Just got my C. Crane dipole antenna. I'm running a Sony ST-SA5ES which has a digital signal strength meter.
I had two prior indoor antennae for my favorite station, Abu Dhabi Classic 91.6 FM. One is a simple wire folded dipole in a T-configuration. It has a balin to match the 75 ohm connection on the tuner.
The other was a metal rod I borrowed from a Tivoli Model Two radio. It was already 75 ohm. The metal rod used a 75 ohm coax to get it closer to the south facing window where I presume the transmitter is at and to hide it. The T-wire hung right over the tuner. I'm on the 32nd floor of a concrete apartment house with metal framed windows.
Both the rod and the t-wire would pull in 51 dB at their best. When I connected the C. Crane dipole, the signal shot up to 62-64 dB!. One factor was the coax as the new antenna was direct connected without the extra coax. Other testing lost may 4-6 dB with the coax but I didn't try to optimize at a new, more distant location.
To me, this is objective evidence that the $20 USD I spent on the C. Crane antenna (plus $25 mailing it Abu Dhabi!) was money well spent.
Here's the C. Crane antenna as-tested:
Here's the rod antenna but re-installed on the Tivoli:
I had two prior indoor antennae for my favorite station, Abu Dhabi Classic 91.6 FM. One is a simple wire folded dipole in a T-configuration. It has a balin to match the 75 ohm connection on the tuner.
The other was a metal rod I borrowed from a Tivoli Model Two radio. It was already 75 ohm. The metal rod used a 75 ohm coax to get it closer to the south facing window where I presume the transmitter is at and to hide it. The T-wire hung right over the tuner. I'm on the 32nd floor of a concrete apartment house with metal framed windows.
Both the rod and the t-wire would pull in 51 dB at their best. When I connected the C. Crane dipole, the signal shot up to 62-64 dB!. One factor was the coax as the new antenna was direct connected without the extra coax. Other testing lost may 4-6 dB with the coax but I didn't try to optimize at a new, more distant location.
To me, this is objective evidence that the $20 USD I spent on the C. Crane antenna (plus $25 mailing it Abu Dhabi!) was money well spent.
Here's the C. Crane antenna as-tested:
Here's the rod antenna but re-installed on the Tivoli:
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