slightly OT? auto AM/FM antennas & AM
 

The common auto AM/FM antenna these days is a *roughly* 1/4 wave (for FM)
31" vertical whip. For the sake of AM reception (particularly distant
cities, sky wave at night) iwould it hellp to use a longer whip, and would
there be any benefit (or detriment) to FM to making "longer" = ~60" (~1/2
wave) or perhaps ~75" (~5/8 wave) vs some other random length (say 90" or
even102") or does it not really matter as it is only receiving not
x-mitting. I'm assuming for AM that more is better (with obvious practical
limitations, probably well below the hypothetical 102" previously sited). I
suppose the best thing would be to just try a 5' or 6' whip some night, but
thought I'd ask.

'M.M.',
The length of the antenna isn't going to make a lot of
difference, but it's height will, sort of. Extending the
length of your car's antenna isn't the answer (no matter
if it's for AM or FM).
If you could raise the height of the antenna to 100 or
more feet, you'd certainly hear more stations because you
will have extended the antenna's 'horizon' further. 'Course,
that 100 feet height would make driving down the highway
kinda difficult...
There are no 'magic' fixes to extent radio reception in
the average car's AM/FM radio. 'Practical' isn't the same
as what would be 'best', and your 'better-half' probably
wouldn't put up with it anyway...
'Doc

Hmm, I had not though about the noise vs signal, and as Doc points, out my
better half would want to know how it was I had nothing better to do w/ my
time. Thanks.

"Bill Turner" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 07 Apr 2004 05:18:53 GMT, "The Masked Marvel"
wrote:

For the sake of AM reception (particularly distant
cities, sky wave at night) iwould it hellp to use a longer whip,

__________________________________________________ _______

For receiving only, I doubt a longer whip would help with AM. If you're
already getting a signal above the noise level, making the antenna
longer would only make both the signal and noise louder, and that in
itself may cause overload problems.

If you can tune in between stations and hear fairly loud atmospheric
static, stop there. More is not better.

--
Bill, W6WRT
QSLs via LoTW