Tips for Radio Reception (Sep 13, 2002)

Can you hear me now?

with additional editorial commentary in italics

If you've ever tried to tune in your favorite radio station in your bedroom or garage, you've probably discovered that home is where the bad reception is.

Your clock radio may have less signal-grabbing power than a Walkman, and many expensive stereo systems aren't much better.

And let me add here that car radios are best for radio reception. In fact, I hooked up a car radio to my home stereo system with the help of some Radio Shack wiring and a wattage-matching 12 volt power supply. That's how I can get KIIS-FM and most of the Los Angeles-based FM stations since the 80s.

"Don't take it for granted that your $400 stereo has anything other than a $10 radio in it," said Doug Myrland, general manager of KPBS-FM and its sister television station.

You're especially likely to have trouble hearing FM stations because their signals have to pass a lot of obstacles on their way to you. Transmitting an FM signal is "a lot like shining a flashlight," said Keith "Madison" Miller, co-host of KPRI/Sets 102's morning show. "Wherever you can see the light, you can hear the radio. If you put something in between, it will cast a shadow, and where that shadow falls is where it's going to be harder to pick up the signal."

Basically, the weaker your radio's signal pulling power, the stronger the radio station has to be in order for you to receive their signal. If you have a weak radio, and you live in the San Diego Outland Metro, then you're basically restricted to listening to the local strong AM stations KOGO, KCBQ, KFMB, KPOP, XTRA, KECR, KSDO, and KSON-AM, plus perhaps the new ESPN Radio 800 and a few strong Tijuana stations, and maybe if you're lucky, KFI and KNX out of Los Angeles. For FM, you're restricted to hearing the stations that are basically within 10-20 miles from you, and the strongest stations from Tijuana and Los Angeles outside the range. That's why the ratings for KPRI 102.1 and KFSD-FM 92.1 among many others are consistently ranked in the bottom half of the Arbitron charts because their signals don't service the San Diego Outland Metro area sufficiently. KFSD-FM, at 588 watts, is designed to serve the Escondido area only. KPRI (formerly KXST and other calls) serves the Oceanside area, but has a 14,000 watt transmitter that blankets most of North County, but in many spots in South County, you need a strong radio to get it and 92.1!

For that reason, FM stations place their antennas on the highest mountains they can find, but other hills can still get in the way. Signals also bounce off things like buildings, cars and people, causing interference.

If you're having FM reception problems, the first thing you should do is try a "folded dipole antenna." You may have seen one of these before ---- they're long, thin pink cords that split into two at one end.

Dipole antennas come with many stereos, and they cost only about $3 at electronics stores. Look at the back of your stereo and install the two leads to the FM antenna input jacks, if there are any. (Some clock radios don't have them. If so, you're out of luck.)

Myrland suggests that you move the pink cord around to see if reception improves. "You shouldn't leave it all scrunched up," he said. "Stretch it out a little. Pin it to the wall behind your stereo in an unobtrusive place, and turn it around a little. Just a matter of a few inches can make a big difference."

Dipole antennas, of course, are low-tech. They may not work, or you may decide a straggly pink cord doesn't fit your bedroom's decor. In those cases, consider using an antenna that actually looks like an antenna.

Maybe you already have a TV antenna on your roof. "If the wire is still running to it, even if you're not using it for your TV, plug that into the back of your stereo," Myrland said. "Having an outdoor antenna is amazing."

Indoor antennas may work just fine too. Electronics stores have plenty of antennas to choose from at prices starting at about $30. Myrland recommends an online outfit at http://ccrane.com.

The best FM antenna I found was the Optima indoor antenna found at Target stores. I had one for eight years and with it, even without the amplified version, I got tons of radio stations from L.A. and other places when hooked up to my car radio in my house.

If you need technical advice about how to adjust your antenna, check out the handy reception tips on the Web site of a San Francisco public radio station (http://www.KQED.org/radio).

The best reception solution, however, may be right under your nose and not cost you an extra dime. I'll tell you what it is in next week's column, and I'll also give some advice about picking up AM stations and improving reception on the road.

That was the first installment of Randy's radio reception report. Also, what he didn't tell you is what kind of radio you need to get a radio signal of a certain signal strength coming into your area.

If you want to listen to the strong radio stations like the AM stations I listed, plus KYXY, KSON, KIFM, Star, Channel, whatever, just get a cheap radio for about $20. Most have a dipole antenna you can just twirl around until the station doesn't sound so static-ky.

It also helps that you live on a mesa or high in the hill facing the transmitters so you can get the signals better.

But if you're like me, you want a radio that can pick up as many signals as you can get. Many home stereo decks, as Randy pointed out, have cheap tuners. I tried one of them and returned it the next day, unsatisfied with its lacking ability to pick up distant and nearby stations.

The only radios I found that work with picking up distant radio signals and stations that were placed close to the local stations on the dial were the car radios made by Sony and a few others. Look for car radios that feature tuners with low sensitivity and selectivity ratings. The lower the number for sensitivity, the better you radio can pick up the weak and distant signals. The lower the selectivity, the better the tuner can get, say, KRTH 101.1 from Los Angeles when it sits between local stations Star 100.7 and KGBore 101.5.

The problem with sensitivity ratings I see on the specs is that they often refer to alternate selectivity, that is, for radio stations placed 0.4MHz from the dial. What about adjacent selectivity, that is, for radio stations placed 0.2MHz from the dial? That's the kind of radio performance I am seeking.

Well, say you want to listen to what used to be a station I enjoyed, 94.7 KMET in 1982, which is now The Wave playing smooth jazz, out of Los Angeles. It sits next to local 94.9, the former K-Best 95. How did I get the live four-hour KMET version of the Dr. Demento show on 94.7 in my house? Not without the greatest of difficulty. This way has been given a name: "Fox Reception Position." I'll tell you what it means as I explain what I did.

I had a portable FM radio from YORX and Radio Shack. They could get the Los Angeles stations such as KIQQ 100.3, KRTH 101.1, KFAC 92.3, KLOS 95.5, and KNX 93.1 out of Los Angeles most times due to the fact that the San Diego stations that were nearby the Los Angeles stations were weaker in 1982 (Clear Channel has since bought the weaker stations and boosted their powers). I got traces of KMET on the portable radio, but I got leakage from KBEST into KMET. So, I hooked up a pair of rabbit ears to the portable radio, and aimed myself holding on to the antenna in the weirdest positions imagined, like I was playing Twister, until I could get a clear KMET signal that didn't have most of the leakage from KBEST.

That's what I call the "Fox Reception Postion," but it didn't get its name until one year, I was watching "Married...With Children," and at the time most Fox TV stations were on low power outlets. So it was hard to get Fox programming. In San Diego, XETV didn't come in Escondido and El Cajon without cable or someone who did the "Fox Reception Postition" with the rabbit ears. When Al Bundy tuned on Fox, he said to the kids and Peg: "Quick, Fox is coming on! Get into your Fox Reception Positions", and they grabbed some wire hooked up to the TV's antenna jack, and got into some weird positions until they found one that got the Fox programming on their cheap TV set.

Nowadays, with my car radio in my house hooked up to the Optima antenna, I got clearer reception of the distant radio stations, though KFSD 92.1 just doesn't come in even with an amplified antenna it still comes in scratchy or not at all.

Car Radios by Randy Dotinga

North County is home to plenty of radio dead zones. Chances are that your car stereo snaps, crackles and pops as you drive through areas like Bonsall, Fallbrook, Sorrento Valley and Interstate 15 through Rancho Bernardo.

It's probably not your radio's fault. Car stereos are tough little machines, designed to pick up signals while in motion and fend off interference from devices inside and outside the car. But you may have more luck tuning in to a station if you use a digital tuner.

That's why I use the car radio in my house. See what I mean?

Check your antenna too. "The most common problem is that people's antennas are just busted or the connector has fallen loose," said John Barcroft, a staff engineer for the local Clear Channel stations.

Also, some experts suggest that an antenna imbedded into your back window could allow your car body to block signals from a weak or faraway station.

A mast antenna ---- the kind that sticks out of your hood ---- might be a better bet.

In some rare cases, the problem might be inside the car itself. Car computers and ignition devices can cause static. Barcroft suggests turning devices on and off to see if the reception changes, and then look for technical help if necessary.

If nothing works, you may wish to consider replacing the stereo itself. "If you've got a really cheap radio, a $29.95 special, get one for $200 or $300," Barcroft suggested.

Cable FM Radio

Last week, I wrote about how listeners can improve their radio reception at home by buying antennas. There's another thing you can do: Hook up your stereo to your cable television system. Cable radio ---- not to be confused with satellite radio for cars ---- has been around for years, but cable companies don't spend much time publicizing their ability to send crystal-clear radio signals into your home. It doesn't cost anything extra to tap into the radio signals. Cox Cable offers a free connection kit at its retail offices, or your favorite electronics store can help you out for about $15 or $20.

Here's what to do: First, make sure your stereo has connectors for an FM antenna. Clock radios and boom boxes might not have them.

Second, buy a splitter and two video cords. Attach the splitter to the coaxial cable that comes out of the wall, then attach the cords to its two outlet thingies on the splitter. Hook up one cord to your TV or VCR (like before) and connect the second to the antenna inputs on your stereo. Some newer stereos have an input designed for a coaxial cable, but most will require a cheap converter device from the electronics store that will allow you to plug the coaxial cable into the antenna inputs. Voila: You're set. Turn on the FM stereo ---- cable won't help your AM reception ---- and listen.

Cox Cable's radio service allows you to pick up difficult-to-hear stations like KPBS-FM, KSDS (San Diego City College's traditional jazz station) and the stations from UC San Diego (KSDT), San Diego State (KCR) and Palomar College (KKSM) for North County systems.

Unfortunately, Cox's radio service has room for only 14 stations, leaving out almost all based in North County. Also remember that most stations don't broadcast at their usual frequencies on cable radio.

And what of Adelphia, another big cable provider in North County? My calls to Adelphia's administrative office were not returned, but a customer service representative said the company doesn't provide cable radio.

Tune in to a future column for advice about AM reception.

Lame Cox Cable FM Limeup

88.7 KSDS Jazz 88.3
90.9 KYXY
93.1 KKJZ Long Beach
93.9 91suX
94.7 KSON
95.7 KSDT UCSD
97.1 KIFM
97.9 KGBore
98.9 KCR SDSU
104.9 XSURF 540
107.1 KFSD 1450 classcial music

Is this the best Cox can do? What a waste of potential.
This is one part of radio Clear Channel doesn't dominate
though.