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I've moved. I was in Lynnwood, Wa. A Suburb on the north side of Seattle, just South of Everett. I am now in Raymond, Wa.
Here's a map:
At the east end of the Willapa Bay on the Willapa River. A quiet little lumber mill town. Raymond. Population? Not many. Nice and quiet. Surrounded by trees and greenery. weather: cool and toward the humid side. Coastal.
I am surrounded by tree covered low mountains. Weyerhauser country. And I have a fiber optic internet connection. Way out here. Not bad.
However I am presented with some challenges regarding FM radio reception.
But first more info:
I'm in another 3rd story flat. Rented. Nice solid building with floors that do not bounce. What a nice change from the last place. There are no foot fall issues. Nice solid construction. Looks and feels sturdy. Presumably this building will withstand whatever storms come in off the Pacific.
I've no option other than using indoor type antennae. At the moment I have a dipole up that does bring in many stations with excellent signal strength. However one in particular that I would like to use most often, a jazz station, has the signal strength but also it has quite a lot of hissy noise. I presume I am dealing with something that would be alleviated with an outdoor antenna, directional type and with a motor driven rotator. This is not an option. Repeat; This is not an option.
The tuner is decent. The antenna is the problem. It has to be an indoor antenna. Can modern technology help?
So...I am tempted to try fabbing my own Rhombic antenna just to see if it can capture a cleaner signal.
Also, anyone know any good primers on Radio and the fundamentals of receiving?
Thoughts?
-Steve
Follow Ups:
" ... Also of course check if your preferred jazz station broadcasts over the internet! ..."
If you are willing to make massive compromises in Sound Quality, have at 'er. I'll stick to OTA FM myself.
Been looking and then been ill.
This page is useful, and clear.
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
Looking around the web there is much information available on antenna design and construction. I found two diagrams for building the above noted 1/2 wave folded dipole.
Here's one:
This one I found at http://www.antennatheory.com
link: http://www.antenna-theory.com/antennas/foldeddipole.php
Then I found another which has some differences in the diagram.
this one I found at--Link: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/antenna_theory/antenna_theory_half_wave_folded_dipole.htm
You can copy/paste into your browser on the above noted links, since I have more than one url to link that's my option.
At any rate, the second diagram appears to consist of a pair of closed loops mounted linearly and the combined length should equal the 1/2 wavelength of the target broadcast.
I tried both of these diagrams using 300 ohm twin-lead antenna wire mounted to a flimsy stick I had mounted to a camera tripod. Thusly rigged I could move the tripod about the room and also rotate it in order to find direction of the strongest signal for a given station. It kind of works, btw.
What I found is that the second diagram. The pair of closed loops version. That one offers highest gain in my room. Actually, it seems to offer greater gain (signal strength) even than the 1/2 wavelength dipole I have up on the wall which had been producing the highest signal strength so far.
Here's a shot of it in action.
two more details shots:
diagram #2 clearly offers higher gain than diagram #1.
The Balun came from a Channelmaster model 3018 that I purchased new a couple of decades ago but never used.
When it comes to directivity, I see some increase/decrease in signal strength up on the tuner as I rotate the antenna on its tripod mount. However this directivity is not anything close to being pin-point accurate. More like I can see some increase/decrease over a 1/4 rotation of the antenna. But not any more accurate than that.
-Steve
Edits: 07/23/17
..I was impressed enough with the strength of signals being received with this antenna that I decided to put it up on the wall. This is the best-so-far reception I've had in the room
While on the tripod I did find that I could point the antenna in a direction that resulted in greater signal strength. But the differences in signal strength seen on the meter was not great. Further, as I tried to note in my preceding post, I had to rotate the antenna quite a bit before finding these differences in signal strength. As it turns out, the wall mount shown in the above photo is in the general direction that receives the strongest for all of the stations I've got programmed into the tuner at the moment. My compass indicates this to be a north-west vector.
Hmmm. folded dipole receives stronger than a dipole.
Fwiw I can now get a signal from that Portland station I wanted to try for; KINK fm101.9. It comes in noisy, but decipherable. Clearly, this antenna has the most gain of any I've tried.
Here's a shot from above the listening chair.
I took down the 'T-shaped' dipole. It has been superceded. The 1/4-wave whip antenna is still up on top of the rack because I want to try one more mod for it. (reflector rods). More on that later.
-Steve
Steve, interesting that your second example offers higher gain. I've never seen one like that before. Prior to my vertical "automotive" type I've only used the folded loop or T style.
I assume you may know the value for "L" is set for the middle of the FM band. So if you have a few stations clustered closer to a different part of the band you could modify the length to optimize for that. That was why old fashioned rabbit ears had telescoping rods. Anyway, you can find tables that state the best L value for a given broadcast frequency. That might help a little more in your experiments.
"The piano ain't got no wrong notes." Thelonious Monk
"Steve, interesting that your second example offers higher gain. I've never seen one like that before. Prior to my vertical "automotive" type I've only used the folded loop or T style.I assume you may know the value for "L" is set for the middle of the FM band. So if you have a few stations clustered closer to a different part of the band you could modify the length to optimize for that. That was why old fashioned rabbit ears had telescoping rods. Anyway, you can find tables that state the best L value for a given broadcast frequency. That might help a little more in your experiments."
--------------------Until recently I was unaware of antenna types, apart from being familiar with a couple of names. Dipole is the T-shaped wire antenna. The folded dipole is similar but offers a different wire-up that you have to look closely at in order to see the difference.
Btw, these T-shaped dipoles that we buy cheaply at the local hardware store don't actually have to be T-shaped in order to be classed as a dipole. The 300 ohm transmission line could be shortened considerably and still the antenna is a dipole.
re: wavelengths. As I understand it, the length of this type of antenna, dipoles and folded dipoles, are made of a length designed to 'tune' the antenna to resonate at the target frequency range. I'm not certain just how sensitive these antennas are to the length of them.
On the web I've found some useful rules of thumb when it comes to tuning the length of these antennas.
Here's the most simple formula:
5616/frequency in mhz = 1/2 wavelength in inches.
And I understand this is only useful when tuning dipoles and not other types.Let's say we want an antenna tuned to receive the entire FM band we could calculate for the extremes of the band.
for 88.0 mhz it goes like this:
5616/88=63.82 inches
for 108 mhz:
5616/108=52 inchesAt the moment my antenna is 69 inches long, so it would seem I could trim the length to my target range. I haven't tried that yet. The thing I think needs to be noted is that the store-bought dipoles I've purchased were all 72 inches long. This suggests it being tuned for lower frequencies, but it still works fine for the FM bandwidth...or...the above math is wrong. Hmmmm
-Steve
Edits: 07/25/17
that current "store-bought dipoles were 72 inches". My memory is not great but it seems the standard folded dipole so common with FM tuners was 57 or 58 inches long. That would be consistent with the mid point of the examples you found.
Anyway, I assume this is why some commercial designs include multiple elements of varying lengths.
"The piano ain't got no wrong notes." Thelonious Monk
Yes, it was a recent purchase from a local Ace Hardware. 72-inches across the business end. Another dipole I bought a couple of decades ago at Radio Shack is also 72 inches.
Perhaps that number,(5616 / freq in mhz = 1/2 wave length in inches),is correct. But also, I suspect that the sensitivity toward this length might not be strong. IIRC the Magnum Dynalab ST-2FM whip antenna is purported to be 1/2 wave and measures to 54 inches long. That would support above number.
Why Radio Shack has been making their dipoles to 72", I begin to wonder.
-Steve
The opening post does indicate the use of a rhombic antenna. However, before getting tooled up for that, I thought to optimize use/position of that automotive whip antenna I bought for $10 last week. I invest this much effort because I anticipate some potential good use.
To mount the antenna to the small tripod pictured, I took a piece of 1/4" thick acrylic plate, drilled two holes, one for the 1/4-20 threaded bolt fastener and one for the antenna base to fasten into.
Now I can raise/lower the height of it. The tripod also allows rotation on two planes, horizontal and vertical.
I find that with some experimentation with the rotation, altitude and x,y, positioning, I have a lower noise floor. At the moment I am not using the multipath reduction switch on the tuner. And this is an improvement in noise levels from the previous mounting. Signal strength remains the same. 4 lights.
edits/updates to this post:
I have noticed that throughout the day reception clarity/noise does change. It changes when the atmosphere becomes cloudy (better) and when it transitions from overcast into cloudless blue sky conditions (not always as good). It changes from early morning to late afternoon even when the weather remains constant throught the day. Perhaps reception is best and cleanest sounding in the evening/early morning hours.I have seen similar effects in all of the various places I have lived throughout my life. However, I have rarely been able to use an outdoor FM antenna, as it would be preferred.
-Steve
Edits: 06/23/17 06/23/17
They are supposed to have more gain.
Mount it on a vertical board and put a 'lazy susan', under it to turn it to point it at stations.
You can make your own and cut them to a 1/4 wavelength of a particular station, divide by .95 IIRC.
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
yep. See link below to the post in this thread.
I have always heard the standard, closed loop "T", which is included free with so many tuners to be called a folded dipole. I see one on the wall in the OP photos 2 and 4.
Timbo I believe you know much more about this and other electronics than I do, so I'm surprised to see you recommend it when I thought they have possibly the minimal gain of any antenna type.
"The piano ain't got no wrong notes." Thelonious Monk
a lot.
Because they are directional, Steve should be able to get some in-room bearings, and also eliminate a few (a lot of?) stations from his wanted list.
Then he can consider a spread rhombic, or one or two, laid on top of each other, and a switch.
Because most stations use mixed polarity, it should be okay to use a vertical dipole to search, and install horisontal rhombics on the ceiling that point in the directions he finds that work.
Okay? :-)
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
It would be my understanding that the main element in the Yagi is the folded dipole.Am I wrong to assume that, like the automotive whip antenna, and the 1/2-wave dipole up on the wall, a folded dipole, without any other elements added to the stick, is also omni-directional?
I might try one.
some idle ideas.
I haven't given up on the idea of the Rombic. I could devise one that would circumscribe the dimensions of my listening room. Mount it up high just under the ceiling. It would be somewhat imposing to behold, so to speak, but it is directional. Aiming a Rombic would be complicated when the thing needs to be attached somehow, or hung somehow, from the upper portions of the walls.
It would be simple and inexpensive to buy a 1/2 wave length telescopic whip to construct my own version of the Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM antenna. Only instead of 54 inches long I'd use a telescopic rod with a max length of at least 72 inches. 1/2 wave. The thing about the ST-2 that attracts me is that it just 'looks cool'. I doubt it would be any more effective than the 1/4 wave whip I'm using at the moment. But a 1/2 wave version would have more gain.
Yet it would still be susceptible to the interference I'm experiencing with what I have now. And I wonder if a Rhombic would also be susceptible in the same way.I could diy a full wavelength dipole. Even more gain. But signal strength isn't the problem I face, really. Though it would be nice to pull in a couple of stations being broadcast from Portland. I used to live there and had some favorite stations back in those days. Portland is about 90 miles from my location so that would stretch the limit.
Now, having lived with the two antennas I have in use for a month or so I wonder if my thinking about atmospheric conditions having an effect are just hogwash. What if I am experiencing interference from the surrounding electrical systems within the building I'm in. let's say some neighbor in the same building turns on an appliance and the white noise appears within my FM reception. Maybe when people get home from work around 5pm and start running their appliances I get more white noise. Some days it seems like that. But not every day.
I'm not giving up. I have taken a step back in the past week and concentrated on other stuff on my agenda. I'll return to the FM reception issue fairly soon.
Folded dipole. How large should I make it?
-Steve
Ps: I should note that the 'noise' issue I face is not constant. It comes and goes. At the moment I'm listening to my target FM station and receive a quiet clean signal. Good listening ..... for now. I know it will change. The noise will come back. I just haven't identified the cause of the noise.
Edits: 07/11/17
The axis is at right angles to the two wires in the 300 ohm ribbon.Their polar diagram is a figure 8. Like a figure-8 mike. The cross-section .. of the two wires is inside the two lobes of the polar diagram. IE <-OO-> . Okay?
So that, when pinned flat to a narrow board aligned vertically, you can rotate it along that vertical axis it so that it points at the strongest signal in that room, for each station. A lazy Susan type rotating base is the most convenient.
Noting that most FM transmitters use mixed polarisation IE 50% vertical and 50% horisontal - a vertical dipole on a board with a rotating base is more practical than trying to orient a horisontal dipole to maximum signal.
I'd recommend that you at least twist the down-lead part of the ribbon to minimise its signal pick-up capacity. OR buy a 300/750hm balun and run coax to the tuner.
You could also add another dipole on the other side and run them in parallel. But you would need to wind a 150:75 ohm balun. But even that stuff is on the web! :-)
Hope this helps.
Once you can get reasonable signal strength on most stations you can begin mapping your preferred station's axes on to yr dwelling's plan.
Then you might have enough information to decide if you want a Rhombic or Rhombics. And, where to point them.
Retail ribbon dipoles are cheap. OTOH Plans of dipoles should be available on the web. 300 ohm ribbon has IIRC a propogation delay of about 5% so the 1/4 wave length for a given frequency in Mhz, should be divided by .95 which will make it a bit longer so that it does resonate at the right freq.
I suggest you either build one that's as long as you'ld need for 108Mhz OR just buy one and learn with it. Those are usually cut for ~98 Mhz.
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
Edits: 07/11/17 07/11/17 07/11/17
Hi Steve,
Thanks for posting - the tripod is a great idea for experimentation like this. I'll shamelessly copy that so I can do some similar experiments for FM and HD antennae I've been trying to evaluate and orient optimally.
Btw, when you were closer to Seattle, what sort of antenna did you find worked best?
tia,
David
"Btw, when you were closer to Seattle, what sort of antenna did you find worked best?"I was living in Lynnwood for 16-1/2 years. Lots of available FM stations to tune in. In my area multipath seemed the biggest problem. And atmospherics played into it. Some days the dipole I had up high on the south wall, above the sliding door, was cleanest. Other days, the Parsec amplified antenna, that I had on the fireplace mantle would bring them in cleaner. The Parsec could be aimed and that seemed to have an affect. At one time I used an outdoor omni directional antenna (2 folded dipoles stacked one over the other in 90-degree config) leaning up against the wall of the listening room, and there were times when that tuned in the cleanest.
As always seems to be the case, a roof mounted antenna was not an option.
With all of the above said, I had cleaner sounding reception in the Seattle area.
-Steve
Edits: 06/24/17
Yesterday I tried some things. Above photo shows some additions to my collection of antennas.
Here's another pic:
Featured in the above photo is the RadioShack 2-way signal amplifier. (clamped to the back of the shelf behind the Laptop.) Strapped to the upright member of the steel rack is a RadioShack FM-Trap (about which I know nothing). At this point, after experimenting via trial and error, antenna input is now at the FM-Trap, which in turn connects to the 2-way signal amplifier, which connects to the FM tuner (Carver TX-11b) above. The tuner has only one input for FM, 75 ohm F-type.
I dug the FM Trap and 2-Way amplifier out of a box of stuff I've had for years. In that box will be found spare coax, spare network cable, spare telephone cable (now almost obsolete) and a variety of artifacts like 2-way splitters, 4-way splitters, video connectors and AV cables of different types, etc.
So far the best reception is via the Dipole antenna which connects at the FM trap noted above. Signal strength is clearly the best I've received yet. Also, I find this quite a bit more listenable. That sibilant noise I've been hearing with broadcast voices and music is almost entirely gone. When using the Noise-reduction switch on the Carver tuner, there is a reduction in this noise. When using the multi-path reduction switch on the tuner, noise is further reduced to almost negligible amounts. It seems as if I'm almost there. I can add that weather plays a part in this. Overcast days, often times, provide cleaner signals than do sunny days.
Yesterday I did try a few things. In the top photo it can be seen that I tried an HDTV amplified antenna. While this type of antenna is not for FM radio reception (those frequencies are below that of FM radio) it did work. Better, I'd say than that Parsec amplified beam antenna.
I also tried an automotive antenna (solid, does not telescope) with solid stainless steel round rod 30 inches long. this I modified by clipping off the oem plug and soldering a 75 ohm balun/coax cable connector. running coax from the balun to the input side of that FM trap I found signal strength and clarity that bettered the Parsec Beam Booster that now has been retired. I mean to try some further mods to this vertical antenna to see if I can't make it tunable (vertical antennas must resonate, someone said). I have much to learn about this but I have found on the web some interesting tutorials on antenna design.
I'm not done. I am recording my notes and ideas at the link below for those who want to follow this little journey. For me this is fun stuff. At the moment what I'm discovering here is that the dipole, as picture on the wall, brings in the strongest signals in this somewhat mountainous and fringe area where I now reside.
More stuff will be tried.
-Steve
OK, I've been listening with the above linked configuration. 3 antennas. (antennae)in use. All of them work. The dipole brings in the strongest signals and more stations. However the dipole also brings in quite a bit of 'hashy noise' which I have described in this thread as a kind of sibilant shhhh noise around human voices and also some instrumentals in the upper mid frequencies. I believe, after doing some reading, that this is the result of multipath reflections. The noise is more present on a sunny day than it is on an overcast day. So there is some effect imposed by the ionosphere above us.
After listening to the two best contenders at the moment; 1) the vertical whip automotive antenna that is roughly adapted for 75 ohm use by soldering on a 75 ohm balun... and 2) the dipole. Both of these, I believe, benefit by incorporating into this signal chain the RatShack FM-Trap and signal amp noted elsewhere in this thread.
One critical note: the vertical whip antenna sounds just as good and, maybe, delivers just a bit less hashy noise. Its signal strength is down (4 bulbs lit versus 6 bulbs lit for the dipole)but its quality is just as good if not slightly better than the dipole.
This makes me think that further efforts to optimize the vertical whip antenna may make sense in this room.
-Steve
Steve, I see you tried one alternate position mounting your folded dipole on the wall. It might be easier to mount it on any lightweight scrap wood of appropriate length. Add a "T" handle to facilitate manual positioning. Then select one or two stations you consider most important and try moving your temporary mounting around. Experiment with both direction and elevation. Normally the higher the better but I found this is not always true. Once you find the "best" position figure out a way for more permanent mounting in that position.
Also, while I'm not an expert on all this, I've read that while FM stations originally transmitted signals intended for horizontal pick up, the realization of the importance of automotive reception caused them to realign for vertical antennas. So you might experiment with that too with the portable testing.
"The piano ain't got no wrong notes." Thelonious Monk
I still find that horisontal works best with outside boom antennas. Minimises wind-loads. And vertical on a rotatable thin flat board is best for 1/4 wave dipoles inside.
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
good stuff!
Yes, a dipole mounted to a piece of foam board for portability. I'll try it.
Also you bring up a great idea; automotive antennas. I think I might have a spare out in the garage. The one I used on my Mini back in the seventies. I'll see if I can't dig that out.
-Steve
Steve, I actually use a vertical antenna for FM. It is a single rod telescoping type like an auto antenna. It was home made by a buddy many years ago, I think the only specialized part is a Balun to allow 75 ohm cable for connection. It includes a dummy reflector rod at the opposite end of the base. Someone else who knows more about antennas can explain that. With it I can receive a stereo signal (most days) from the classical station in LA, albeit over ocean not mountains from San Diego, at least 100 miles away.
"The piano ain't got no wrong notes." Thelonious Monk
Yesterday, I tried a few things. And all of it worked to some degree or another. Also on the list of things to try, was an automotive antenna. At first I looked for my old antenna that I'd been using on my old Mini. Could not find that. Too bad because it was kind of cool, having a chrome plated coil spring at its base above the mounting bracket. Alas.
So I drove across the bridge (less than a mile) to my local Ace Hardware store and found one. What I bought, for $9.99, was an automotive antenna featuring a 30 inch long stainless steel rod. This antenna I modified by clipping off the oem connector plug and soldering on a 75 ohm balun to match input at my FM tuner. I used this with and without amplification. I can say that in this early implementation of it, it betters the Parsec Beam Booster amplified antenna that I have had for a number of years. when I used this vertical (automotive) antenna in combination with a RadioShack 2-2way signal amplifier, it brought in signal strength on most of the stations on my above posted list (see new data this thread) that was about 1 bar less than with the dipole I have mounted up on the wall.
I'm not done with it. Because this antenna features a fixed stainless steel rod, I think I will see what other mods are possible. I believe these can be made tunable and also modified as your friend did yours with a dummy reflector, etc. But I have much to study before chasing this rabbit.
You'll need to figure out the alignment of your rooms on the map.
then figure if that situation allows for one or more.
Happy to provide feedback as you work on it.
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
Above: the FM Fool list of stations that are, supposedly, available in my location.
I did move the dipole antenna, again and now feel that I've made a slight improvement in reception qualities. Here's a photo of the new dipole location:
next; a station roll call of sorts. Using the Carver TX-11b I tune in to each of the station channels on the FM Fool list and report signal strength, genre and note reception qualitiesnote about signal strength. The TX-11b tuner uses an array of 6 led bulbs to indicate signal strength where 1 bulb lit indicates weak and 6 bulbs lit indicates max strength. this tuner is equipped with some filtering capabilities such as noise reduction, multipath reduction. Both of these are left 'off' for this exercise. there is also a switch for IF band width (narrow / wide). The default position is wide and left that way for this exercise.
FM Fool List for 10 Monohon Landing Rd., Raymond, Wa
Call Sign / Channel / sig strength / Genre / Notes
K266BL 101.1 5 OF 6 pop Noise, slight
K291B1 106.1 6 OF 6 country Noise, slight
KACW 91.3 6 OF 6 RELIGIOUS Noise, slight
K212AG 90.3 6 OF 6 jazz/npr almost clean
KMNT 104.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KSWS 88.9 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KLMY 99.7 3 OF 6 almost clean
KWAO 88.1 4 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KMUN 91.9 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KITI-FM 95.1 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KVAS 103.9 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KJET 105.7 6 OF 6 CLEAN
KXXO 96.1 4 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KRQT 107.1 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KFOO 102.9 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KRKZ-FM 94.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KSWW 102.1 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KOAC-FM 89.7 3 OF 6 WHITE NOISE
KGIO 90.5 4 OF 6 CLEAN
K265CP 100.9 4 OF 6 almost clean
K211AP 90.1 5 OF 6 jazz/npr Noise, heavy
KYYO 96.9 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KXXK 102.3 3 OF 6 country Noise, heavy
KCRX-FM 102.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KOMO-FM 97.7 4 OF 6 almost clean
KDUX-FM 104.7 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KDDS-FM 99.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KANY 107.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
K220HE 91.9 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KLYK 94.5 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KLSY 93.7 4 OF 6 HISPANIC almost clean
KLOY 88.7 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KBGE 97.9 3 OF 6 POP Noise, heavy
KCYS 96.5 3 OF 6 country Noise, heavy
KEUB 93.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KTJC 91.1 5 OF 6 country almost clean
K292G2 106.3 4 OF 6 country CLEAN SAME AS 106.1
KNBQ 98.5 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
K211ET 90.1 5 OF 6 jazz/npr moderate noise
K206CL 89.1 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KLWA 101.3 4 OF 6 aberdeen station almost clean
KPPK 98.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
K269FT 101.7 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KACS 90.5 5 OF 6 jazz/npr moderate noise SAME AS 90.3
KLWO 90.3 6 OF 6 jazz/npr almost clean
KXL-FM 101.1 5 OF 6 POP almost clean
KINK 101.9 3 OF 6 PORTLAND Noise, heavy
KKRZ 100.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KUKN 105.5 5 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KOPB 91.5 5 OF 6 country CLEAN
KKCW 103.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KGON 92.3 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KLTH 106.7 3 OF 6 WHITE NOISE
KVCH-FM 97.1 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KBFF 95.5 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
K224DR 92.7 3 OF 6 WHITE NOISE
KJVH 89.5 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KXJM 107.5 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KCPB-FM 90.9 4 OF 6 WHITE NOISE
KPDQ-FM 93.9 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KLVP 97.9 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
K234AU 94.7 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KWJJ-FM 99.5 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
K283BT 104.5 3 OF 6 Noise, heavy
KUPL 98.7 3 OF 6 Noise, heavyOther note:
My target station is fm 90.3 In Seattle it identifies as KNKX FM 88.5. In Raymond it is listed as 90.3. On the FM Fool list I see several stations using that frequency. And this station comes through from FM 90.1 thru 90.5. The strongest and cleanest reception is at 90.3What's next Tim?
-Steve
Edits: 06/16/17
Hi Tim.
I appreciate the help. I have a new page up on my website that will be used to detail my experiments and progress on this problem with FM reception. Link below to the page which will offer more info than I have space for here.
Above: Google Earth Satellite image that I have annotated a little bit shows the building I'm in, the terrain and compass headings.I invite everyone to view this page and comment here.
thanks,
-Steve
Edits: 06/14/17
then we amp the bearings to them, and distances
THEN we consider IF any rhombic is feasible, in any of your rooms!!
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
Well I know one of those stations and it is detailed and mapped on the page I linked to in my previous reply The station in question actually provided a map, which I include on that page.With regard to the other stations I have a mix and some of those come in strong while others do not. As I noted earlier, I'm really after that Jazz station which is at frequency 90.3fm for the Raymond area. In the Seattle area it is received at 88.5fm. There are many other frequencies this station broadcasts over across the west end of Washington state.
fm fool map:
-Steve
Edits: 06/14/17
I see you have worked out the compass bearings from your place to the different stations.
Focus on the ones whose programming really matters to you.
Do some have more then one txer site in range?
Select strongest txer / signal at your place.
Draw those bearings on to a plan of your apartment.
Then select - which rooms - to put a large enough (enough gain) rhombic in - so that its axis points at one or two/three - or can be 'spread' - see the Audio article for that spread version of a rhombic.
I am fortunate that one* of my two desired stations (*very powerful txer) is on one high tower - plus the one Txer less than 2km away - so that one new 6 element Yagi pointed at the tower does the job.
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
Wow, Timbo! you have your hands full! Funny thing to see the antennae questions heat up again. What do you suppose it means?
Best,
Jim
I found this article on constructing an indoor rhombic antenna for FM reception (see link below).
Also of course check if your preferred jazz station broadcasts over the internet!
They are directional, and thus you might need several.
They remain the cheapest high quality, high gain indoor antenna.
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
yes it is available via internet radio. I'm just thinking about FM reception at the moment.
I have the linked article. Printed out and read through. I just want to see if anyone has actually tried one of these.
-Steve
How many stations are your targets?
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
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