AM loop antenna suitability

[CRNorris]

Hi,

I have a Rotel RX-403 receiver and I sometimes listen to AM radio. Signal isn't great though because I don't have an antenna connected.

I have found an AM loop antenna that looks like it was included with some other hi-fi system, but I'm not sure if it's suitable for my receiver. The user manual doesn't show a loop antenna being connected, it shows a telescopic type instead. So rather than just connecting it up and taking a risk I thought I'd ask here first.

Could someone please explain to me how to identify whether or not the antenna is suitable?

There's a picture here that shows the connectors: http://resultado.de/resultado/layout/images/userfiles/images/1/0/4/1/7/2/3052574_large.jpeg

I can see there is a ground connector there but it looks like it's meant to be assosciated with the FM connectors...

If it's not the right part, any recommendations for what I should do instead?

Thanks!

 

[tybrad]

Look into an inductively-coupled antenna to work with your built-in loopstick. The Select-A-Tenna, Terk Advantage, or Tecsun AN-200 come to mind. Just orient it correctly relative to the AM stick inside your receiver, tune your radio dial, then tune the Select-A-Tenna (et. al.) to the same frequency in order to strengthen a weak and/or noisy signal. My S-A-T works quite well!

 

[jaymanaa]

This is from the tube forum, but it helped me a lot.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=7767577&postcount=23

 

[Brian]

String a nice couple of hundred feet of bare stranded copper wire as high as you can if you want some fun. It connects to the AM terminal. Take a wire from the GND terminal and run it outdoors and sink a copper rod about 6' into the ground and connect the wire to it.

 

[ConradH]

Ground is ground, so hook it up just the way loopstick shows it, using the AM terminal and any nearby ground screw.

AM antennas can be lots of fun because you can build very effective tuned antennas using a big multi-turn loop and an old variable capacitor. Google "tuned AM antenna" and look at the image tab. Often you don't even have to hook these to the receiver- just place it next to the small loop or bar antenna and tune it for maximum signal.

 

[tybrad]

String a nice couple of hundred feet of bare stranded copper wire as high as you can if you want some fun. It connects to the AM terminal. Take a wire from the GND terminal and run it outdoors and sink a copper rod about 6' into the ground and connect the wire to it.

This works as well, but is not as practical for most. Since I redid the antenna for my DX-160 LW/MW/SW receiver, I have had a night-and-day difference in reception on all bands. The details:

450' loop through the woods in the back of my house on braided 14 ga. insulated wire elevated appx 30' above ground, tree-to-tree ->

Soldered 42' coax feed (ends connected to shield and center). This is for AC and electronic noise suppression as the line gets near and enters my house ->

Coax lightning arrestor connected to Earth ground wire outside of house (presumably terminated on cold water pipe, but not sure- it's underground) which also has the cable TV and I think, electric breaker box inside all connected to it ->

Coax coil choke at the arrestor point for common mode current suppression ->

Into an A/B coax switch for disconnecting the antenna during electrical activity ->

Into a VHF/UHF transformer ->

Into the DX-160 with one conductor on 'antenna', the other on the other screw terminal that is jumped to the ground screw, and this ground screw is connected to electrical ground on a power bar.

But again, not a quick/easy or practical situation for many people. But AM is nearly dead-quiet now on the DX-160, and I can get stations that I could not previously. In addition, on extreme low (500-530khz) and high (1700-1800khz) ends of the AM spectrum, I can hear fringe stuff.

But what I'd stated earlier on inductively-coupled indoor antennae gets me 80% there on my other receivers.

Best of luck on your journey!

Tyler

 

[Trio]

Whichever antenna approach you use, you will improve reception further by matching the tuner to the antenna. I discuss that here:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=559532
This alone should increase the sensitivity and the number and distance of stations recieved as well. Just locate the trimmers for the AM sections of the tuning gang and mark their start point if you need to set them back for some reason.