Select-A-Tenna and Sony SRF-A100 (AM Stereo Radio)

Category: Broadcaster's Lounge

Post 1 by JH_Radio (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Thursday, 27-Jan-2005 10:34:13

Hi all,
Before I invest in buying a Select-A-Tenna, I'm curious about something.
would it really help reception of the Sony SRF-A100 to pull in AM Stereo stations?
I'm in Sands Point, NY wand would like to be able to get WPHT, WREF, and WITC out of Philly and CT.
If it does help, which antenna model should I buy?
I'm temtped to get the one with AMP, as it would get distance stations 40Db louder.
What do you all think?
Would another antenna do better then the Select-A-Tenna?
Thanks,
John

Post 2 by KC8PNL (The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.) on Saturday, 29-Jan-2005 23:37:29

Yeah, the select a tenna will help your reception and I would go with that since it is a well known and fairly easily to use product. The justice antenna also works well from what I have heard, but have never tried that one out before. As far as the amp goes, I'm not familiar with that particular reciever, but I do know that 40DB's of amplification may overload the reciever if it is very sensative. With respect to your location, based on what I have read the select a tenna may still be a better option for you since the inside of hknc is prone to interference, or at least it was when I was there last. There is no guarentee that u will pick up those 2 specific stations, but the select a tenna should increase your chances dramatically. And, if u run in to problems with reciever overload with the 40DB amplifier, simpily move the antenna a little further away from the radio. HTH

Post 3 by JH_Radio (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Monday, 31-Jan-2005 0:59:32

Just found out from my budedy Jeff Lemon over at radio-info's DX Board, that WREF is the only station still broadcasting in AM Stereo. I don't have the money for it with the 40DB antenna. Would 30DB be good enough? Plus, I don't need to ground terminals, etc... John

Post 4 by KC8PNL (The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.) on Monday, 31-Jan-2005 15:13:12

That's hard for me to answer really since this depends on the amount of power these 2 stations put out, antenna hight, and also where u r located within the building. But 30DB's of amplification is better than 20, so go for it. Whatever u do, don't by the moddel without the preamp and then buy a separate preamp, because u r just asking for trouble then. Unless it's a preamp that filters out all of those other noises u don't want to hear that is.