildings are in a line from my house! I've looked at the turnstyle ones in the past - don't know if omnidirectional is the way to go, though. I guess I'll see which one I can get for a song at RS and give it a try.
Thanks for the input and advice!
Pete

Have They, posted on February 10, 2015 at 15:09:26

Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004

Advertised any discounting yet for company stores for product in the stores? No real deals online at the link you had.

E
T

ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

RE: Have They, posted on February 10, 2015 at 15:16:25
Pete B. Audiophile Posts: 72 Location: Central NJ Joined: January 26, 2001	There is one local store that was already in the process of selling off its stock and closing, with progressively increasing discounts. No sign of closing in the other local store I visited. There is apparently a list out there of which stores are closing.

Thanks Pete! n/t, posted on February 11, 2015 at 09:49:17
Awe-d-o-file Dealer Posts: 21037 Location: 50 miles west of DC Joined: January 10, 2004	ET "If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

You need a 3 to 6 element directional FM-only antenna., posted on February 12, 2015 at 05:45:07
Timbo in Oz Audiophile Posts: 23221 Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia Joined: January 30, 2002	At 30 miles the pattern should be able to cope with the ones you want. Warmest Tim Bailey Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

You were just lucky!, posted on February 12, 2015 at 05:50:58

Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002

FM in stereo needs low multipath on the input signal. And a strong signal to get the front-end to full limiting.

The only way to guarantee both at 30 miles from the centre of a city is with a directional antenna.

A rabbit ear antenna is better in some ways than a folded dipole because it can be 'pointed' at each station more easily and less intrusively. So that it is effectively more directional. But, they often don't have as much gain.

Indoor antennas are also prone to be blanked out by our bodies, and since the mid 1990's by spurious EMI / RFI from all our tech stuff as well.

Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

RE: One of these might do well..., posted on February 12, 2015 at 06:13:48
tesla Audiophile Posts: 3180 Location: San Diego County, California Joined: October 25, 2000	I wold think that the O'scope on my Marantz 10b would show a lot of multipath with that setup. The picture shows a perfectly tuned station with no multipath. If there was significant multipath present, you would see a squiggly, crooked, or tilted line, instead of the straight line shown. Proudly serving content-free posts since 1984.

RE: You need a 3 to 6 element directional FM-only antenna., posted on February 12, 2015 at 06:29:48
Pete B. Audiophile Posts: 72 Location: Central NJ Joined: January 26, 2001	Thanks Tim, I was hoping you would chime in! Regards, Pete

RE: Radio Shack antennas, posted on February 18, 2015 at 23:45:51
jamestavegia@gmail.com Audiophile Posts: 275 Location: Atlanta, GA Joined: November 26, 2013	Winegard still makes 2 models of FM only and can be shipped by UPS. Jim Tavegia

Radio Shack Rabbit Ears antenna works great in SF Bay Area for FM. , posted on February 22, 2015 at 08:14:25
oldmkvi Audiophile Posts: 10583 Joined: April 12, 2002	I have a Sony Tuner modded by Radio X, rabbit ears are enough here.

RE: Radio Shack Rabbit Ears antenna works great in SF Bay Area for FM. , posted on February 22, 2015 at 08:42:51

Pete B.
Audiophile

Posts: 72
Location: Central NJ
Joined: January 26, 2001

I ended up getting aVR-90XR for $5 at the RadioShack store which is closing today. I haven't gotten to hook it up yet, but I'm planning to put it in the attic. Signal strength should be okay for me in the busy New York metropolitan area, but there's at least one college station that I'm trying to get which gets interference from another closer station on the same frequency. And it's fun to experiment!

For exactly where your rabbit ear antenna is, and you are lucky., posted on February 24, 2015 at 17:32:53

Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002

Elsewhere in SF, especially given the hills, I would seriously doubt the universal efficacy of rabbit ears.

And it will also depend on what the building is made of.

The only way to guarantee good FM reception is an external directional* antenna pointed at each desired station. If it isn't just a dipole it will have gain.

No tuner made can reject multipath effects.

Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

RE: Radio Shack antennas, posted on February 27, 2015 at 11:37:21
Markw* Audiophile Posts: 10370 Joined: June 1, 2001	You're near me. If FM is your main goal, that little X shaped omnidirectional antenna would be your best bet. At least for me it was. That big UHF/VHF/FM antenna will be great if everything is in one direction but here that's not the case.

RE: Radio Shack antennas, posted on February 27, 2015 at 20:02:28
sony6060 Audiophile Posts: 1465 Location: USA Joined: August 8, 2014	Another benefit with an indoor antenna is it will not bring a lightning strike inside your listening room. However, if the FM station of interest is too weak, a directional outdoor antenna is required. The best indoor antenna is rabbit ears. It can be orientated for best signal and lowest multipath.

Radio Road

Radio Shack antennas

199.233.80.52